I have to say I'm enjoying my song birds this year. I have so many more than normal, that it's making it a very pleasant and satisfying spring/summer.
A bird I've not seen on the property in many years is the
Indigo Bunting Did you know their feathers aren't blue, but black - and it's the way the feathers are made that refracts the blue color? Very cool indeed!
Another I've heard at my brothers, but not heard near me (about a 20 mile difference and much less population in his area) is the
Eastern Wood-PeWee . He's a few houses over, but that's fine - hearing him is the best part.
One that needs the woods to fully appreciate his voice, but I am forever grateful he came over to sing for me is the
Wood Thrush . Without the woods, his voice just doesn't haunt as much. It's still just beautiful, but not the same.
My
Pileated Woodpecker comes over very frequently. They nest across the creek - much better housing options - but frequents our property just to make sure no one thinks it's up for grabs.
Another woodpecker - the
Northern Flicker has finally decided we have enough ants to set up shop somewhere around our property. I'm not sure if it's nesting on or just near, but I'm fine with that either way. He's here.
A sparrow that shouldn't be here, but has been for 2 years now is the
White-Crowned Sparrow . He's very much south of his normal nesting grounds, so I'm not sure why he's here. But it's always interesting to see him.
Another sparrow who just showed up a few years ago is the
Chipping Sparrow . The picture doesn't do him justice - he looks like he has bed head, with that red cap of his.
I've heard a
Grasshopper Sparrow, but haven't seen it yet. Hopefully in a year or two.
I keep waiting for the
Oriole to decide our hickories are tall enough, but he always decides on other trees in the area. Oh well. I'll live. I put grape jelly out for him this year, and have seen him nibbing, but the squirrels have discovered it, so am guessing there won't be enough left for him to say so.
My favorite is the
Song Sparrow. They've been in the yard for a number of years now and have discovered my veggie garden is THE place to shop for the best bugs! A pretty song, a shapely line, and a knack for hunting ground bugs makes them the bird for me!
I'll be putting up a fence around our burning bushes to keep my one cat from bugging the
Cardinals , who've set up shop there for the first time. I love how the female sings to the chicks in a very whispered tone.
Catbirds are very enjoyable, since they're the closest thing to a mocking bird I'll have around here. Still, they're color is the softest gun-metal grey. I know - ironic way of describing their color. They tend to enjoy my forsythia, which is why the forsythia are rarely pruned. I won't prune after nests are made.
And I made a discovery that should benefit my
Gold Finches. They like dandelion seeds! I tend to let dandelions live since they make great ground cover in my numerous flower beds and veggie garden. My aunt also loves to dig dandelion greens in the spring, so with all of my mulching, they are straight, tender and extra sweet. Well, it was a great year for dandelions, which had all of the birds collecting the fluff for their nests and the Gold Finches gathering the seeds to eat! Just another reason to keep the dandelion.
After all of these, we have the wonderfully social Black-capped Chickadee, the incredibly voiced Tufted Titmouse, House Sparrow, Starling, House Finch, Bluejay, Cowbird and probably a few I've missed.
Not bad for an acre of land in town.
Labels: birds
