Pics from the yard

Here are some recent photos taken from the yard. We hope you like them!


A Pine Siskin eating from a thistle sock


We are still getting 5-10 Siskins in the yard everyday


Note: Left bottom: Ashley, one of our Cocker Spaniels; Top Right: Sharp-Sinned Hawk (look close)! They seem to both be watching something very interesting!

A Male House Finch enjoying the apple tree

A Male Brown-Headed Cowbird. He, and the female, have been in the yard and on the feeders for the last week or so.

Okay, so this was not in the backyard. This was in the parking lot of the Clackamas County Fairgrounds on Sat. the 3rd of May. By the way that they were acting, we are sure that they are nesting around the gravel lot

A Chestnut-Backed Chickadee, stopping by to get nesting materials! He was using lint from our drier! How cool!

A Canada Goose Golsing, telling me to "back off"!

A pair of Bushtits

Calliope Hummingbird! We were so excited when we saw him!

Female Ann's in one of our apple trees~

Another shot

A Rufous Hummingbird

Female Rufous

A Male Rufous!

A Male Anna's Hummingbird!

Yard photos

Here's a few birds from around the yard over the last couple of days. This week we had not only the first Rufous Hummingbird so far this year (camera no where near, of course), but we also had a Yellow-Shafted Northern Flicker in the yard this morning! We haven't seen either of these guys in quite some time. We definitely got some Flicker Hybrids last year but this one seemed different. I saw definite yellow feathers when it spread it's wings and tail. Exciting stuff! Hope every one's week has gone well and good birding!


A female Yellow-Shafted Flicker


Another shot of her.

About 2 weeks ago, a friends of ours alerted us to the fact that he had a hummingbird nest in a tree in his backyard. When went over a few days ago to climb up on the roof and get some photos, the nest was gone. After a short look around we found it laying on the deck. No evidence of eggs that we could find. Very sad.

Their nests are so tiny and so much softer than you would imagine. They make them out of spiderwebs, lichen etc. so that the nest will grow with the babies after they hatch. How awesome are those little birds.

Americans, Lessers and Pine Siskins all hanging out.

White-Crowned Sparrow and a Junco catching some lunch.

I just like taking pics of Juncos.

Trip to Oaks Bottom and the Backyard

Here are some photos of the last week. I'm sorry that we haven't posted more but it has been such a hectic week. We are remodeling the living room, we went to Cirque De Soleil and went birding. Whew! So here are some photos and I'm sorry for so many. We hope you enjoy and good birding!


2 Am. Robins bathing in the backyard

Another Robin found something tasty after the rain!

American Wigeon at Oaks Bottom

Eurasian Wigeon at Oaks Bottom

American Coot at Oaks Bottom

Finally got a decent photo of the Golden-Crowned Kinglet!

Green-Winged Teal. Such beautiful birds!!

First year Bald Eagle at Oaks Bottom!!

Here's another shot of the Bald Eagle

I truly believe that this snake was going to bite me if I came any closer.

Spotted Towhees were all over Oaks Bottom. We probably saw at least 20 of them

A beehive just off the pedestrian only path at Oaks Bottom. They weren't very happy with having their picture taken.

Red-Winged Blackbird at Oaks Bottom.

Male Anna's Hummingbird

Turkey Vulture!! It was just off the bike path at about Mile Post 3 on the Springwater Corridor. Life List Bird!!! WooHooooo!

Here's another shot of the Turkey Vulture!

A Lesser Goldfinch at his regular feeder. He loves that pink feeder!

The American Goldfinches are getting their breeding colors!!

Do Canada Geese nest in trees?

A Male Northern Flicker is excavating a nest box we put up for him filled with wood shavings. It took a month or so before he found it. We are really hoping for some flicker broods!

This American Robin made the mistake of landing on top of the nest box as the Flicker was excavating. The Flicker put his head back, spread his wings and made an extremely high-pitched sound that scared the Robing into another time zone!

Gotta love the birds!

Well, here it is, the latter part of February at the yard seems to be in another one of it's transitions. The Pine Siskins have mostly gone. We are down to 10-15 a day now. The Juncos aren't nearly as thick as they once were. We're still getting them but not in the incredible numbers we were just a month ago. The American Robins are outnumbering everything else. We have seen, over the last few days, flocks of hundreds of Robins. It's really neat to see them back in such force.

Flowers and trees are starting to bud and bloom. A lot of birds are flying through the yard with nesting material in their bills. New calls and behavior from the Juncos and Chickadees let us know that mating season must be getting close. The Northern Flickers aren't in the yard nearly as much, either. They must be building nests. There is one Flicker who is in the yard all the time and seems to be searching for a home, but as of yet, he hasn't gone to the nest box we put up for him. The Song Sparrows seem to have their spots all picked out!
There are a few new sounds in the yard that we haven't identified, as well. Hopefully some new visitors! Here are some pics from this week and we wish you all good birding!


You can't see me!

Do I have something on my lip?

Look ma, I'm a Cedar Waxwing!!

Lots and lots of Lesser Goldfinches

the Crocus are blooming all over the yard!

This one is still waking up

Robins o' plenty!

Always on the lookout for a better home. And in this market...sheesh!

Song Sparrow doing his "thing"

We've been seeing a lot more House Finches lately.

Always the acrobat!