Urban Pileated Woodpecker!
We do have patches of woods nearby and our back yard is fairly large by urban standards (about 1/2 an acre), but Pileated woodpeckers are very large birds that seem to prefer more wooded, less urban areas.
Interesting Bird Encounter at The Big House
Had an interesting bird encounter Saturday at The Big House with a strange Mourning Dove that landed in the end zone and tried to hide in the blue paint for some reason I’ll never know!
Attack of the Cooper’s Hawk!
Another Cooper’s Hawk attack witnessed on November 22 out our back window. The young, but good-sized Cooper’s Hawk swooped in missing in the initial attack and then landed on the nearby brush
Red-bellied Woodpecker on Sunflower Seeds
Another first at our backyard feeders, this big male Red-bellied Woodpecker bypassed the peanuts and suet to eat whole sunflower seeds on our feeder!
Juvenile Pied-billed Grebe
Camera guy Mark Gomez sent in this picture of a juvenile Pied-billed Grebe from Stony Creek Metropark.
First ever Purple Finch
They were females but that’s okay. We can be absolutely sure they were Purple Finches that way instead of more of our very numerous and common House Finches!!
First Junco of Fall 2016
There are official signs of fall and one of them is the arrival of the first Dark-eyed Junco! I thought I saw one a couple evenings ago but wasn’t sure.
On Deck with Blue Jays and Red-bellied Woodpeckers
With the fall coming, I’ve been tossing corn kernels on the back deck and the Blue Jays and Red-bellied Woodpeckers are taking full advantage!
Red-bellied Woodpecker eating corn
A new observation at our backyard feeders. Red-bellied Woodpeckers had been gone from our backyard for a few months but one male recently returned to our feeders and is doing something unseen before – eating whole corn kernels off the deck!
Chickadee Neck Deep
Black-capped Chickadees are another one of those overachiever birds. They work hard for their food and energy.
The Cool Carolina Wren
The Carolina Wren is one of my favorite backyard birds. Most days I walk out back and hear the overly loud call of this small but powerful bird, whether it is singing, cheering or ditting away, looking for love, and other Carolina Wrens!
Mourning Dove in Snow
Not trying to rush winter but this is another picture I like – a Mourning Dove pecking seeds out of the snow from a past winter.
Goldfinch and Nuthatch on Nijer
Sometimes pictures just speak to you, and this shot of an American Goldfinch and a White-breasted Nuthatch on the Nijer seed sock is one I like.
Crest-less Blue Jays
We seem to get this every fall – scruffy, balding looking Blue Jays that I assume are molting as the reason their head looks bald without much of a crest.
Pine Siskins invade our feeders
This only started happening the past two seasons but for brief periods we get invaded by cute little Pine Siskins that fly down out of the North woods to visit our backyard feeders.
Immature Chipping Sparrow visits
Either we had a Chipping Sparrow nest nearby or I guess it could just be passing through because now we have a juvenile Chipping Sparrow on the deck! It just showed up a few days ago and may be gone already now.