"birding" fun

[BARX2]

We put up a bird feeder in the front yard the other day and the birds have really been devouring the seeds. Thought you might enjoy this picture of a Black Capped Chickadee.

[birder]

Ahh the signs of spring! Although Chickadees are residents they are more active looking for nesting holes as are the other birds...Song sparrows are singing in the yard and the return of the Violet green swallows is only a week or so away....nice....."Here comes the Sun"....

[SCEtoAUX]

What I like is going outside every morning just before sunrise and hearing all the different birds chirping away.

The birds are getting used to me going out and filling the bird feeders. They start gathering in all of the trees and bushes surrounding the bird feeder areas when I walk out.

I swear it seems like sometimes if the bird feeders get too low some birds start pecking at the dining room window.:D

I spread some seed on the ground for the birds that prefer to eat that way. I also put some on top of a low shed in another area. They seem to like that too. Keeps them from falling prey to some cats that patrol the area.

In 2006 I put a narrow box outside in a sheltered area instead of putting it in the recycling bin as I usually do. One end of the box was open. A wren decided to build a nest in it.

[BARX2]

This little woodpecker loves the bird feeder. Anybody know what kind he is? Also, Mr. Squirrel packin his pie hole.

[Ashrunner]

Barx2...that's a Downy Woodpecker. Nice little bird. We even have them on this side of the continent.

[ashevilleangler]

You gotta love spring! Looked out the kithchen window this morning in Asheville and saw bluejays, robins, cardinals, some kind of thrush, a mockingbird, a nuthatch and a goldfinch pretty much all at the same time.

Our house backs up to a very nice one acre woodland and yes we have about a half dozen feeders set up at any one time.

Curt

[birder]

Three cheers for spring!! Violet green swallows are back and the birdfeeders are active with all the winter regulars with Red-wing blackbirds and Spotted Towhees as early migrants, Mourning doves, Song sparrows and Juncoes and Chipmunks on the ground under the feeder. They are scared off time to time when the Steller's jays drop in to feed being so big they swing the whole thing...it is very nice to see all the activity in the yard and with the longer days...even if it isn't real warm yet the change is still dramatic in the last week or so!! Like the Downy woodpecker pic, they are cute little things and usually pretty tame Curt nice you are enjoying your birds too. Lauren have you seen anything cool this year?

[Ashrunner]

Ahhh...cool things...well, the lizards are back out sunning themselves...hehehe. Woke this morning with snow falling and about a quarter inch on the ground. But it's gone now. As for birds, Lesser and American Goldfinches have been around for a couple of months now.

Yesterday, an American Robin and a Eurasian Collared Dove were fighting over something in my still bare Apple Tree. But both those have been here all winter. When I was kid, they said Robins fly south for the summer. Well, living here I have found out they fly west to Redmond, Oregon for the winter! There are literally, millions in the Juniper badlands around here during the winter...hehehe.

But I know spring is coming...I saw five butterflies on Wednesday, along with a couple of Turkey Vultures, which is how people here judge the arrival of spring. 8v)

[birder]

Lizards are cool...saw some lep hibernators too, California Tortiseshells:D

[Ashrunner]

California Tortiseshells is what we have flying here. Plus a Western White which took me by surprise the other day.

I really enjoy my photo safari walks around here. But I really wish I had the transportation to go elsewhere.

Here's one of the lizards from the shoot the other day. It's a Common Side-blotched Lizard.