In the world of bluebirds there is only one thing predictable – and that is they are totally unpredictable. Each family that visits and nests in our yard is different. We have been blessed with bluebirds for a number of years and in only one year did they not nest somewhere in our backyard. The main reason we have bluebirds is fresh water. We maintain several birdbaths and that attracts … [Read more...]

Many in the avian community are concerned about the recent spread of a condition known as BBB – “Bad Bird Behavior”, and it seems to be spreading. My daughter, Laura, recently moved from Durham into a house near downtown Charlottesville. Soon after she had settled in, she heard a “thump” at the back window. She went to investigate and discovered that it was a robin who was and continued to … [Read more...]

All present and accounted for, Sir. The roll call for my backyard birds has been called and every bird that should be there is there. Catbirds, yep. Thrashers, yep. And the last to make its spring appearance was a Flicker. Northern Flickers are woodpeckers, and I believe they are the most beautiful bird to grace my yard. I found one dead in the front yard a few years back that had either … [Read more...]

  We had yet another visitor to our yard last week – a White-crowned Sparrow. It was a rare treat. We have two year-round sparrow residents in our yard – the House Sparrow and the Song Sparrow. Occasionally, we’ll see a Chipping Sparrow and there are some White-throated Sparrows around, but you don’t see many of the White-crowned Sparrows in Virginia, or at least I haven’t. Nancy … [Read more...]

As I went out to the back yard one morning this week, I caught sight of the tail ends of two black and white birds flying away. I thought at first they were a pair of Downy Woodpeckers, but the stark separation between the black and white made me wonder. When I returned to the house, I saw my visitors at the feeder. They were Red-breasted Grossbeaks and they were stunning. I have had a few … [Read more...]

We have birds that stay with us throughout the year, like the Cardinals  and Finches. We have birds such as  Cedar  Waxwings and Eastern Towhees that just stop by to say hello and we have some seasonal birds. The Snowbirds, for example, come in late fall and leave in the spring. Our Hummingbirds, of course, are summer visitors and the Brown Thrashers leave in the fall and return in the spring. So … [Read more...]

  I saw something this morning I had never seen before – or at least I had never noticed. There was an adult robin in the dogwood tree in the front yard fluttering its wings. I have seen bluebird adults do this to keep in touch and I have often seen baby birds flutter their wings to be fed, but never an adult robin. I believe it was a female trying to attract a male or at least say, … [Read more...]

I have had two special house guests in the past week. Fly-bys, actually. Birds. Ones I normally don’t see, Last week I had an Eastern Towhee stop by and say hello and then this week, three Cedar Waxwings paid a brief visit. I have been seeing Cedar Waxwings in the last few years, but only passing through. I see them along about now and again in mid-fall. I suppose they migrate through this … [Read more...]