The Daily Bucket is a regular series from the Backyard Science group. Here we talk about Mother Nature in all her glory, especially the parts that live nearby. So let us know (as close as you are comfortable) where you are and what's going on around you. What's the weather like? Seen any interesting plants, bugs or critters? Are there birds at your feeders? Deer, foxes or peahens in your yard? Seen any cool rocks or geological features? Post your observations and notes here. And photos. We like lots of photos. :)
Not too long ago, I wrote a bucket about the bugs I had discovered this year and I thought it might be fun to follow up with some of the birds that put in an appearance at Chez Gardener in 2014. Join me below the orange bird nest for some feathered friends.
I got into birding a few years ago after my gardens began going a little wild. An injury had kept me from taking care of them as much as I would have liked and the weeds and small shrubs took full advantage of my neglect. In the long run, this turned out to be a good thing. I discovered that I love all the critters that a um, less manicured garden attracts. ;) Birds, bugs, fuzzy critters - all fascinating and wonderful to watch.
Now, after a few years of watching and studying, I have a pretty good idea of what birds I might see at any given time, what they like to eat and how best to stay out of their way and give them room to live. They, in their turn, generally seem to accept me and my household as harmless nuisances (except Gracie the Wonder Pug, whom they regard as a blasted pest).
The cat thinks so, too
The year started off with a bang when a lovely juvenile Cooper's hawk attempted to help itself to the bird buffet at our feeders during a snow storm. It missed but took up a perch on an arch long enough for me to snap a few good pictures.
I was later fortunate enough to be directed to a raptor specialist, Jerry Ligouri, who confirmed the identity of this gorgeous bird. Thanks, Cany, for the introduction!
Things are not usually that exciting in our backyard. We have a wide variety of birds but they are more often of the little brown kind, rather than the big, fierce kind. One little bird that I adore and is a year round resident is the gold finch. Many people don't realize the males change color in the winter, becoming as drab as their mates.
Here's a winter shot of 2 goldies sharing a thistle sock. Are either of them male? Damifino. The light patch on the one on the right is a patch of white feathers, not snow, and I'm told that means it is leucistic, or lacking pigment in some feathers. This can occur in many birds and also some animals. There are a bunch of neat pictures at the link showing some of the different forms leucism can take.
Here's a later photo of some male gold finches changing back to their summer plumage.
And here is one in his full summer regalia.
While goldfinches can be bright and vibrant birds, especially in their summer wardrobe, the sparrows tend to be subtle and less appreciated. Two sparrows that I particularly like are the white-throated sparrow and the white-crowned sparrow. The white-throated is a common visitor in the fall and winter, moving north in the summer to breed. They have begun showing up at our place recently so I know winter is on its way.
Note the yellow patches between the eye and the beak, an area known as the poll. It's almost impossible to see them from a distance, despite how bright they are. The throat patch, with its darker outline, is pure white, but the stripes on the head can be white or tan. According to my field guides, either sex can be either color, white or tan, but when they pair up, it is always a white with a tan or vice versa. (Sorry it's a little blurry)
The white-crowned sparrow was a new one for me this year and I must have taken 50 pictures. I'll only inflict two on you. ;) You can see that this bird is not miles from the white-throated sparrow in form but it is lacking the snow-white throat and the yellow poll. This is also a winter bird, disappearing with the snow.
Another new-to-me this year bird was a feisty northern mockingbird which popped in briefly to entertain me. I love these birds. There is a pair that return to nest where I work every year. They make the most incredible sounds! My favorite was the time they were both imitating a car alarm, one on either side of the parking lot. It drove people crazy!
This one just stopped in, helped itself to lunch and left, never to return.
A related bird, and one that stayed all summer, is the grey catbird. I was fortunate enough to have a pair nest in the monstrous rose bush eating the side of my house. They, too, are fantastic mimics, imitating everything from other birds to car horns to, of course, cats.
They adore oranges and grape jelly and will also eat suet blocks, but sweets are their first choice. If you have berry bushes or trees, these birds will strip them in no time. At one time they were called cherry birds due to their penchant for wiping out cherry harvests.
I've saved my all-time favorite bird for last, though I also started with it - the lovely rose-breasted grosbeak. For several years now, we've had a pair of these beauties nest somewhere on our property. They readily come to the feeders, even if we're nearby, bringing their young ones along.
The male is a spectacular bird, very tropical in appearance. He has a magnificent voice and will sing for long stretches. One of my guide books described the voice as that of an American robin if it took voice lessons.
The female, on the other hand, looks like an over-grown sparrow, though I think she has her own subtle beauty.
So many birds visited us this year, I could write a bucket a week about each one for the rest of the year! I haven't even mentioned the cedar waxwings which nested in a pine tree out side our front door or the grackle that kept wiping out the suet feeder or the mourning doves or the adorable chickadees and tufted titmice and woodpeckers and . . . and . . .
Perhaps I'll write a follow up for the rest. What birds showed up in your environment this year? Any surprises? Life birds? Tell all, barring no detail! ;)
"Spotlight on Green News & Views" will be posted every Saturday and Wednesday at 1:00 pm Pacific Time on the Daily Kos front page. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary.