New Year Is Coming

From a box out came my New Year's decoration yesterday and at the same time all the Christmas ornaments went back into the box.

Here is my good luck New Year ornament. 

 

 

I bought this miniture ornament at a department store in Tokyo several years ago.  In a mazagine, you might have seen a picture of a huge woven straw rope decorating a Torii gate, a Shrine entrance, a huge sacred tree, sacred rock, etc.  So likewise, I place this miniture at the entry of my home, wishing for a blessing and happiness for the coming year.

 

 The color of  Spotted Towhee's eyes are as red as Nanten berries for

 New Year.

 

 

"I've got red eyes as bright as Heavenly Bamboo berries (Nanten). 

Wishing you A Happy New Year!"

 

 

 

 

This Winter's First Varied Thrush

Today is rainy all day long, but everyone is happy with Santa's arrival.

The other day very early in the morning, still dark for a photoshooting, I saw a bird about the size of American Robin moving around the fallen leaves under the apple tree.  I took a couple of shots, which revealed a long-awaited Varied Thrush. 


Being a non-frequent visitor, it took a while before finally started pecking a fallen apple left there.

"Yum, yum, yum,  I haven't eaten one for a while."

"I've been here before.  The apple here is tart, but good enough for me."

"Breakfast time gets very crowded here.  I have to watch out for bully Starlings."

Super Friendly Nuthatch

In the dark winter months, a Heavenly Bamboo (nandina domestica) looks so radiant in my backyard; however, it's only ornamental, not edible for birds.

 

Early in the morning outside, I can hear all the chirping including the high-pitched tin horn.  Do you know who is making the sound of the horn?


Between the branches I first sighted a nuthatch just arrived after having tooted the horn.

"Yup, I am a nuthatch ready to peck the suet here."

 

 

As I  got closer, it was still staring at me with curiosity.  It did not flee like most of the others, just busy looking up, down, and right and left towards me.

 

"I think I remember you hiding next to the patio studs and looking through the black box.  Now I know who you are."

 

 

Now, for a super close-up.  Say, "C-H-E-E-S-E." 

 

"Ready for your perfect photo."

Colorful Lesser Goldfinches

In summer, I often saw Lesser Goldfinches eating dandelion seeds and sunflower leaves.  Since then I have not seen them much,  until today when it's been cold and rainy around the freezing point.

Here is Mrs. Lesser Goldfinch.

"I heard you've got my favorite seeds here, so I decided to return.  I can get along with other birds such as an Anna's Hummingbird who's right behind me."


Here is Mr. Lesser Goldfinch.

"I've got a family of five.  You can see one right behind to my left."

 Backyard Owner:  "Welcome back!  I like your colorful yellow in the cold winter months."

This Winter's First Snow Day

As predicted, it snowed during the night and was still snowing on and off until noon today.   Enough snow accumulated on the roof of our neighbor's shed.

It's been around the freezing point and the air was chilly on my cheeks when I was out.  But I can tell the wild animals are made lot tougher.

"I can still drink the ice cold water after running around with my brothers."

"I can nibble a little ice chunk, crunch, crunch..."

"I don't freeze yet."

"I'm not as bright colored as in summer, but I still visit your feeder especially on a snowy day.  Thanks for replenishing it daily!"

Bird Friends at a Nearby Wetland

For a few months, we had not been to the wetland due to chilly weather.  But on Friday, the sky showed a little blue around noon and we decided to revisit there.

A muddy trail...  We had to walk on the weedy side to avoid the mud. 


Up in the sky, a lone Canada Goose was about to land nearby.

"I'm gonna land on my favorite spot right behind the new picnic area."

 

 

 

On a pond in front, a duck was shoveling weedy food out of the pond bottom.

 "Look at my bill.  Doesn't it look like a shovel?  Efficient digging is my trait.  That's why I am called a Northern Shoveler."


On the other side of the pond, other ducks are ready to take off.

"Run, run, run on the water.... F-A-S-T."

Staring motionless,  a matured Great Blue Heron was standing in the weeds at the edge of a pond for 30 minutes or even longer....

"I'm just looking and listening to whatever is going on around here, like an sentinel."

Least Showing, But Cutest Bewick's Wren

Last few days a Bewick's Wren was dashing from one place to another.

"This morning, I landed on the lawn, picking up a suet chunk dropped from the feeder."

"Then I hopped onto a honeysuckle bush, wagging my tail.  Did you notice I can wag just like a dog?"

"And up onto a feeder where all my bird friends are.  I'm trying out something new, a dry seed."

Neighbor's Great Blue Heron

Close to the noon time, my phone rang.  "A private call," a phone screen said.  Upon my answering, my neighbor's voice murmured, "There's a heron in our backyard!  Do you want to come and see?" 

I peeked toward their yard.  There it was,  up on the neighbor's shed.  A young Great Blue Heron was standing tall, overseeing the little pond with many Koi fishes.  But unfortunately for the bird, the pond has a wire net covering for protection.

"Oh well, this pond, too, has a covering.  I just can't get any."

"A little tweety bird is not my food...."

"On a dark rainy day like this, I may have a better chance at a big pond out of town.  Wish me luck."

Two Kinds of Yellow-rumped Warblers

National Geographic's Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America tells me that there are two kinds of Yellow-rumped Warblers.

One is called "Myrtle Warbler" which has white eyebrow, white throat and sides of neck.  This is fairly common in winter on West Coast.  Therefore, the one I saw a few days ago seems to be a Myrtle Warbler. 

The other one is called "Audubon's Warbler" which has yellow throat (except the immature females).  Therefore, the one I saw today seems to be an Audubon's Warbler.


