This was a first-time event in my backyard. I saw a thrush at one of my feeders. The normally reclusive birds generally stay in the way back, near the hedges, but the lure of a large sunflower heart cake was too much for the lovely brown bird to resist. Though the bird is commonly called a thrush, its real name is a Brown Thrasher. The generally reclusive bird occasionally makes its way onto … [Read more...]
A Snow-White Visitor
Monday, I was at the kitchen window and saw what appeared to be a white piece of paper blowing on the ground in the back, where I scatter birdseed. Upon closer observation, the paper turned out to be a bird, about the size of a bluebird. But it wasn’t a bluebird, it was a white bird and I’m not sure what kind of bird it was. I peered through my binoculars, but I couldn’t make out its … [Read more...]
They Come and They Go
Two of my favorite birds like to trade places. Just about the time my little flock of snowbirds head north, my usual two pair of catbirds arrive in my yard – like clockwork, and this spring it happened again. I hate to see the little juncos leave, but I welcome my catbirds. Catbirds, of course, are so named because of their ability to mimic the meow of a cat. Their genus name, Ailuroedus, is … [Read more...]
Potted Plant Bird Nests
Nancy saw some potted plants on sale last week at Lowe’s and bought a couple. We have a perfect place to hang them on our front porch and she put them there. Within an hour, a pair of house finches saw the plants and deemed the one on the right as worthy of a bird’s nest, and so it is. A bird’s nest. “They’re not going to like it when I have to water,” Nancy said, but she left the nesting birds … [Read more...]
Eliminate Bird Seed Waste
A neighbor came by recently, knowing that I am somewhat of a bird freak, asking if I wanted his bird feeder and explained why. He said he had posted the feeder near his kitchen window so he could take pictures of his visitors. Then he said that between the birds and the squirrels, the waste beneath the feeder was destroying his grass and yard. There is a simple answer, I explained. Cole’s … [Read more...]
A Concert to Remember
There is an amazing concert being held now in Charlottesville. It’s free and it happens every morning around 6 am. It’ is a concert of our local birds performing spring arias. The air is filled with their songs. Robins are the divas; cardinals provide backup, and many other birds join in on the chorus. Birds, of course, sing throughout the day, but they bring their a-games in the … [Read more...]
A Bluebird Date
Bluebirds and humans have similar habits. A young human male often takes his wanna-be intended out to dinner and feeds her – just like bluebirds. My resident bluebirds have picked out a house (after several last-minute changes) and are ready to set up housekeeping. But the male bluebird leaves nothing to chance. Ever on the lookout from his perch atop the fence, when he spots a juicy … [Read more...]
Squirrels Begone – And Bears
I was having a conversation the other day with someone who said that they must have Mexican squirrels because they were eating bird seeds which had pepper on them. I noted that they weren’t using the right kind of pepper repellant. There is one that absolutely works - Cole’s Flaming Squirrel Seed Sauce. This is some kind of hot sauce! But it’s all natural with no chemical additives. It’s the … [Read more...]
Seeing Red
Thump! “What was that?” A cardinal, what else. This is the time of year when the beautiful and usually mild-mannered cardinals go on attack. The males are very territorial and mark out their territories with song. During courtship, the male feeds seeds to the female beak-to-beak. In late March, the redbirds quickly decide which bird controls which turf. We usually have a half dozen male … [Read more...]
The Birds of Paradise
We had three days to kill in Jamaica. Mostly we wanted to do nothing, just lay around and soak in the Caribbean beauty. If we chose, there were lots of things available to do or see – white water rafting, horseback riding, deep sea fishing expeditions, tourist stops and snorkeling over the reefs. Snorkeling was out. The last time we went snorkeling, we freaked out all the clown fish in the … [Read more...]
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