My Backyard Is Busy

The hot weather is here.  The lawn is brown, but I try to water some with the well water.  The roses are in bloom all summer long with sun, water, and  fertilizer.

"Find a bee amongst the flowers."🐝

"The clothesline is a place for rest between the fights."😁

"We like the suet even in the summer."😋

Busy Backyard

 Many rainy days.  I can not go to the wetland, so I watch my backyard for bird visitors.

"We come here often," said one of the Bushtit flock.😉

"I see the frost on the ground," said one of the two Red-breasted Nuthatches.❄️⛄

"Ta, ta,... I have to take off quickly before another one of us shows up here."😁🎄

Families are Everywhere at the Wetland

 A Wood Duck family.

"Our mommy always takes us to a new place for fun.🤩👍"

"I am still a baby in the nest.  I will be flying around pretty soon.😁👍"

"We live here during the summer.  Our little ones are already out flying on their own.👀☺️🌞"

Two Kinds of Northern Flickers

 Northern Flickers come here often during the cold months.

"I am hungry for the suet.  Did you notice my tail feather is yellow? 😁"

"I have the yellow tails and the red marking on the back of the head😎."

"I am the regular male Northern Flicker with the red tail feathers and the red cheek! 😊😋"

Backyard Friends in Winter

 In my backyard, the winter friends have returned.  

Lesser Goldfinch: "we come here during the winter months.😋"

Northern Flicker: "I am a regular visitor during the cold months, too😊."

Ruby-crowned Kinglet:  "I come here whenever I can sneak in."

(The Backyard Owner:  I see Oregon Juncos often chase out the Ruby-crowned Kinglet😥😥.)

Fall

 Now in October the sunrise is quite late.   It is dark in the backyard  when early birds come around for their breakfast.

        "Surprise!  These flowers (Crocosmia) are still in bloom here😍. "

 

Northern Flickers have returned to my backyard.

"We are back from the woods.  I like your suet👀😊."

"We like your thistle seeds and sunflower seeds😋."

Summer Morning

 One bright sunny morning at the wetland, a female Redwing Blackbird had a couple of worms on the beak.

"I just found these juicy worms for my kids."

A total of six young ducks are marching along the trail.

"We are learning to walk together, 1,2,3,  1,2,3."

Up on a tall tree, a Northern Flicker was feeding a young one.

"A delicious worm, Honey."

Spring Scene

 Spring is here.  The rose bushes began to grow.  I need to remove the old branches.

The Northern Flicker was busy munching the suet fallen on the ground.

 "I like the suet, fallen or on the feeder.  They both taste good."

The other day, I saw four House Finches on the wisteria branches.

"It finally warmed up.  We are back from the 

coast.  We like your sunflower seeds."

The Bewick's Wren comes all the year around.  This time it was shouting at the Yellow-rumped Warbler.

"This suet is mine."

The Autumn Backyard Scene

The weather has been too warm in October.  The flowers are still in bloom.  Anna's Hummingbirds are thankful for that. 

"I can still slurp the nectar.  I do not want to go back to the sugar water yet😁."

Chestnut-backed Chickadees are back from the wood.

"It's nice to be back here.  I am trying to get ready for winter.👍"

A male Northern Flicker is back here, too.

"I am back.  Now I can munch the suet here💪😉."

Snow Birds

Since Christmas, it has been below the freezing.

We had to cancel a trip to the reservoir to see birds.  

"I know where to find food on a snowy day."

"So  do I.  Here it is."

"No worry.  We'll survive."

 

Food in the Snow Weather

This week more snow fell.   When snow was forecasted, I placed more food underneath the bird feeder so that the seeds were not covered with snow.

Northern Flicker:  "It's a relief to find food for breakfast 

early in the morning.  My friend, Bushtit, agrees with me.  Thanks a million."

House Finch, male:  "Thanks for the seeds.  I like your sunflower seeds."

Ruby-crowned Kinglet:  "Thanks for the suet.  I can always find it here."

American Goldfinch:  "I like your thistle seeds.  The Lesser Goldfinch told me about them."

Unexpected Snow

One day I saw yellow crocuses in bloom; next day I saw snow.  Last several days have been cold with many snow flurries.  Birds are tough despite of the freezing temperature.

"I have lots of down feathers."

"On a snowy day, I come straight here to eat the suet."

"We fly around in a big flock in winter and 

roost together to preserve the heat at night."

The Suet Lovers

It has been freezing cold here even during the day.  I've been waiting for the Chinese New Year (the beginning of spring per the lunar calendar), which falls on Feb 5 this year.   During the cold months, many birds stop over for the suet.  

Daily visitor #1:   Northern Flicker

" I need to warm up with the suet."

Visitor #2:  Song Sparrow

"I'm usually a seed eater, but sometimes I try to peck on

 the suet.  Everyone does it, so the suet must be good."

Visitor #3: Bewick's Wren

"Yes, I guarantee it.  The suet is delicious.  

I can eat it all the year round."

Cold Months #2

It's been cold, often below the freezing in the morning and only in the 40's during the day.  The food in the woods are almost gone, so many birds stay in town.   The backyard owner is kept busy taking care of the birds.

"I appreciate your seeds. "

I change the sugar water every two weeks for hummingbirds.

"The juice is getting old.  Will you change it?"

"Don't forget to replenish the suet for me, too."

Eclipse Day

This morning we observed the solar eclipse in Oregon.  Many people travelled to central Oregon to see the total eclipse; we stayed home to see the partial eclipse.

For safety, I made a hole on a biscuit and let the solar rays come through onto a white paper (shown upside down).

It took about an hour from the start till the finish.  Because of the partial one in my area, it did not get very dark.  It did, however, became  halfway hazed just like with smog.  Also it became cold with the sun's energy being obstructed.  

What happened to birds around here?  First of all not many birds visited my backyard as if they knew something weird was happening and they rather stayed home.  Per the Science Dept  report from the University of Washington, crows communicate:  their parents tell their off springs what to watch out, which continues thru generations.  So were they careful today?   Have they told other birds to watch out also?  Close to the end of the solar show, a Northern Flicker was squawking loud at the top of a neighbor's tall tree.

"The sun is back now, everyone."

"A young Scrub Jay came down to let me know he was doing fine."

An April Love

One of the spring flowers, Columbine, just began to bloom.

Northern Flickers often come and visit my backyard to peck on the suet.

Today, two of them (male on the left)  just happened to show up at the same place.  Rarely one lets the other come and feed at the same time.  Maybe because of the spring season, they are more tolerant of each other.

"Guess what we are.  A heart shape."

Happy New Year

Birds are tough in the cold temperature.   Even when I am bundled up, I feel very cold outside while taking photos.   (Through the double or triple paned windows, I cannot take a clear photo.  I need to be out to take a bird photo.)

Male Anna's Hummingbird

"A message from all of us birds:  Happy New Year!"

Male Northern Flicker

Male Spotted Towhee