My Friends are Blue
Lately I’ve been paying more attention to the couple of Eastern Bluebirds that are nesting in one of the bird houses I have in my backyard. They are taking turns in order to gather food to what I suspect are for their new hatchlings. I, as a rule, never like to open birdhouses or pry into nests when they are occupied. I keep myself neutral and do not interfere with their lives. That’s one thing that all birds seem to appreciate, no interference in their daily routines and they feel comfortable.
We have had many rainy days and the ground is soft and I imagine that worms are closer to the surface, that makes them vulnerable to be pecked off the muddy ground. (See photos, birds are wet)
The female Eastern Bluebird is an ace for getting worms, at a rate of one every tree minutes. She’s amazing. The male bluebird was there to protect the nest and to gather seeds from the feeders. They’ve been very visible and busy going back and forth bringing food to the nest.
The competition out there is fierce, I’ve seen E. Starlings, C. Grackles and B. Thrashers going around pecking the ground for worms, grubs, etc.
My hope is that I get to photograph the bluebird when they fledge. I wish that they stay for a little while.
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Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101
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Happy Group of Friends # 2
This is just a continuation of what I posted yesterday. It’s about the group of avian friends I see most days in my backyard or at the feeders. These birds show up at different times of the day or sometimes they just feel like crowd the feeders and deck. Either way, I like to observe their behavior as individuals and as a group. Some birds are very predictable because the follow a pattern of moves as a force of habit. Such as the Carolina Chickadee or the Tufted Titmouse e.g. They fly from any location to a feeder of their choice, get one sunflower seed, go back to the same location, crack the shell, eat the seed pulp and return to the exact same location to get another seed.
Throughout the year you get to see many different events, most of what I write on my daily posts. It’s not only the photos, it’s the birds lives in their daily routine what makes it worth while!
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Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101
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Happy Group of Friends # 1
It’s very delightful and rewarding to see a variety of birds coming to my backyard and enjoying moments of partaking a good meal in company of their avian friends.
This would not happen if it wasn’t for the only alternative for all of them if they do not behave in a friendly way they would most likely have to leave hungry. Let me explain this… I’ve noticed that in occasions a species of birds may act in a bullish way to start with at the feeders but soon after in matter of few minutes, you see them sharing a feeder calmly.
I imagine that there must be a silent code for those birds which they have to comply soon. that is if they want to eat. If they do not they have to face the other birds which will proceed to pester them until they have to leave and continue their flight without sating their hunger.
Precious moments are when I see a mixture of species not even from the same family of birds just making room for the other fellows in a friendly way.
Of course, like in any group gathering whether they are humans, mammals, birds, etc. Always exist the possibility for disputes or disagreements and sometimes even go as far as physical fights. But when it comes to feeding or getting any kind of nourishment they usually opt for sharing with the rest in a pacific way.
These are satisfactions I get beside shooting pictures. I observe their habits and behaviors and get to know what later I always convey to you through my posts.
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Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101
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Pine Siskin
While I was shooting some pictures of some American Goldfinch, suddenly a group of small birds just appeared, they were at least 100 individuals, and took possession of the deck and feeders, then about two thirds of them just took flight and left. The ones that stayed took turns to the feeders but you could see they were hungry. I was so surprised to see so many “house finches” coming like that so sudden and they all look like females! Of course when I was processing the shots in my computer I realized that they were not finches but Pine Siskins. The very first of the species in my backyard!
Pine Siskin
Adults are brown on the upperparts and pale on the underparts, with heavy streaking throughout. They have short forked tails. Their bills are conical like most finches but are more elongated and slender than those of other co-occurring finches. Variably, pine siskins have yellow patches on their wings and tails, which may also consist of white streaks on the wings. Although they can be confused by the more inexperienced (HJ?) for other finches or even sparrows, pine siskins are distinguished by their heavy streaking, relatively slender bills, notched tail, yellow or whitish patches on the wings and smallish size.
Pine Siskins often visit feeders in winter for seeds or cling to branch tips of pines and other conifers, sometimes hanging upside down to pick at seeds below them. They are gregarious, foraging in tight flocks and twittering incessantly to each other, even during their undulating flight.
These birds forage in trees, shrubs and weeds. They mainly eat seeds, plant parts and some insects. In winter, they often feed in mixed flocks including American Goldfinches and redpolls.
Bird feeders often attract pine siskins, where they may eat fragments of heavy-shelled seeds, such as black oil sunflowers, left behind by heavier-billed bird species. In summer, they will eat many insects, especially aphids, as well as a few spiders and grubs, which they then feed to the young as a protein-rich food that contributes to their growth. By the time of winter, even first year siskins predominately eat seeds.
The Pine Siskin has been added to my List of Birds as # 204
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Text and photographs © HJ Ruiz – Avian101
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Quote from the Author
“A good chuckle is healthy, it helps you break the monotony of a serious life.” ~ H.J. Ruiz
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