More photos from the yard

Here are a few photos from the last week or so. The Band-Tailed Pigeons are still hanging around. The most we counted at one time was 7! It was awesome to see so many at once.

The American Goldfinches are slowly starting to return, but they have lost most of their summer colors and are now the more muted yellows. They will winter with us by the hundreds.

Of note, this last week we saw, not only the Common Nighthawk (see post below this one) but a Pacific-Slope Flycatcher also stopped by! That's only the second Flycatcher we have ever had in the yard.

So, without further adieu, here are a few pics...

We have really enjoyed playing host to these Band-tailed Pigeons.


They are great fun to have around.


They are usually resting atop this telephone pole/wire in the mornings. This pole, strangely enough, is actually in our backyard. Here you can see 5 of them.


Here are four of them in one of our homemade fly-thrus.

One of the more colorful American Goldfinches stopping in for a quick drink. Once they get their bright yellow summer colors we usually don't see them again until the start of fall when their colors are a little more drab.

A female Bushtit. They are coming in the yard 20 or 30 times a day now.

A Lesser Goldfinch snacking on a sunflower leaf.

The Lessers decimate our sunflowers leaves during the summer. They seem to enjoy the leaves as much as they do nyjer seed.

A very friendly House Finch taking a sip.

Busy, busy yard!

Hello to all! Sorry for the infrequent posts, but we have been so busy with our other blog that the time just slips away. No more excuses though! I vow to post at least 3 times a week! Yep, you heard it here first. 3 times a week. I expect you all to hold me to it, too!

Anyway, the Varied Thrush showed up today! That is the latest in the year that we have seen him in the yard. Exciting stuff! Other than the Thrush we have seen; Warblers abound, Finches a plenty (House, American, Lesser and Siskin), Junco-Mania and a Robin-Go-Round. It's been a great time to be a birder! Here are some photos for your entertainment (hopefully).

The male Varied Thrush hanging out with some unsavory characters!


Such a gorgeous bird and such an unexpected visitor near the end of February.


The Spotted Towhee was hanging out all day long. Another rare occurrence. Usually, he comes in the yard for an hour our two in the morning and the evening, but not in the middle of the day.


Towhee looking pretty photogenic on the fence.


Then, the Towhee hopped up in the Curly Willow for some even better pics.


A well camouflaged Golden-Crowned Sparrow.

A White-Crowned and Golden-Crowned Sparrow just hangin' out.

The Lesser Goldfinches are looking as beautiful as ever!

Here's another Lesser just waiting for a spot to open up on the thistle sack below.

A Downy Woodpecker grabbing some suet. It's hard to tell from the photo, but this Downy had a yellow spot on the back of the head, instead of the normal red coloring.

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the male Anna's Hummingbird to come around the other side of the feeder so I could get a better pic. Such amazing colors!

One of the 6 different Song Sparrows that were in the yard today.

Another Song Sparrow...

...and another...

Let it snow...

Here are just a few of the 413 (slight exaggeration) photos that we took today. Our thermometer right now reads 23 degrees and the temperature is supposed to drop down into the low-to-mid teens tonight. After that, it isn't supposed to get above 32 degrees until next weekend (and maybe longer). This is extremely cold for the Portland, OR area. We have about 3-4 inches of snow on the ground and it's still lightly coming down. Possibly another inch or 2 tonight. That would be so cool! We love this wintery mix!

Our yard was (is) absolutely alive today. Over 100 Juncos throughout the yard at any given time. Lots of Lesser and American Goldfinches. A few Chickadees, Jays (both Scrub and Steller's), House Finches and Pine Siskins, as well. We also had a First of Season Spotted Towhee today!! We wondered if the cold might bring them in but we didn't think that it would be the first day. Oh, and about 1 billion Starlings. They are EVERYWHERE. usually the only eat suet. Today, they have been in and on every single feeder in the yard. And the funny thing is they are eating the seed. We haven't ever seen them eat seed before. I guess when you need food, you take what you can get. Anyway, we'll post lost more photos over the next couple of days. Meanwhile, enjoy the photos and good birding to everyone!


The backyard a few hours ago. We now have another inch or so.


White-Crowned and a Golden-Crowned Sparrow sharing a lunch.


The Spotted Towhee!


Such neat looking birds.


A Song Sparrow in the front yard.


A Pine Siskin trying to stay warm.


A rare (for this winter) visit from a Robin!


Not only were the Lesser Goldfinches coming in in droves, but they looked like they were in breeding plumage.


Juncos on our front path. Michelle put some seed out there for them, too.


They seem to like to eat on the fence rather than the snow-covered ground. Can't say that I blame them.


A Junco posing for us.


Hopping around the back patio.


A House Finch and a Golden-Crowed Sparrow digging for seed.


American and Lesser Goldfinches abound!


Waiting in line for a thistle sack.

Pine Siskins are back!!

We were so excited last night to see a small flock of Pine Siskins fly into the yard. We have missed them in their absence. There were about 15-20 Siskins in the yard and they stayed for quite a while. I hope they are here for the winter! Last year, we didn't see any Pine Siskins until Dec 1st. It's great to have them visiting again.

Other than the Siskins, we have also noticed the Cedar Waxwings hanging around again, White-Crowned Sparrows are daily visitors and we even had a Black-Crowned Night Heron fly over the house 2 nights ago!

So, here are some pics from the yard this week and we are keeping an Eagle-eye out for new visitors ('tis the season). Good birding.


The first Pine Siskins that we have seen in months! They have quite a bit of yellow on them this fall.


They were always one of our favorite, and most numerous, visitors.


They didn't hesitate about going to the birdbath. They weren't in the yard more than 1 or 2 minutes and they swarmed the water.


The Downy Woodpecker is also a daily visitor now. He prefers this suet log more than any of the other feeders (obviously, I have not been putting enough suet in it).


A female Bushtit holding very still for the camera.


After making a "pishing" noise, she came out to see what all the fuss was about.


A large flock of Cedar Waxwings over the house.

Our newest resident Male Anna's Hummingbird. He seems to have claimed the yard.

His life is much easier since the Rufous Hummingbird has departed.

I like the little lightning stripe down the side of his head.

This is (I'm assuming) a House Finch. He just has the oddest tail I have ever seen on one. He seems to have the tail from 2 different birds. Weird.

A Lesser Goldfinch bathing while 2 Pine Siskins look on.

The Lessers will only drink this way now. The will use the water to bathe but, if they want a drink, they fly up to the drip line and drink.

The are always fun to watch.

A Scrub-Jay begging for peanuts.

A Scrub-Jay not begging for peanuts.

I just liked the odd look of this American Goldfinch. His plumage change is really striking.

The photo doesn't show it too well but, his head is almost white, while his body is still winter Goldfinch yellow.