"One of the most delightful things about a garden is the anticipation it brings."

Monday, October 26, 2009

Just as the garden slows down, the birds return.

Our yard has been very busy lately with birds visiting and looking for food or a quick bath. I always seem to notice a big increase in bird activity here in very early spring and again in fall. I really look forward to these visitors as things slow down in the garden. One big reason I got into gardening was trying to find a way to attract different types of birds to our yard. I've got all different types of feeders throughout the front and backyard. Sometimes it's hard to keep focused on what I'm doing inside because of all the action taking place just outside the windows.

The Robins haven't been around for awhile, but they seem to come back to use the pond as a drinking spot. I love how they sit and rest on the fence while they decide what they're going to do first. Pond or birdbath?

This day it was a quick dip in the birdbath.

Dark-eyed Juncos are our most common visitor. They are always somewhere in the front or backyard. This little guy sat on the peak of the garage roof calling out for the longest time.

Stellar's Jays can be heard long before they're seen around here. They try to hang off the smallest of feeders trying to decide which has the best food. This one usually ends up being their favorite and they don't mind sharing it with the squirrels, even though I wish the squirrels wouldn't use it.

I thought this Crow looked kind of spooky posing on our neighbors antenna. There are hundreds that fly over our neighborhood every evening to where they roost at night. It's a little eerie to see that many birds flocking together at once. I told my oldest daughter that a group of Crows is called a "murder of Crows". She was just fascinated by that term.

This feeder has been the one emptying the quickest. The Black-capped Chickadees and Nuthatches fly back and forth from our Dogwood tree taking seeds.

I had grown these 'Mammoth' Sunflowers for the birds. When it fell over from the weight of the flower head I pulled it out and put it near another feeder. I saw this squirrel taking chunks of the seed head running back and forth to bury his treasures. After he finished with it, the birds joined in to take the seeds he left behind.

Other regular visitors here now are: House Finches, Northern Flickers, Bewick's Wrens, Sparrows and Rufous Hummingbirds. Most of these visitors will be here all fall and winter. I always enjoy the life they bring to the yard once most of the garden is in hibernation until spring.
Pin It

39 comments:

  1. How wonderful that you have so many different kinds of birds visiting. I just loved your little squirrel friend.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You certainly do have a wide variety of birds in the garden this Autumn. That squirrel with the mammoth sunflower is so cute! We used to see squirrels carrying apples in their mouth that were nearly as big they were!!! When you and the girls are inside, can you tell which birds are nearby by their sound? That used to be fun to try and guess.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Nothing more fascinating than to watch the activity our our bird feeders. I haven't seen Robins for a good while ... the squirrels are so busy everywhere in the yard ... I throw stuff out for them ... they are so funny with this HUGE cheeks filled nearly beyond capacity.

    Love your pics. Have a wonderful, warm week. TTFN ~Marydon

    ReplyDelete
  4. How beautiful Catherine!!! I can imagine you sitting outside waiting patiently for birds to come around... a zen maditation.
    Cariños
    María Cecilia

    ReplyDelete
  5. looking at the way squirrel having a go at sunflower, it really live up to its name...MAMMOTH!!... ~bangchik

    ReplyDelete
  6. We have seen an increase in bird activity around here too. I am not very good at photographing birds like you are. That crow on in the dawn is a great Halloween photo....my gardens are slowing down, a little!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Ah, a woman after my own heart. I also created my garden with the birds in mind. I tried to make it as bird friendly as possible and the birds repaid me splendidly. My husband and I spend way to much time watching the bird traffic out there. We got our pond going last August and it attracted a so many new birds this summer it was astonishing.
    Catherine, I am wondering are you on a low elevation? I am about 1,000 feet up and I see the bird variety here go through very distinctive migrations. For instance I won't see a robin again until spring. The crows never stop here but I do see them pass over in flocks, probably on their way to your house. hehe

    ReplyDelete
  8. Oh gee, can't have the lovely birds without the pesky squirrels. They can be gluttons but have to eat too I guess-do they really?:) Things are picking up here too with birds. No hummers lately though. I think they are all gone:(

    ReplyDelete
  9. beautifull birds!... photos of wild animals are so nice!
    I also like to take pictures of birds, congratulations.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Aren't the winter birds wonderful? And your crows are hanging out for Halloween!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Hi Catherine, wonderful to see your crisp shots of the birds! The robin on the fence is especially nice. Your stellar jay is pretty too. Now that squirrel is not my favorite, but you have taken a great shot of him. :-)

    Frances

    ReplyDelete
  12. They do return...
    What's with that?
    Happy to see them myself.
    You have some really good captures of the birds...keepers.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great to see your birds Catherine - so different to ours including your robin. The European robin has a different coat of feathers. Like them or not you have to admire those squirrels as they are so tenacious :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. Le San - We are around 400 feet, so maybe that's the difference. The Robins had't been around much at all, but now are eating the berries from trees near here. Once it really cools down we won't see them until close to Spring.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I really enjoyed seeing the wildlife in your yard. Many of these birds are not too common in my area so it's really neat they visit your yard. Thanks for the pictures and the post!

