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.

Bird butt

From August. 

Morning at the Beach

This was from September, well into what seemed to be an early fall. It was cool that day and the seagulls congregated on this rock to squawk and poop together. 

Quiet times

We haven't had much bird activity at our new house, and it's been very disappointing. Coming from a neighborhood with such diversity to one where we haven't even had to refill the feeders all summer, it makes me sad, like there's something sweet missing in my life. 

We had some migratory ground feeders in late summer/early fall. They didn't come to the feeder but flitted among all the trees in our yard. We had warblers and redstarts in with this group. They were difficult to photograph.

I did see a hawk one day. Next year I will go to Hawk's Ridge to watch for them. 

I think I have a few bird photos from the summer, mostly seagulls. We're going to vamp up our bird feeding operation this winter/spring. Until then, here's my new sweater:

Redstart

I came out from putting the baby to bed and Rob said, "We had a visitor," and urged me to look at the photo he sent to my phone. I went outside to check and he was still there. He must have smacked the door and was a little dazed.

American Redstart, probably a young male.

Loon on the Lake

Can you spy the loon? 

Or is it a merganser duck? It's too far away to tell for sure but it looked like a loon.

Our new adventure!

I had to say goodbye to my backyard birds this week and in a few days I will meet the ones who live in my new backyard. Here's a seagull; something we'll be seeing a lot of now!

Zoo Goose family

These geese live at the Zoo near the farm and are so used to people they didn't even try to move as we and our excited children came within feet of their young. I wonder if this watchful parent is one of the babies we saw this other time we were visiting the zoo farm.

Sky Blue Sky

I just love the avian diversity in my neighborhood. This bald eagle was flying right over our house!