H.J. Ruiz – Avian101

Welcome to my window, we are going to look outside where my backyard is and find out if there is any bird activity. Take a look on the right hand side a juvenile female Northern Cardinal is waiting for her turn to get her meal from the feeder clay saucer. She’s still young, notice her bill is still dark and eventually will turn red with a bit more age. She is young and very pretty! The cardinals families in my backyard are numerous. They are local residents for many years.

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After spending  many days in the backyard, most Brown-headed Cowbirds were gone about 2 weeks ago and suddenly about a dozen of them returned. If you take a look at this couple, they are as always looking involved in a marital quarrel, males are very bossy and short tempered. You can easily sense that looking at them while they share some seeds from one of the deck’s feeders.

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If you look up a bit you can see a handsome male House Finch perched on a branch, most likely keeping an eye on the family not very far from there. They are very united and families are close neat members. They care very much for the safety of their kin. Very likable birds, love to feed in groups. These birds build their nests anywhere that may offer a private place with apparent safe shelter, it could be a bush, a hole in a wall, a hollow tree, all shoes, a fallen flower pot, etc.

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Note: The bonus is this time a Silver Spotted Skipper, another specie that visits my front porch’s Butterfly Bush.

Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101