Alone in the marsh with last seasons cattails as his home a Yellow Headed Blackbird begins to establish territory and sing his wonderful Yellow Headed Blackbird song.
The sound of Yellow-headed Black bird is a sure sign that spring has sprung.
Tag: bird watching
On the cattails
A week or two back we watched this Black-capped Chickadee mercilessly ripping apart these fluffy cattails near a riverbank close to home. We had heard that Chickadees sometimes use this fluff as material for their nests however this birds was discarding the wonderful fluff and letting it fly into the wind.
We figured they must be foraging for food. Perhaps Seeds?
This bird worked diligently but it was not seeds they were after. A small grub was their prize.
Happy Friday and wishing you a wonderful weekend.
Horned Lark 2020
It took awhile this year but we finally ran into our first Horned Lark of 2020. He was perched upon this well worn fence post along a quiet country road a week to two back. Glad to have him back in town and seeing him brings a bit of solid rhythm to what has been a spring that’s been lacking its normal beat.
Downy Woodpecker
This male Downy Woodpeckerkept us company during what was perhaps, but probably not, the final snow of the long winter season last week. He will show up every now and again over the summer months but his visits become less frequent as the insects spring to life and the feeding is good.
Barn Swallows
Yesterday these two Barn Swallows were hanging out on a fence near a lake where we took an afternoon walk. Nice to see them back in town and their colors are sure vibrant right now. Soon after these photos were shot they took off and were buzzing around the lake hunting for bugs which is always an amazing sight to observe.
Box 29
Last Sunday the wind was blowing hard but that did not deter these little Tree Swallows from spending their day looking for a suitable summer residence and it sure seemed like box 29 was high on their list of desirable homes.
The competition was high and words of caution we flying as freely as these swallows glide through the skies.
A quick resting spot on the roof was in order and acceptable to both shoppers at box 29.
Good Company
A little good company makes staying close to home just a bit easier and two of our closest companions these days are the Mountain Chickadee above and the Red-breasted Nuthatch below.
Pink Sided
A Pink Sided Dark-eyed Junco is a wonderful companion to have keep us company while we work our way through these days of sheltering at home.
Really?
With a disgusted look on their face an American Robin wonders where spring has gone. Standing on a pond that was liquid as liquid can be only a few days prior and the forecast ahead points to another chilly couple of days. Really?
Spring can be so fickle yet this guy will tough it out.
a “band”, “cast”, “party”, or perhaps a “scold”.
Well that’s a mouthful.
The names given to groups of particular birds are always interning, and sometimes head-scratching to say the least, but with a little imagination these do seem to fit the bill.
So let’s begin.
Last week we got paid a visit by a group of six Stellar’s Jays. While it is typical for perhaps two or three to hang around the nearby forest six at once was a new experience. All six seemed friendly enough towards each other and curious enough about us so a “band” of jays…well perhaps.
A cast….ummmm….maybe. They each did seem to play a role in the whole show. Some were boisterous and bold others a bit more shy like this guy below who hung around on the edge of the forest while other paraded by quite close to us. Unfortunately they did not congregate or come close enough together for a nice group shot but we caught at least three or four individuals who all seemed to strike a similar pose and looked remarkably similar as well.
All seemed to be having a good time and displayed quite a range of vocalizations ranging for the usual scolding Jay sounds to songbird initiations and one Jay was quite adept a imitating the sounds of a pair of Golden Eagles we have heard all winter calling from the tops of the trees. So in their very own Stellar’s Jay way it was indeed a party.
And while we were indeed scolded every now and again for hanging around in their forest it was a gentle scolding and one we could easily accept for invading their space.
So there you have it a nice visit with a “band”, “cast”, “party”, or perhaps a “scold” of Stellar’s Jays on a April afternoon.
nature has no boss 
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