*CUTE LITTLE CRITTERS
(There used to be photo of a Dark-Eyed Junco here.)
We have these little guys all over around our house. My daughter Kelly put out a bunch of bird seed on our front porch, and we have been enjoying watching these birds up close. Very jaunty-looking, very energetic! We also get some occasional American Goldfinches and Rosy Finches, along with the usual pesky pigeons, squirrels and starlings!
We had 3"-4" of snow, but that has just about all melted off as of this afternoon; when this happens, the Juncos tend to head back into the nearby hills. I usually don't like the snow very much, but I always have to remind myself that when snow comes, so do the snowbirds!
We have these little guys all over around our house. My daughter Kelly put out a bunch of bird seed on our front porch, and we have been enjoying watching these birds up close. Very jaunty-looking, very energetic! We also get some occasional American Goldfinches and Rosy Finches, along with the usual pesky pigeons, squirrels and starlings!
We had 3"-4" of snow, but that has just about all melted off as of this afternoon; when this happens, the Juncos tend to head back into the nearby hills. I usually don't like the snow very much, but I always have to remind myself that when snow comes, so do the snowbirds!
6 Comments:
I like bird-watching, too. We get cardinals, blue-jays, finches, woodpeckers, crows, and black-capped chickadees at our feeder. They are a joy to watch.
Birdwatching is one of my favorite things to do with the family. We have some nice marshes and wetlands around our area, and in the spring and fall we get all kinds of cool migrating birds, including curlews, ibis, white-fronted geese. I do love the chickadees and the jays!
I can't say what my favorite bird might be, but I have to say I like the belted kingfishers and stellars jays quite a lot! But then there are herons, ducks, grosbeaks, waxwings, hawks, owls, eagles... sigh... too many cool birds, and not enough time to see them all!
Actually, I think anything that has a crest is pretty danged cool! I think crests are hilarious. I think the bird with the best crest has to be the pileated woodpecker! Check 'em out in your bird book!
Pretty bird, but I want to see a picture of the mandolin!!! :-)))
Very cool. Looks like Woody Woodpecker.
I'm also a big fan of crests. That is why I like the jays and cardinals. A long time ago, I had a cockatoo that had a huge crest. You could always tell what he was thinking by how high he raised it.
Every once in a while, you'll see an owl or a hawk in our neighborhood. When a hawk is around, the crows scream at it until it leaves.
You can have some of our snow from here in Colorado if you want. ;)
I love birdwatching too. We have a huge juniper hedge out front and a bird feeder. Needless to say it is always packed with finches. They have a lovely shelter and food all in one place.
My favorite bird is the red-tailed hawk. It is my animal totem. Although I like any hawk, eagle or owl too.
I really like the song of the robin.
That sounds great, James! The finches are always such busy little guys, and so much fun to watch!
My wife Kit and I took a class one time in raptor ID, and we got to see all kinds of birds of prey up close, plus go on several cool field trips. Of all the birds of prey to see up close, I was most fascinated by the male American Kestrel... incredible mix of colors! One of our trips was to Washington state's Cape Flattery where we got to assist in banding raptors. Most of the birds that were netted tended to be sharp-shinned hawks and kestrels, but we did get a red-tailed hawk! Gorgeous birds!
Lizzy, when Kit and I were in AZ for our birding trip in June, we had a really cool cabin in a nice mountain riparian area, and at one point there were about 15 different bird species on the feeders. A Cooper's Hawk suddenly swooped in, undoubtedly looking for a meal... it didn't have any luck, because everyone had scattered! Even though all the little birds were fleeing for their lives, it was one of the more hilarious birding moments I've ever had. I have never seen any creatures move as fast as they all did! When in AZ we saw some cool crested birds. Not only cardinals, but also their cousins the pyrrhuloxhias (sp) and the silky crested flycatcher-like birds (the phainopeplas). Not to mention the roadrunners! Heh... talk about amusing!
Sheryl, do you have scissor-tailed flycatchers in your area? Also, a picture of the mandolin is forthcoming, and very soon!
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