The Goldfinch Gang

Recently the goldfinches found the feeders. When they come, it's usually in a big group of about six (three males and three females). 

Sugar High

A pair of tiny hummingbirds buzzed around our flowering bush (a rhododendron, I think) tonight. The male stopped by first and a few minutes after he left the female showed up. I'm happy to have caught a few photos- they move so quickly!

Dear Robin

Dear Robin,

Oh, sweet bird, how exciting it was to come home from a weekend away to find your perfect bowl of a nest, tastefully decorated with long tendrils of grass, placed just so in the tree outside the window. I knew you were going to build it right there when I saw you nervously perched on that branch a few days ago. I wasn't sure you'd like the location, being so near the window of a child's bedroom, but I've also seen worse places to build. And I'm sure you were in a hurry to get those eggs laid.

So imagine my sadness when, just moments after I noticed your lovely nest, I also noticed a splotch on the window pane- sure evidence that you or your loving partner smashed into that window on your way home. Where did you go then, sweet bird? I did not find your lifeless body on the grass below but there has also been no recent activity in your nest.

I do hope you've been so busy eating and preparing that you haven't time to be in your nest much. It would be so fun to be able to watch you raise your babies this spring. And if your spirit has flown to better places (where there are no tricky mirror-like windows), I pray you did not suffer long on this earth and that your partner can move on to make a family with someone else.

Much love,

-E

PS- In case you're still out there, I will put the window cling up there so you won't make the same mistake twice.

Some new friends

We bought some new bird seed and have a few new visitors trying it out. This morning one blue jay ate while another nestled into a tree branch nearby.

A fine morning

The forecast calls for a beautiful spring day today and it seems the birds are very excited about this. Barking robins, playful crows, quick chickadees, and a couple of hairy woodpeckers all graced my backyard. 

A tiny house

High atop this tree a tiny bird crawled into a tiny hole. Can you see where?

Brown Creeper

I spent about 15 minutes paging through my bird book before finally identifying this guy as a Brown Creeper. As his name suggests, he creeps up and around tree trunks, which is exactly why he caught my eye in the first place.

Camouflage

A female downy woodpecker blends in with the aspen tree.

April Fools!

The dog had been off the deck long enough for the gray squirrel to come check out the feeders. The joke's on him, this one is empty! 

All Creatures

Lots of birds and one brave squirrel. 

Flock of Redpolls

This morning I had one Common Redpoll at the feeder. He must have told all his friends about the nyjer sock because now there are at least two dozen on my deck! There are even more on the grass below.

The one on top of the sock was the brightest one in the group. I'm calling him the king.

A Redpoll, and some cool action shots

A Common Redpoll stopped by today. It's the first I've seen of what my bird book describes as an "arctic finch." Behind him, a pine siskin comes in for a flawless landing.

House Wren House

I put out one of the homemade bird houses we got for our birthdays. This one is the wren house. I read they prefer small trees in the middle of the yard, not too close and not too far from a woodland area. There is a small grove of pines nearby so I hope this spot is acceptable! 

Newcomer

Yesterday we had a new visitor at the feeder, the red-breasted nuthatch. In Eagan, I had white-breasted nuthatches visit a couple times, but more often they were heard rather than seen. 

The weather was so nice we enjoyed our deck for the first time this season. Having four adults, three loud children, and an active smoker cooking our food right there in front of the feeder did not stop the birds from visiting. They showed little fear of us. 

Snack time!

Pileated Woodpecker!

I heard a rapid hammering sound this morning and to be honest I actually thought it was the roofers at the neighbor's house across the backyard. But when I looked out the kitchen window I saw the pileated woodpecker right away. He flew away before I could get a decent picture. 

The next phase

The next phase for enticing birds to my yard: food and water!

I put some black oil sunflower seeds in the feeder and spread some seeds along the deck rail next to the bird bath. I read that birds will see the scattered seeds and then find the feeder. My plan is to have the feeders either on the deck or nearby so this was a good place to start.

The chickadees were the first to find it, after only one day. Today I identified the pine siskin at the feeder, and it was exciting for me since I don't think I've ever seen them in my yard before except for the other day when a pair of them were pulling at a piece of fuzz in our front bushes. They must be building nests!

I've also noticed the suet feeder with nesting materials has been picked at a little bit, too.

Getting ready for spring!

Last year we had very little bird activity in our new home, and I half-heartedly tried to coax them to love me by offering them less than adequate bird seed. The birds at our old house must have been less picky as this was the leftovers they did not eat before our move.

This year will be different. I hope.

I have three bird houses to put up, the first being one we can stick to the window and watch the nest from inside our house. I honestly don't know if anyone will go for it- it's difficult to find a window on our home that is quiet enough or that does not have an outdoor screen in the way. Nonetheless, we try.

I also conveniently placed nesting materials in a suet feeder near the birdhouse.

Bird houses

We got bird houses for our birthdays this year and I can't wait to put them up! One for house wrens, the other for woodpeckers. I'm hopeful that someone will find them and move in! 

Tiny Prints

I see more deer now than I do birds, so seeing these prints is exciting for me.