I took most of these photos on Sunday. The temperature dropped and it was quite cold out there. (We thought, I think it was maybe 10 degrees. This morning, it’s negative 2 degrees with a minus 22 degree wind chill. Trying to recall when we moved to Siberia.)

Just prior to the storm arriving, I snapped this white-throated sparrow taking shelter under the deck furniture. Not much shelter but there he sat as if he knew the weather was about to turn.

Waiting for the Storm

Our robin continues to visit daily. I don’t think he’s a fan of winter either.

The Groundhog said what now? How many more weeks of winter?

A new bird joined the backyard crew. Not exactly excited about its appearance.

It’s a Starling, darling!

While not a fan of the starlings, nice to see a different bird in the backyard. And I’m not going to begrudge any bird looking for food in this crazy cold weather.

Of course, my regulars are still out back as well. The downy woodpeckers continue to visit the suet feeder, sometimes waiting patiently for me to clap my hands and shoo away the ever present squirrels.

Is Winter Over Yet?

Finally, one last bird photo to share this week. My blue jays also continue to visit. They’re fairly shy but I do hear them squawking when the feeders are empty or I’ve not thrown some seed on the deck.

The Cold Never Bothered Me, Anyway.

This morning, I’m hoping the freshly filled feeders don’t empty overnight. Not in a hurry to go freeze filling them up again soon. Since I found some suet blocks on clearance, I threw them out in solid clumps on the ground to maybe keep the squirrels busy. Wish me luck!

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Time to list other birds spotted this week: Cardinals, nuthatches, house sparrows, and house finches, the red-bellied woodpecker, dark-eyed juncos, crows, and Carolina wrens. Also, spotted some type of white bird of prey flying in the sky while driving to week. Couldn’t even begin to guess but I do hope I see it again when I can note more details. What birds did you spot this week?

*Joining in with the Bird D’Pot hosted by Anni over at I’d Rather B Birdin’.

On Wednesday afternoon, my son came home from school asking if I’d ever heard of a game called Go. Thanks to my obsession with Animal Crossing on my phone for a few years, I could say yes. Although I had no idea how to play or anything about it other than it being an item I could get for pretend animals in my game.

I’m taking the long way around to say my walk in Wednesday’s beautiful weather was delayed. First, my son created a Go game board and then, we played. I lost. Badly.

The Geese

However, I still took my walk. I just left the house much later than planned. Wednesdays are odd days in that school gets out early so my whole day usually ends up a bit off anyway. Tonight (Saturday) the ground is covered with snow and there’s a feels like 5 degrees temperature.

Just 3 days ago, it was more of a feels like 50 degree temperature. And sunny. I ventured off to my favorite walking park. It’d been a while as we’d had snow and rain and it’s often slow to dry over there. The parking lot still had the large puddles and I passed a part of the park where a large grassy area remained flooded. There I saw an usual sight. I’ve never seen Canada geese at this particular park. Yet, Here they were flying in to  enjoy the water. A few robins joined them.

I watched them for quite a while. The park was busy since super nice February days are relatively rare. The gentleman in the picture below appears closer to me than he is. The sidewalk to get over to that side is quite long.

I could have watched the geese for longer but I was on a time crunch (dinner time approaching fast). One last look.

Gulls

Yet another bird I’d never seen at this park. A group of gulls flying in the sky on the west side of the park. Couldn’t get the whole group in a decent photo but captured a few single gulls in flight.

I’ve often heard when you spot a gull, it means snow is on the way. Not sure if that’s just a local thing but it did get colder and then, snow today. Personally, I’ve noticed whenever the temperatures get unusually warm, snow tends to follow. Usually not this much cold air with it.

Other Birds Spotted This Week

Around the backyard, all the birds were happy that I finally got around to refilling the feeders on Friday morning. The squirrels were as well. I’ve been throwing extra seed out on the deck for our resident robin and the blue jays that like to visit. The tufted titmouse also seems to prefer coming up to the deck for seed.

The cardinals and house finches stick mostly to the feeders as do the chickadees though I’ve seen the first two visit the deck. The nuthatch also prefers the feeders. He takes no flack from the sparrows and is fun to watch when he spreads his wings to make them back off. The downy woodpeckers wait while I clap my hands at the greedy squirrels. Most the other birds also scatter with the squirrels but the downy woodpeckers wait patiently.

The white throated sparrows and dark-eyed juncos both make appearances on the deck and under all the bird feeders along with our mourning doves. The Carolina wrens and red-bellied woodpeckers also made appearances at the feeders.

My husband spotted the Cooper’s hawk on Tuesday but it was in the far neighbor’s tree and I only saw it fly over the yard.

What birds did you spot this week?

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Joining in with The Bird D’Pot hosted by Anni at I’d Rather B Birdin’.

The robins like our yard. Usually, I don’t see them in force until spring but they’ve decided to hang out with us early this year. There’s only a couple out there but they’ve been coming close up on the deck.

I caught this fellow perched on top the patio umbrella as if he owned the place.

