Nice to See You Again

Yesterday noon it was getting warm.  I see a magnolia tree in the front yard beginning to bloom.

In the backyard, birds are busy eating their lunch.  Amongst them, I discovered that the White-crowned Sparrow had returned.

"Hello.  I usually stop over here in spring before

going to the north.  I found enough food here as before."

"I have to munch quickly.  I see
5-6 Yellow-crowned Sparrows, too."

A Tasteful Kernel

Early in the morning, I often hear a Spotted Towhee.   Most of the times he/she prefers to be hidden behind the bushes except yesterday.   Out of the blue sky a male Towhee made a rare appearance on my patio.

"You know what?  Oregon Juncos have told me

there were enough corn kernels here.  This

morning I was just hungry for one."

"It's been a long time since I had a kernel. 

I have to suck on it for a while to appreciate

 the taste."

A Male Rufous Hummingbird Update

This spring I saw the male Rufous a few times, but not long enough to take a picture until the other day when I just happened to sit down on my bird watching seat and looked out half-hidden by the curtain.

On a wisteria branch out there, the Rufous was showing off his brilliant orange gorget (throat area).

Spreading the fancy tail feathers.

Then suddenly he flew into the patio to drink my sugar water.

"De-licious!  Flower nectar would be even better."

Yes, I know.  I wish the weather is getting warmer instead of getting colder like this past week.  From today on, however, it is supposed to warm up.   Soon you will love my red and tubal flowers such as honey suckles, Columbines, Texas sage, pineapple sage, trumpet vine, and so on.

"OK.  I'll take another slurp.  Ummm, good."

A Pecking Order

Lately I 've been making my own suets from scratch to catch up with the demand at an affordable cost.

Every morning European Starlings devour the suets in no time, so now I feed only one suet at a time and that one will be right on my patio where I can see and chase away the mobbing starlings when necessary.

"Ready or not, here I come."

Then I noticed someone else was so hungry that she has been hanging around waiting for her turn, hopping around the edge.

Townsend Warbler:  "My turn...  Will you get out of my way, please?"
European Starling:    "Wait a minute, kiddo.  I'm starved to death."

A Female Rufous Hummingbird

About five days after I first saw the male Rufous this spring, I saw a female Rufous Hummingbird.  It is a little earlier than I expected; nonetheless, you're even more welcome!!

"I remember this feeder.  It's so easy to land and drink."

"Yeah!  This sugar water is nice and fresh for my arrival. 

Thank you, the backyard owner."

Spring Scenes

As the sun rises over the eastern sky, a male Anna's Hummingbird is up on top of a spruce tree ready to zip-in for hunting bugs.

 

 

 

 

Birds are ready for pecking on seeds and suet.

 

 

"The spring sun is so warm."

 

 

 

"I agree.  Scratching in the sun makes me so comfy."

 

 

Return of a Rufous Hummer

Rufous Hummingbirds are a summer bird in Oregon.  After spending the winter months in Southern California and Mexico, they come back to Oregon, Canada, and up to Alaska during the summer months. 

I have seen them every summer since I started bird watching three years ago.  As I back tracked on my photo data, I found out mine returned on the same date, March 14.  So I was anxious to find out if one would return here on that date.

Came March 14, close to 11 a.m. when the temperature became warm, I saw one male Rufous Hummer drinking from my front yard sugar water feeder!!!   He was on the feeder for a while, fretting and drinking a lot.  A good indication that he was happy being back here.

"Who am I?"

Due to the shear curtain I have for the front picture window, I could not take a clear picture...  But it sure was a male Rufous Hummingbird judging from the size, shape, and the color.

From my old photo, you will see how he looks like.

"I assure you I am the same bird."

Since the arrival, he's been busy exploring this neighborhood after having been away for 6 months.   I hope I can see him a few more times before departing for further north.  I expect to see a female in a couple of weeks.