    ReplyDelete
  16. We have had alot of the migrating birds coming through our northern yard these past couple days. If you didn't read my blog lately, stop over and read Sunday's post of mine...I had 8 different kinds of birds stop at my feeder in just a few hours!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. I wondered where all of my Robins went to ;-)
    I think your Stellar Jays are so much prettier than our Blue Jays.The feeders will start getting busier everyday now.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I love all your wildlife pics Catherine. The last one of the squirrel is too cute!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Garden visitors and permanent residents are always entertaining! The crow is too perfectly eerie! It's obvious I've seen too many Edgar Allen Poe references lately. I do like the look of the Stellar jay...Is he a noisy bird? Our Blue Jays are the garden sentries calling out whenever a strange animal arrives. gail

    ReplyDelete
  20. Oh what great pics! I love them all.
    Debbie

    ReplyDelete
  21. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  22. We won't see another Robin until Spring either. Last year, we had a Robin so fat that he couldn't fly. All he could do was hop from one feeder to the next, and feed on the ground. To keep the cat from getting him, we trapped him and put him in a bird cage until he lost enough weight- got back into flighting weight, so to speak. LOL

    Right now, we have about 2 dozen hummers right out my kitchen window. The kitten likes to sit in that wide windowsill to watch them. They wouldn't make a meal, all of them together, they are so little, but she doesn't know that.

    But they are fun to watch.

    Great post.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I love the squirrel. I wish we had these cute little creatures in Australia. I could watch them for hours and hours ......
    Thanks for the pic, Karen

    ReplyDelete
  24. Catherine~~ These are some of the best wildlife photos I've ever seen! The crow silhouette is just spoooky and the squirrel is hillarious. The chickadee is so sweet. Not to mention the very cool jay and robins. Such entertaining visitors!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love seeing birds from another part of the country. The Juncos we have here in the winter are a dark charcoal all over their back, not the soft russet as with the bird on your roof. I think Stellar Jays are so beautiful. We get hundreds of grackles here in winter -- I can't even imagine hundreds of crows! We have resident crows that live on the farm year round. They talk amongst each other constantly and have some of the most bizarre vocalizations, especially the Fish Crows.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Brilliant ones. My favorite is the quick dip and the squirrel. Expressions are just so perfect.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Beautiful pictures! And some great visitors too!

    ReplyDelete
  28. We too have squirrels here who eat most of the seeds left out for the birds. Only the crows shoo away the squirrels. Your pictures and accompanying comment are fascinating.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Super gorgeous..i love the robins shots!! AWesome! and the squirrel feasting was fantastic!We dont get Stellar Jays here, I have always thought they were beautiful!Truly wonderul photos...i loved this post..aweeome!!Lots of of eye candy for a nature lover!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Your crow picture is truly Halloween worthy! I like that Stellar Jay, we don't have them in our area.

    ReplyDelete
  31. I love that you know all of their names. And you got some great shots! I love your camera!

    I'm hoping to do some landscaping at the lake that will encourage birds and butterflies!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Hi Catherine. I'm not surprised that you have so many birds and other wildlife visiting. All the tasty seeds coming from your plants are a real banquet.

    ReplyDelete
  33. I wish I had your backyard! How fun - love watching the birds.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Wow, I wish we have some wildlife where I live. Only seagulls by the beach... I love your photos - the bird in the birdbath is really sweet.

    ReplyDelete
  35. wonderful photos! I especially love the one of the birdbath! It does look like it's hoppin at your house. And why not, food and a bath, sounds good to me.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Great pics Catherine! I bought a bark butter feeder and the butter after seeing it on your blog early this year and had good luck with it. Your pics remind me to get it back out. I enjoy feeding the birds a lot too. The crow pic sure does have a fabulous Halloween feel to it.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Catherine- you get some amazing shots of the local wildlife! I am impressed. Those birds are beautiful and the darn squirrel is awfully cute too. Glad you summer is winding down as rest is in our near future, I hope.

    ReplyDelete
  38. This is amazing that your garden attracts so many birds. They are all pretty specially jay. I was surprised to see you shot squirrel. They are normally so quick that you cannot shoot them.

    ReplyDelete

Thank you so much for taking the time to visit and leave a comment. I try my very best to answer any questions you may have, but usually don't have time to respond to each comment. Please leave a link to your blog so I can visit you in return.