Banner Day!

 Hi all!

Today was a banner day for birding!  However, it didn't start that way!

I did my usual chores this morning and a few new ones, then I decided to see if any birds were allowing me to photograph them?  I found not many.  The female Northern Cardinal visited, as did a Rose Breasted Grosbeak, but they were sort of regulars. 

It was about 1:30pm and I paused my birding to go check the mail.  As I walked out to the mailbox, I heard, from somewhere across the street in the 300+ acres of woods, a Tufted Titmouse.  I was excited!  They haven't visited my feeders yet in the year I've been here.  In fact, I've not even seen one in the area, so to hear them close was thrilling!

At this point I knew that I had all the appropriate foods to attract them (black oil sunflower seeds, peanuts, both shelled and unshelled, fruit and mealworms), so that shouldn't be an issue.  I thought that they just needed to see the available buffet and the problem would take care of itself.

On my iPhone I have the Audubon App that has the songs of most all the birds in my area.  I brought the app up and thought that perhaps if I played it loud enough, they would hear it and come to investigate.  I played the first song.  Nothing.  As the second sound byte started I saw a few birds fly into my pecan tree, directly behind my feeders.  I looked through my camera and low and behold; Tufted Titmice!!!  Figuring that I was on a roll, I then played the first Carolina wren song.  Note: They had not been here (at least visually), for about a month.  It was seconds before one landed on my snag, then on the flat feeder, then on the peanut feeder!  

Not being a person who normally presses his luck, I thought I'd try and see if there were any Downy Woodpeckers within listening distance?  I played their first sound byte.  Unbelievably, almost immediately two flew into the pecan tree.  Now, they didn't stay long, but they did come back twice and I'm sure they now know that there is food there for them.  Time will tell.

As I thought about this amazing series of events, I saw a Brown Thrasher in the woods beyond my property line.  Why not, I thought!?!  I played their first song.  Nothing.  I played their second song.  Again nothing.  My luck had run out, it seems.  I stopped playing their songs and went back to the Carolina wren song.  As it played I saw a motion almost directly below the window in front of me.  Yes, you guessed it, a Brown Thrasher!!!!  It stayed for about five minutes, hunting for bugs, before finally catching a leaf hopper and flying away.  Amazing!!!

The day was spectacular!  Here are a few photographs as proof.  Tomorrow will also be interesting, I'm sure!!

Backyard Update

 Hello Quarantined Followers!

It seems that once again I've fallen into the "forget the blog" mode.  However I do have somewhat of an excuse.  Note:  The previous entry is from two weeks ago.  It seems that an update to BlogSpot glitched my publishing of it then, so I published it now.  

Now from today...

For the last couple of months I've been working on making my yard more bird friendly and closer to a natural habitat for any/all woodland creatures.  After quite a bit of hesitation, I've finished my ground feeder and put it out next to the snag.  No one, as of yet, has visited it, but I'm hopeful that someone will in the near future.  I've also planted more trees (two Azaleas and soon two Camellias, which will arrive next week).

I was quite happy to see two pair of Rose Breasted Grosbeaks visit my feeders in the past two weeks.  The males are not in full breeding plumage, however they are still a welcome site and are quite a stunning bird.  I think the female is currently much more beautiful, having their mottled black and brown feathers with a very faint reddish breastplate.
 

The Carolina wrens have come back and are very sparingly showing up, eating

a few mealworms, then leaving again.  My hope is that they nest nearby, as I enjoy their loud, raucous calls.

There are three Eurasion Collared Doves coming for some millet daily.  They are big and scare most all the other birds for a time, but eat quickly and then leave.

My Ruby Throated Hummingbirds are still here, though now there are only two.  The other four must have started their migration.  I will be sorry to see them go.

Note:  This blog is not set up nearly as neatly as I would like.  The update to BlogSpot has made this difficult.

Hello all!

I've fallen into the "ignore the blog" habit again and I swore that I wouldn't.  Sorry.  I promise I will try to be better in the future.  I think that the problem is that I'm not taking many photographs these days.  One reason for this is that my birds, for the time being, have deserted me!

Today there were only House Finches visiting.  Yesterday and the day before, and a few before that, there were none.  I think one reason is that it's too hot.  Realizing this, I started turning on the sprinkler and low and behold, more birds!  Not a ton mind you, but more.

Carolina wrens were out and about (the first time I saw them in months), looking for a nesting site.  Fingers crossed.

I'm really not complaining.  My Northern Cardinals, Blue Jays and Red Bellied Woodpeckers come everyday for peanuts (they don't stay long), as well as my four Ruby Throated Hummingbirds.

Here are a few photos from yesterday.  Enjoy...