March Update

On Sunday the Day Light Saving Time started in Oregon.   In spring, the time springs forward, meaning we lose one hour of sleep by getting up one hour earlier for the summer time.   So everyone is somewhat tired for a while, trying to readjust to the new time. 

 

 

 

 

This Monday, March 11, was the 2nd year anniversary of the Great Eastern Japan Quake.  I had to give some thought to that tragedy again.  As part of my little help to them, I will keep buying the goods and products made in Japan as often as possible to help support their time-taking recovery and send another donation to a local grass root organization who keeps sending teams to aid Eastern Japan. 

 

 

"I am listening to you.  My thoughts are with them..."

 

 

 

This week, I am expecting a Rufous Hummingbird returning.   Crossing my fingers....

" OK.  I'll keep an eye on them and let you know."

Spring Cleaning #3

On a sunny day, I spotted the bright yellow Lesser Goldfinches on a tree.  Pretty soon they came down to my backyard to eat their favorite thistle seeds on a cloth tube. 

Sometimes,  up on a bare tall tree, I can hear them calling softly "tee-yee."  Although their songs are similar to American Goldfinches', I read they often imitates other species.

 

In the warm sun, a female Lesser Goldfinch began cleaning her feathers

The right wing to clean... scratch, scratch.

The left wing to shape up... peck, peck.

Done.

"I look pretty, don't I?"

 

 

Spring Rain

Haiku:
                     「春雨や一雨ごとの暖かさ。」
                                                        
                       Spring rain,
                       Every time it falls,
                       Every bit it warms up.
                                                           -author unknown-

"I can feel that everytime the spring

rain comes, it gets warmer!"

                      

I receive seasonal bulletins from Audubon Society of Portland.  On their March/April issue, I found an interesting note by Harry Nehls:

                        As the seasons advance and retreat with the sun's
                        movement, the timing differs with an area's
                        distance from the equator.  For Oregon the seasons
                        best fit the following approximate schedule:
                        - Spring:    Feb 16 - May 15
                        - Summer: May 16 - Aug 15
                        - Fall:        Aug 16 - Nov 15
                        - Winter:   Nov 16 - Feb 15

                        ... if spring comes to Oregon mid-Feb and lasts
                        until mid-May, spring migrations fit well in this
                        framework...

Now that it has been warming up with the spring rains we've had, are you ready for watching more birds? 

Along the Pacific Flyway Zone, birds migrate from Mexico and Southern California to the north such as Canada and Alaska.  On the way, they make numerous rest stops in Oregon.  To welcome them in your backyard, get a plenty of food and water for them.  And sit back and enjoy watching their arrival. 




                       

A Hummingbird's Nest Building Contiues ...

Lately I haven't seen Anna's Hummingbirds much drinking at the sugar water feeder.  This morning I saw her coming around my patio and spending a little time hanging around without getting to the feeder.  I wondered why....



When she came back again, I watched closely.  She was sweeping around my old couch left on the patio looking for spider webs. 

You might have heard that hummingbirds need spider webs to help reinforce their nest.

"Here's some more.  I can harvest

plenty here.  Hooray!"

Her head is now covered with web dust.  And the web she just found is hanging from her beak.

"Now I am almost finished with the nest.  Ta, ta..."

Who's Singing a Love Song?

In spring, many birds start singing love songs.  But it is difficult to spot the singing bird in a tree with many branches intertwined.

Here is a Ms. Black-capped Chickadee chirping a little, but the song is from someone else.  Do you know who?

Right afterward,  I found  a House Finch with the orange head singing away again.  He is a real singer for the above.

"I have an excellent voice as you might have noticed!"

Dispute #2

A big woodpecker who frequents my backyard is called the Northern Flicker. Today one of the female flickers was munching the suet for supper.

 Then one European Starling flew in, hoping to get some.

The lone supper quickly changed into a loud argument.  After a little while, the flicker completed the meal and left the suet for the starling to enjoy.

 

It's a tough world out in the backyard sometimes.  Food is limited especially during the winter months.  Everyone is waiting for the warm, plentiful season, which is just around the corner.