I've been feeding the birds, and attempting to be a "birder" for about 60 years. My Mom had feeders out when we moved down on Mill St when I was 13, so I count those years as well. Most of my early birding days were in SE Ohio.... probably all were until I went on a week-long field trip to the mountains of West Virginia with a college class.
It was on that trip that I saw my first Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I can close my eyes right now and picture where I was standing (close to Seneca Rocks) and still see that gorgeous bird. Where our farm is in SE Ohio I'd rarely (very rarely) get one at our feeder. The last few years when we've been here in the spring, we've had a male come to the feeder. When we're in Maine we often have a male come to the feeder there.
Yesterday we saw a strange bird near the feeder... I grabbed the binoculars to get a real close look...
Look at the size of that beak!
I knew what it (she!) was immediately, even though I'd never seen one before.
Yep! That's a female Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I should look through my photo files and show you the male, but I'm not going to... he's a real dandy, flashy colors, dashing.... debonair.... I'm going to let this lady show her own beauty.... and let y'all know she's the first female I've ever seen.
Now... for the 2nd first (sounds like an oxymoron, doesn't it?)
I've seen more Indigo Buntings over the years than I'd ever be able to count. Hey... they're even one of the birds that I recognize their call. So what's special? This is the first Indigo Bunting that I've ever had come to my bird feeder. Actually, as I'm typing this, I glance outside and darned if he isn't chowing down right now. I was so taken with the colors of the Indigo bunting on the left and the male Goldfinch on the right... and not to be outdone...
Darned if a male cardinal came along to join them! There they are, folks! Primary Colors! Okay, so there's a little chipping sparrow on the right... everyone is welcome at my feeders.
There aren't many surprises in the way of birds for me in this part of Ohio these days, but I still get as excited to see and identify my little friends as I did way back then.
That's All For Today!
We sure do get a lot enjoyment out of our feeders. I saw a female painted bunting yesterday. Since I only look at the feeder when I walk past the window over the kitchen sink, I am sure I am missing a lot new visitors. Great pictures. I don't have a camera that will zoom more than 3x so can't get real close-up pictures. May have to change that, got any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteOMG, those birds are gorgeous. I have seen a lot of Evening Grosbeaks. I thought I was going to type Rose breasted, then typed Evening and realized it is Evening Grosbeaks I am very familiar with not the Rose Breasted. My brain told my fingers to type correctly but my mouth wanted to say Rose Breasted. I have never seen an Indigo Bunting or Cardinal.
ReplyDeleteHi there - some really pretty birds you have there. We get the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks here too, and we see the Lauzli Bunting every year.
ReplyDeleteJust look at all the color outside your window. I have never seen an Indigo bunting. We have the rose breasted grosbeaks at the feeders right now, but no Indigo buntings to fill out our palette. I do love little chipping sparrows. The name is perfect.
ReplyDeleteI, too, remember the first Rose-Breasted Grosbeak I ever saw. It was in 1971, and that little bird started my bird hobby. :)
ReplyDeleteI love the picture with the blue bunting and the yellow goldfinch. The colours really stand out. My mother was a real birder, me not so much but it is growing on me. Right now I am in heaven at the campgground with a Great Horned Owl and her two babies. I have to check them out every day. They are getting big now and in another week or two they should be flying.
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We have been enjoying the birds in our yard here at Sully"s Hill...we are up to 22, just out our window. No feeders up for us as that brings in mice...they just have to depend upon natures food. A life bird for us is the Sharp-tailed Grouse...with over 700 life birds, it is getting harder and harder to come by new ones.
ReplyDeleteNo colorful grosbeaks at our feeder but we did have rosy red finches appear yesterday.
ReplyDeleteI have never seen an Indigo Bunting. They are gorgeous. What a beautiful group of birds.
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