A Great Week in My Garden (1 Viewer)

[snowyowl]

I run 5 feeders in my garden plus two water sources and a some bird friendly plantings (my long suffering wife actually fills the feeders). The feeders are well used but with only a small number of species visiting regularly. We used to great far more species but it has really declined over the last 10 or 12 years. This week the Evening Grosbeaks reappeared after a very long absence. They aren't in the numbers that we used to get but I've seen the small flock three times so far this week. The next thing to happen was that aflock of Bohemian axwings hit a flowering cherry that is close to the feeders. I doubt if they will be back because they cleaned off most of the small tree;s berries. Today's excitemeent was the arrival of a Red-breasted Nuthatch. Qe do get visit from a nuthatch most years but they don't stay around so I'm hoping that will change this year. At one time they used to come to the feeders on a daily basis. Regardless I've had an exciting week and I'm very grateful for it. I'm housebound so all of my birding is through my window.

 

[Richard Prior]

Looking forward to hearing about and seeing more of your garden visitors S O.

 

[Kits]

Lovely photos of your visitors, Dan. I'm glad you've been enjoying birding through your window.

 

[snowyowl]

I hope the trend continues. We used to get redpolls, siskins and crossbills. Maybe they will return this year.

 

[snowyowl]

Yesterday was a Feeder Watch day for me. Nothing beyond the usual small number species until in the late morning a Sharp-shinned Hawk flew in. All of the other birds diasseared as if by magic. the hawk sat in our willow tree for a while before giving up.

 

[snowyowl]

Yesterday was an interesting day in the garden. During the winter we usually have 4 or 5 Dark-eyed Juncos in the garden. They don't go on the feeders but scavenge on the ground under the feeders and under the nearby shrubs. Yesterday we suddenly had 15 of the little birds. I suppose that they are still migrating and a group just happened to get to our place. Today there are at least 10 of them out there. There is a skiff of snow on the ground but it doesn't seem to bother them, they just scratch it out of their way and keep on foraging.

 

[Kits]

How lovely that they stopped off to visit you on their journey, Dan.

 

[snowyowl]

I should change the name of this thread to something like "My Garden Saga". Today is another Feederwatch day so I've been counting birds and species. It has been interesting because I found out that we have two male Downy Woodpeckers coming to the feeders rather than the one that I thought that we had. A Common Grackle showed up today. He should have been long gone to the south. American Goldfinch numbers are still low but Dark-eyed Juncos continue to be numerous - 15 today. We had a couple of over flights, one of 8 Canada Geese and one of what I believe, was a Northern Goshawk being pursued by a crow. Three Evening Grosbeaks arrived at the party in the late morning, so that was a nice addition.

 

[KC Foggin]

I hope you don't mind me saying this but seeing as you have two homes in different sections of NA it would be nice to know where the recent posts are coming from

 

[snowyowl]

I hope you don't mind me saying this but seeing as you have two homes in different sections of NA it would be nice to know where the recent posts are coming from

Sorry about that. All of my posts are coming from Prince Edward Island, Canada. I'm not sure if I'll ever get back to Florida although I would like to. If the Covid-19 is under control by next winter we might try to get down there.

 

[KC Foggin]

No apologies necessary Dan! Thanks buddy!

 

[snowyowl]

We have dozen European Starlings at the feeders this week. They spend almost the whole day there with the result that we are not getting the other species. I am thinking of taking my feeders down for a few days in the hope that the starlings will move on.

 

[snowyowl]

My first Feederwatch day for the week. It started out in an unexpected way. I looked out of my window and there was beautiful Red Fox was standing at the foot of the feeder poles gazing up at them. Foxes of all colours are very common here in PEI but this is the first one that I have seen near the house inn quite awhile. He looked in wonderful condition and has obviously come through the winter very well. A few years ago we had a litter born under my workshop. A bit later in the morning a flock of about 20 Canada Geese flew low over the feeders. I think that they landed in our corn field although I can't see them from the house. Too bad I can't count them for Feederwatch. We also had a visit from a Sharp-shinned Hawk to liven up the day. Our lone Common Grackle is still here and, I guess, will probably stay until winter ends. A male Hairy Woodpecker stopped by at the end of last week. We haven't had one here in about two years.

 

[Kits]

What a lovely experience, Dan.

 

[snowyowl]

I thought that it would be good to update this thread and tell anyone who is interested about what is happening in my garden here on the eastern coast of Canada at this time of year. The trees and shrubs are all budded out or even leafed out. Not many of them are in flower yet except for the Forsythia which has been in bloom for the last 10 days or so. It is a little cooler today, 9 C or 48 F. It has been running around 12 C. My bird feeders are as busy as they were all winter.
A. Goldfinch - at least 12, mixed sexes;
Purple Finch - 10 mixed, sexes;
Black-capped Chickadees - several;
Downey Woodpeckers - 2, one male and one female
White-throated Sparrows 6;
Song Sparrows 4;
Blue Jays, several;
Red-winged Blackbirds - about six. males and females mixed;
Ruby-throated Hummingbird - one male definitely but probably several more including females;
Yellow-rumped Warblers - not at the feeders but near by , one male and one female.
Due to arrive at any time are the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Northern Flickers.
For mammals, I've got Red Squirrels and Eastern Chipmunks. Something that I hadn't seen before was a squirrel on the hummingbird feeder drinking. The hummingbird hovered near by waiting to get to his feeder. I'm sure that skunks, raccoons and foxes are around but I haven't got any trail cameras out this year.
I have an oriole feeder out, as I do every year at this time, but have never attracted any. They, along with Northern Cardinals and Turkey Vultures. are being reported on the Island every year now.

 

[Richard Prior]

Thanks for the interesting update Dan, did the Common Grackle stay to the ‘bitter end‘ of winter?

 

[snowyowl]

Thanks for the interesting update Dan, did the Common Grackle stay to the ‘bitter end‘ of winter?

It did! Survived the winter very successfully.

 

[Kits]

You get a lovely selection of visitors, Dan.