More Backyard Birds

 

 

 

 

Baby Ducks on Lake Nelson

The mother duck brings her six ducklings by often. They are growing very fast and have already learned how to jump back in the lake from our dock. They are now old enough so that some are developing an independent streak and no longer follow mom in a straight line.

Tufted Titmice

Red Bellied Woodpecker Feeding

Well, no visible nests this spring, but we had a lot of woodpeckers and other birds coming and going with food. We could see them flying across the lake, and we hoped that eventually they would bring their young to us for all the good feed we offer. In this photo we have a male red bellied woodpecker feeding grape jelly to its young.

Babies

Baby Tree Swallow (we think)




This was weird. A mother duck and her 6 ducklings were resting on our floating island. A cormorant also likes sunning himself there so he jumped up to join them. The mother sheltered the babies but they shared the island for a few minues.

Baby ducks may be cuter than baby geese

 

Red Bellied Woodpecker Eating an Orange

Red Bellied Woodpecker Eating an Orange


We're still getting a few orioles coming by, but it doesn't look like we'll have an oriole nest. It could be because all the other birds have found the food we put out for the orioles. Here a red bellied woodpecker is at the orange and even the orange half filled with jelly. They also are switching back and forth from the peanut flavored suet to the jelly for a good old fashioned pb&j!

Later in the day, a male oriole returned, but we haven't seen a female yet in our yard.

We should get out more.

Northern Cardinal


Cedar Waxwing


Chipmunk

We should get out more, but we also like waiting for these critters to drop by.

Lake Nelson's Black Crowned Night Heron

Black Crowned Night Heron
The Black Crowned Night Heron has been making a daily apperance (or really a nightly appearance) on Lake Nelson.

A Cute Gosling

 

Here's a cute picture of an adorable baby goose. They waddle on to the lawn through a hole in the fence and nibble on the delicate grass. What can be cuter than a baby bird?

Baltimore Oriole eating an orange

Baltimore Oriole
Chris is ecstatic. We've put out oranges in late April for three years now. Each year, the orioles would build nests in a tree over the lake, but ignore our food. Today, we had our first oriole eat an orange.

Scarlet Tanager

Scarlet Tanager

The Scarlet Tanager was our best find at Prospect Park in Brooklyn.

Nashville Warbler from Prospect Park

Warbler

Black and White Warbler

Black and White Warbler



Here are some photos of an early spring migrating bird, the black and white warbler. We visited Prospect Park in Brooklyn because the weather was supposed to be nice and there had been sightings of a prothonotary warbler. No such luck for us, but we did have some great pizza, red velvet cake and ice cream after birding in Brooklyn.

Catbirds Return

Catbird at the Jelly Feeder



We look forward to the return of the gray catbird. Sometimes, this bird sounds like a crying baby. Sometimes, the catbird sounds like a cat. Sometimes, it has an upbeat, silly song.

Catbirds eat insects and come to jelly feeders.

Neighborhood Birds

Orchard Oriole

Yellow Warbler

Chickadee
We birded our neighborhood park this morning and ran into a few migrating birds.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

This morning's scan of the yard turned up a rare visitor. Chris was doing household stuff with one eye out a window at all times checking for spring migrants. She dashed out when she thought she saw a Towhee in the garden. Couldn't find the Towhee but heard a lovely song in the trees. This Rose-breasted Grosbeak stayed and sang for around 10 minutes. At first he was hidden in the few leaves that are out, but he repositioned in a different tree for this clear shot. Not sure if the Towhee was a false alarm as it never turned up again. There are some similarities in appearance between the two birds, but the locations were so different that it likely could have been one of each. We'll make sure to keep some sunflower seed out, which is what the Grosbeaks like, but unfortunately the squirrels like it as well.

Little Nut

Red-breasted nuthatch


Red-breasted nuthatch and goldfinch


White-breasted nuthatch

The red-breasted nuthatch, now affectionately known as "Little Nut," spent his second day at our house. Late in the afternoon, it was joined by a second one, so we are hoping they take up residence. The white-breasted nuthatches are still around. Little nut seems to interact a bit with the larger white-breasted ones and generally gets along with all the backyard birds. Both varieties prefer being upside down.

Robin having a bath

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs
While the dam is being repaired, we are left with just a stream. We were surprised yesterday to see a lesser yellowlegs wading.