Showing posts with label american goldfinch. Show all posts
Showing posts with label american goldfinch. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Is it spring yet?
This American Goldfinch looks ready to burst into bright yellow for spring! Too bad it's only January here in Chicago. We just finished 2 days of record breaking warmth, though. I'd be confused if I was a bird!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Happy New Year!
It's my first birding new year! :)
We're on cold weather lockdown for the new year here in Chicagoland, but the days leading up to 2008 gave us a temporary thaw:
The cold and snow of 2008 has everybody scrambling for a meal - even 'Coop. There's something bone-chilling about a Cooper's Hawk's stare:
Eyeing a potential meal. He was not successful this time... this time.
I finally got a glimpse of the female cardinal! I've had a male cardinal visiting occasionally for a few weeks now, and this cold snap brought out his mate, AND another male! I love seeing the cardinals at my feeders. They're gorgeous birds and I'm glad to be able to help them get by this winter.
Isn't she gorgeous!
She never sat still for very long, but I did snap this picture of her jumping from the deck rail to the black oil sunflower seed Cedar feeder. It makes me giggle!
The less frequent visitors of the Sparrow Mob have spent a lot more time here the last couple days. Here's my Song Sparrow friend - haven't seen this one in a little while!
And here's the local American Tree Sparrow, who now visits with a friend:
Had to include this shot - see the snow whooshing by?
Here are my two least common sparrows, hanging out in the same feeder!
I had 3 American Goldfinches here today too - up from the usual 1. Hungry Hungry Finches! (You know, instead of Hungry Hungry Hippos)
There's a bunny rabbit nibbling on brush in my yard now. It's funny how the birds will hop right around the rabbit, not even blinking at his presence. They're completely comfortable knowing he's not a threat. I'm glad, because I don't mind watching him, either! :)
We're on cold weather lockdown for the new year here in Chicagoland, but the days leading up to 2008 gave us a temporary thaw:
The cold and snow of 2008 has everybody scrambling for a meal - even 'Coop. There's something bone-chilling about a Cooper's Hawk's stare:
Eyeing a potential meal. He was not successful this time... this time.
I finally got a glimpse of the female cardinal! I've had a male cardinal visiting occasionally for a few weeks now, and this cold snap brought out his mate, AND another male! I love seeing the cardinals at my feeders. They're gorgeous birds and I'm glad to be able to help them get by this winter.
Isn't she gorgeous!
She never sat still for very long, but I did snap this picture of her jumping from the deck rail to the black oil sunflower seed Cedar feeder. It makes me giggle!
The less frequent visitors of the Sparrow Mob have spent a lot more time here the last couple days. Here's my Song Sparrow friend - haven't seen this one in a little while!
And here's the local American Tree Sparrow, who now visits with a friend:
Had to include this shot - see the snow whooshing by?
Here are my two least common sparrows, hanging out in the same feeder!
I had 3 American Goldfinches here today too - up from the usual 1. Hungry Hungry Finches! (You know, instead of Hungry Hungry Hippos)
There's a bunny rabbit nibbling on brush in my yard now. It's funny how the birds will hop right around the rabbit, not even blinking at his presence. They're completely comfortable knowing he's not a threat. I'm glad, because I don't mind watching him, either! :)
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Pucker Face
The more I watch my backyard birds, the more I'm seeing their personalities come out.
This morning, I woke up a little earlier than usual to the sound of chirping outside my window. (Yes, 8:30am is early for me!) I've been meaning to wake up earlier to see if the crowd at the feeders is any different than the late morning crowd. Sure enough, I got to see a male and female American Goldfinch in the mix!
Here's the male, making himself right at home amongst the house finches:
He even posed briefly for a shot, the dapper little guy:
The crowd gave me a laugh this morning. Last night when I refilled the feeders, I tossed half an apple out in the yard along with some bread scraps. There is a bunny that comes by every night, and I figured, maybe he'd like the apple since the starlings didn't eat much of it. The bunny didn't eat it, but when the starlings found it on the ground this morning instead of in the tray feeder, they went nuts! Wings were flappin' and beaks were squawkin'!
A couple of house sparrows, who had previously ignored the apple, saw the commotion and were suddenly interested. One crept up close to the starlings to see what all the fuss was about. In the frenzy to devour the apple, a tiny piece of apple flesh flew off of the apple and landed right in front of the sparrow. He cautiously bent down and pecked it up... and almost instantaneously, I swear I could see his little face pucker up as if he'd licked a lemon! He turned to his friend and seemed to shake his head no, and the two hopped away.
This morning, I woke up a little earlier than usual to the sound of chirping outside my window. (Yes, 8:30am is early for me!) I've been meaning to wake up earlier to see if the crowd at the feeders is any different than the late morning crowd. Sure enough, I got to see a male and female American Goldfinch in the mix!
Here's the male, making himself right at home amongst the house finches:
He even posed briefly for a shot, the dapper little guy:
The crowd gave me a laugh this morning. Last night when I refilled the feeders, I tossed half an apple out in the yard along with some bread scraps. There is a bunny that comes by every night, and I figured, maybe he'd like the apple since the starlings didn't eat much of it. The bunny didn't eat it, but when the starlings found it on the ground this morning instead of in the tray feeder, they went nuts! Wings were flappin' and beaks were squawkin'!
A couple of house sparrows, who had previously ignored the apple, saw the commotion and were suddenly interested. One crept up close to the starlings to see what all the fuss was about. In the frenzy to devour the apple, a tiny piece of apple flesh flew off of the apple and landed right in front of the sparrow. He cautiously bent down and pecked it up... and almost instantaneously, I swear I could see his little face pucker up as if he'd licked a lemon! He turned to his friend and seemed to shake his head no, and the two hopped away.
Monday, November 26, 2007
American Goldfinch is back!
Back on November 3rd, I had a visit to my nyger/thistle feeder by an American Goldfinch in winter plumage:
He's back! I saw him sitting in my back yard tree a few minutes ago :) These new binoculars really help!
The goldfinch flew away, but there are still 4 male finches and a dark eyed junco sitting in the tree. The mourning doves are still around too (though not visiting at the moment).
I think I need to get more of the gourmet seed blend. Right now, I've just got black oil sunflower seed out there, and the birds aren't visiting the feeders en masse (except for the finches, who appear to love the black oil sunflower seed). I get the occasional house sparrow, but nothing like last week where 20+ swarmed the feeders. Maybe it's better this way? I'm not sure.
I'm also thinking of putting peanuts out. There was a seed I was getting at Target called Nut and Berry Blend that the summer birds loved, but it was pricey, and then they stopped selling it in the large bags. (It was even more pricey in smaller bags!) I need to find a platform feeder of some sort. I don't have squirrels in my neighborhood, so I don't have to worry about them.
He's back! I saw him sitting in my back yard tree a few minutes ago :) These new binoculars really help!
The goldfinch flew away, but there are still 4 male finches and a dark eyed junco sitting in the tree. The mourning doves are still around too (though not visiting at the moment).
I think I need to get more of the gourmet seed blend. Right now, I've just got black oil sunflower seed out there, and the birds aren't visiting the feeders en masse (except for the finches, who appear to love the black oil sunflower seed). I get the occasional house sparrow, but nothing like last week where 20+ swarmed the feeders. Maybe it's better this way? I'm not sure.
I'm also thinking of putting peanuts out. There was a seed I was getting at Target called Nut and Berry Blend that the summer birds loved, but it was pricey, and then they stopped selling it in the large bags. (It was even more pricey in smaller bags!) I need to find a platform feeder of some sort. I don't have squirrels in my neighborhood, so I don't have to worry about them.
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