The weather wasn't too bad in the morning, and a lonesome male bluebird stopped by to check out the nesting box. I'd like to think he was scouting for a home for his mate and future family, but I won't be holding my breath on that score. However, as the day progressed, the weather worsened. …
Birds before breakfast
I was excited when I glanced through the kitchen window at the backyard buffet and discovered an Eastern bluebird posing for multiple photo opps. The sky was overcast, as it usually is in February. A sunny blue sky would have been appreciated, but it wasn't essential because this colorful visitor arrived with his own special …
Return of the pileated woodpeckers
The light was dull this morning, and I couldn't get a great picture, but look who reappeared in our backyard this morning. We haven't been visited by the pileateds for months, and this morning I heard the distinctive "I'm here!" call, ran to my window, and there he was high up on the tall oak …
Lazy (and wet) Sunday afternoon
The temperature was hovering around zero with freezing rain tapping on the window pane, so backyard birding seemed like a better idea than trudging down the trail in the park. Call me a wimp, if you want, but I'm happiest indoors in weather like this. The bluejays don't seem to mind much as long as …
Good news, but potentially bad news too
Despite the chill in the air, the little ruby-throated hummers were active at our feeders over the past few days. This one doesn't seem to mind temperatures in the high 50s under overcast skies nearly as much as I do. He's wearing his summer colors, while I am wearing my winter socks and warm sweater. …
Ongoing saga of the backyard buffet
It's clear to the eye that this is another rainy morning, but nevertheless, the birds arrived for breakfast as usual. The redbellied woodpecker, shown in the picture above, wasn't happy to discover that the hopper feeder had been totally emptied overnight. She is not sure how this happens and neither are we, although we are …
More backyard birding
The colorful bird featured in my post yesterday, the redheaded woodpecker, is extremely rare in my backyard. Today's bird, the Baltimore oriole, used to stop by on rare occasions only. Now it flies in for multiple visits daily, enjoying the grape jelly I generously serve in the new jelly dish I purchased at Wild Birds …
Spring migration was in full swing…
Two weeks ago, when the annual spring migration was in full swing, birders were all agog over their unique opportunities to see and photograph unusual warblers and other birds rarely seen in our area. Many parks celebrated with special events, and birders planned field trips to prime location along the shoreline. I didn't have time to …
Woodpecker morning
A quick look out the kitchen window this morning reassured me that Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird are still around. Both were sitting on the new bluebird nesting box I wrote about in yesterday's blog post. They didn't stay long enough for a photo opp, but I was very happy to see them. Next the pileated …
Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird go house hunting
My last 10 days have been busy, so busy I haven't had any time to post my pictures of the drama in our backyard, but Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird have been even busier. Their hunt for suitable housing has been a challenging one. Mr. Bluebird took the initiative in the house hunt. Maybe his …
SEEN ALONG THE TRAIL 