Started the first morning of the year with cloudy skies and a yard full of birds.
A western scrub jay. The king of the yard for a moment and a great lover of cracked corn.
Not the greatest shot. Goldfinches on the feeders, in the trees and in the air as somebody tries to hurry things along. They're tiny, not much more than four inches long. I kept the long shot because they were spread out so much. And also, because when I tired to edit the shot to get a tighter view it was pretty blurry. I may eventually be able to get closer shots, but right now anything unfamiliar sends them packing. Heck, I would too if I was that small.
A pair, and from the markings, I'd say mates. You don't see them around here very often. They'll probably head for the blackberry thickets when it warms up a bit, but the pickings are kind of slim right now. The males may turn a little yellower when it's time to strut their stuff this spring. I've been putting seed out on the ground this winter and we had a whole flock of starlings in one little spot Saturday. Hoovered everything in one spot and moved on.
We haven't had any rain for a few days. Didn't set a rain record to end the year. And that's just fine because there's enough standing water in the fields as it is. The southern Willamette Valley this time of year is either warmer and rainy or chilly and foggy/cloudy. Sends a lot of folks looking for sunnier if not warmer places.
That's ok. Gives us something to look forward to when it's hitting ninety in August and there hasn't been a cloud in the sky for weeks. :-)
5 comments:
I throw out seeds when I can. Been seeing juncos and french fry birds and lots of siskins, and some goldfinches. And a hummer now and then.
I have never been a big fan of animals but I do want to have a house where I can come out out on the porch in the early morning with coffee and see the birds.
Amy
Looks like you are feeding those birds quite well!!
Russ
I love scrub jays and their talkative ways. And goldfinches singing. Yeah, that male will be bright canary yellow when mating season arrives. Nice photos.
Beautiful shots! Around here the birds are confused...such a mild winter we've had that many didn't fly south. Then we get a New Years Eve blizzard. I hope they are all OK!
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