Colorful Finches

The male goldfinches are once again adorned in their golden plumage.

The male house finches are brighter too.

The female is lovely in her own humble way.

Backyard Birding class at CT Audubon Center

I've signed up for this free one hour class at the CT Audubon Center on Burr St in Fairfield. One of the things it mentions is learning to tell the difference between a house and purple finch, and this is something I really want to know! I do believe a purple finch was at the bird feeder this morning.It was beautiful!

Introduction to Backyard Birding with Scott Kruitbosch

So Much Living and Activity Going On in My Big Backyard

I've been spending quite a lot of time outside gardening, weeding, watering, filling bird and hummingbird feeders, birdbaths, and walking, roaming and sitting. It is amazing what you will see when you are outside, quiet and observant.  Today I discovered that it is a chipmunk who made a hole in the hill behind the perennial garden. I saw him go up the hill to feast on fallen seeds from the bird feeder. When I got too close (he did let me get quite close!), he scurried down to the hole and sat very still in the opening, hoping I wouldn't notice him I suppose! Again when I got too close, he turned and went inside.

The Monarch butterflies are enjoying the butterfly weed flowers. They stay put on them sucking out the nectar with their proboscis. Again, I was able to get quite close to observe this. Cabbage butterflies, sulfurs, blue azures, commas, red admirals and painted ladies all can be seen flying around.

Then, while picking blueberries, a mass of ants came from under the fence, across the grass and seemed to be heading to the exact spot I was at! I moved out of the way. They continued on their way, like a river swimming through the grass, up the raised bed, across it, down the other side and kept going! I went back to picking the blueberries, then looked for them when I was done, but could not locate them. They moved quickly! I have never seen that before!!

Again I saw the hummingbird at the feeder. As always, the house finches, maybe purple finches, assorted sparrows, cardinals, titmice, chickadees, hairy and downy woodpeckers, nuthatches, mourning doves, bluejays and grackles took turns at the different feeders and the wrens,sparrows and catbirds foraged the plants for insects.

I really must bring my camera with me every time I go outside.

Today in My Big Backyard

Birds
wrens
tufted titmice
female cardinal
female and male house sparrows
chickadee
blue jay
a bird calling "here, here"
hummingbird
nuthatch
mourning doves
male and female house finches

Butterflies & other Insects
Red Admiral
Cabbage
Monarch
Blue Wasps

Scents
Cilantro
Petunias
Lilies
Compost
Sassafras ?

Sounds
Cardinals
Blue Jays
Wrens

Bird Visitors

For a while (about one month I'd say) the activity at the bird feeders dropped drastically. Only house sparrows were constant visitors taking endless trips to feed their babies.  Mourning Doves were constant as well, but everyone else seemed to move on or switch to eating bugs and worms.

Lately the house (and maybe some purple) finches have been feeding here on a regular basis. Lots and lots of them! I'd say about 5 males and 20 females and/or juveniles! Yesterday there were 7 goldfinches - all males - at the bird bath! I believe I saw an oriole chase a crow last Sunday.

Today I saw a downy woodpecker at the back feeder, a nuthatch at the front feeder, red winged blackbirds on the ground below the large feeder in the enclosed garden, and a red bellied woodpecker on top of one of the cedar posts. Other visitors to the garden and feeders today were grackles, black birds, blue jays, cardinals, catbirds and robins.

And I saw a cotton tail bunny out back by the sour wood tree! It is so cute and tiny!! Saw it or another one last night too.

Where Are the Birds?

We had an early start to spring which means an early season of hatching and growth of insects as well as plants. The robins were here in numbers early, as were the phoebes, and many of the winter visitors to feeders must be concentrating on the insects for food. I haven't seen a titmouse, nuthatch, woodpecker or flicker in weeks and a single chickadee appears once in a while. The house sparrows and house finches are still regulars though. I haven't seen the juncos in a few days, so I guess they finally headed north. But I am still waiting for the arrival of the wrens, cat birds, mockingbirds and Baltimore oriole.