Now you can confirm based on the above definitions.

"Do I look like an Audubon's Warbler?"

"Sure I am.  Look at my bright yellow throat."

Oregon Junco Between Rains

Even on a rainy day, we can have sun rays peeking through the clouds.

With a touch of a rainbow

 

 

 

The Oregon Junco was at the right spot.

"See, now I can look like a million."

Return of Yellow-rumped Warbler

When all the deciduous trees have dropped the leaves, leaving the branches bare,  I can spot a winter bird easily.

Early this morning somebody familiar was jumping up from bare pear branches to catch bugs.  Oh yes, that is my winter friend coming back for my suet.

The suet is popular in the winter time.  A Northern Flicker was already on it.  Then Oregon juncos,  Red-breasted nuthatches, and Black-capped chickadees, they all like to get a little bite of it.   Being too crowded there, the yellow-rumped Warbler did not get a chance to try this suet today.

Maybe tomorrow, you can try it again.  I got another suet hanging in my backyard, so try the other one under the wisteria tree.

Neon Pink Head: a Male Anna's Hummingbird

In winter, the temperature sometimes goes down below freezing here.  Now the flowers are all gone.

Other times it just rains.  In between, some patches of blue sky peak through the fast moving clouds like this morning.

Here is some good news for you:  Two Anna's hummers were drinking the sugar water without fussing.

"We are just pretending not to mind each other, 'cause this sugar water is too good to waste time with fighting."


Then,  the third one appeared. 

"I am a NEON PINK head...  I am a super good looking, supersonic bird."

"Just look at my beautiful mask!!!"

Ruby-crowned Kinglet's Rare Visit

These days the day time is getting shorter everyday until the Winter Equinox, Dec 21.    I have been waiting for that day because from that day onwards, the day will instead get longer for my photo opportunities.

Today, another rainy day,  when I returned home around 2:00 pm from my errand, it was already getting dark outside.   As I looked into the backyard, I noticed something little was moving rapidly. 

Aha, maybe a kinglet.... 

"I'm catching little hidden bugs underneath the rose leaves!!  It's hard to find a bug in deep winter, you know." 

"Now on a viburnum bush.  Any bug around here?"

 

 

"Now ready for home.  I may return to this hunting ground.  Ta, ta."

My Best Bird Friend - Anna's Hummingbird

 

There are at least two Anna's Hummingbirds feeding in my backyard this winter.  I can tell whether one is female or male.  That's as far as I can tell about the hummers.

 

Can you tell if this is female or male?

 

There is one female who always hangs around on my clothesline waiting for me to come out.  Lately she likes to sit around in the blueberry bush which has already lost most of the leaves.

Outside I walk slowly so not to scare the birds, gradually getting closer to the hummer.  Often she lets me come as close as 4-5 feet to take a photo like this.  

 "What's up?  Late this morning.  I've been waiting for you to show up."


Backyard Owner:  "Yeah, yeah.  I've so busy with Thanksgiving dinner prep.  Baking pies, casseroles, and the turkey with mashed potatoes, gravy sauce, etc.  A Super busy season!!   But I don't forget you and just changed your sugar water this morning.  Enjoy your fresh sugar water."

 

A Smarty Pants, American Crow

An American Crow is much smarter than we think.  The other day I found an interesting article on the National Wildlife Federation's magazine.

 This article said that studies at UW in Seattle showed that American Crows could recognize the people's faces.  During the studies,  the researchers wore assorted masks and recorded how the crows behaved.   Later when the crows spotted a person wearing the mask worn during the banding process, they formed small mobs and scolded that person severely.

Amazingly even seven years afterwards, the crows clung to the memory and those born afterwards without actually experiencing the banding recognize the notorious face (the old ones must have taught young ones).  In addition, they can also recognize the faces associated with a good behaviour such as offering food. 

Wow, I have to behave good!!!  You, too.

" That's why I remember you and your backyard."

"It's nice to be at a safe ground."

Backyard Owner:  "I pledge to be good everytime you and your buddies are around.  I only feed birds and take pictures.  No harm."

A Typical Wet November

Thanksgiving will be next Thursday.  Everyone is busy trying to get ready for the dinner.   I'm mostly done with the grocery shopping and today I baked a pumpkin pie. 

Outside is a typical dark and rainy day in western Oregon.  But a viburnum blossom began to bloom again.

Every morning birds are busiest with their breakfast, even in the rain.

Golden-crowned Sparrow:  "My early Thanksgiving message:  Thank you for letting me get full whenever I stop by."

Oregon Junco:  "My message:  Uum, no more rain drops?  Thank you for no more rain for a minute for easy eating."


Everyone is already wishing for a dry, sunny day.

Dinasaurs and Birds: Any Relation?

Over the weekend, I stopped by at a Natural History Museum in Seattle.  As I looked through the exhibits, one of them just hit me:  One small and fast dinosaur (Compsognathus) that existed on insects and small reptiles was a relative of the oldest known bird (Archaeopteryx). 

So now I know birds existed on the earth far longer than humans have.   I feel more respect towards them!!!  I am more willing to help them with what I can do.

Anna's Hummingbird:  " This sugar water is safe to drink.  No food coloring in it."

 

A flock of Pine Siskins:  "This water is so tasty because the backyard owner does not use chlorine to clean the bird bath."

Oregon Junco and Chestnut-backed Chickadee:
"We like the peanut-flavored suet for the winter energy."

Gray Squirrel:  "I am not a bird, but I can agree with you.  You have been helpful to me, too, 'cause this apple is delicious with no pesticides."