He turned at looked right at me through the back door as I took my photos.

Bow down, inferior human! Sorry, Mr. Robin, the little gray cat handles all affairs regarding superiority around here. She might need an assistant, however, as it’s quite exhausting. She does require frequent naps.

By the way, have you ever seen a robin on a bird feeder? While I’ve not captured it on camera, twice now I’ve seen one sitting on one of the bird feeders!

Friendly House Finches

Thankfully, the house finches seem more interested in eating than world domination. They’re just happy to be fed. The new squirrel proof feeder is holding although it contains fewer perches than the previous feeder the squirrels trashed. So, sometimes the house finches come up on the deck railing for the seed I throw out there.

A Surprise Sighting!

The following two photos were taken by my son with my cell phone camera. We were on our way home from his baritone lesson when he looked out the window and asked,

Why is there an owl statue on that sign over there?

Since, we were at stop sign with no traffic around for a minute, we could take a couple photos.

That’s not a statue! That’s a real owl.

I edited a bit but these photos were taken after dark, with a cell phone, outside a car window so all things considered, not too bad.

Once we arrived home, I grabbed the bird books and we set about determining which owl we saw out there. Since it was on the passenger side of the car, he had a much better look. First, we thought it a northern saw-whet owl (it wasn’t very big). However, once I zoomed in closer on the picture and could see the ears, we re-evaluated.

Ironically, the conservation department for the state posted a photo on Instagram the next day of what we now are almost sure was a short-eared owl. (He had said it had a round, kind of flattened face)

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Missouri Dept of Conservation (@moconservation)

Think I’m making at least one of my two sons into an avid birder!

Other Birds Spotted This Week

Speaking of owls, I did think I heard one calling early on Wednesday morning as I cleared the snow off my car to go to work.

We didn’t see our Cooper’s hawk this week. Of course, we had a snow storm on Wednesday morning and I spent more days working this week so they could’ve easily been out there.  Mostly, I’ve seen the usual birds around the feeders: sparrow, nuthatches, house finches, chickadees, the tufted titmice, still a fairly large number of cardinals. A few doves. And this morning, I watched the red-bellied woodpecker chase off the downy woodpecker from the suet feeder. My blue jays like to visit mid-morning to see if I’ve any seed scattered on the deck. And l saw lots of snow birds (dark-eyed juncos) prior to Wednesday morning’s snowfall.

The snow is gone now, it warmed up Thursday and yesterday. Friday, we had a fair amount of sunshine that melted away the snow. Today, it started raining. They say all day for it. We need it still, so no complaints. However, if you need me, I’ll be doing like this dove and taking a nap, I think.

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Joining in with The Bird Depot hosted by Anni over at I’d Rather B Birdin’.

Not too much to share today in terms of bird photos. The hawks like our neighborhood but prove as difficult as ever to catch on camera!

I only have one other bird to share this week besides the hawk. One morning I was taking out the trash and glanced up over the house to see this crow sitting in the top of one of the maple trees:

Took the photo from the front yard. He didn’t stick around too long before his friends called and away he flew. We see quite a few crows from time to time. However, they usually don’t hang out in our yard too often.

Mostly, this week I’ve been at work and not out watching the birds with camera in hand (or nearby). However, Tuesday we did get to hear and see one of our neighborhood hawks in action. No hunting luck from our feeders (that I witnessed) for the poor little hawk.

Hawk Tales

Late in the afternoon on Wednesday , J and I took a walk almost around the block, a dog stopped us short but that’s not relevant. We saw robins and cardinals and heard a Carolina wren in the empty lots we passed near the lake. A few geese were in the field surrounding the lake. As part of the agreement to walk with me, I’d bribed the teenager that I’d leave my camera at home. So no photos.

The weather on Wednesday, blustery. Nice out until the winds started. I starting mentioning how maybe it was too windy for us to see our hawks as we came closer to home. At the same moment, we saw over the roofline, a swooping bird making my comments sound like nonsense. And then, we heard the hawks calling.

This lonely, and unsuccessful hunter (on Wednesday anyway), sat perched and looking deep in thought.

Though I looked for a bit, I never could find his calling companion. Sounded quite close, somewhere out front. Later, he moved to another tree branch and we could spot him out my son’s bedroom window. However, by the time I got back outdoors with my camera, away he flew!

Perhaps this week, will be my lucky week for good photos of our Cooper’s Hawks. And perhaps, the birds will help me out by developing a taste for fat squirrels as opposed to my little song birds.

Other Birds Spotted This Week

As I mentioned, I worked quite a few days this week so not a lot of bird photo taking time. The weather’s been nice enough to enjoy them in passing though with plenty of blue skies visible between the cloudy days. Lately, I’ve seen more robins hanging out in the backyard.

And then, our usual guests, welcome and unwelcome, at the bird feeders: sparrows, mostly the house kind with two or three white-throated ones as well, cardinals, chickadees, nuthatches, tufted titmice, and doves. The house finches finally took to the new squirrel proof feeder. My unwelcome squirrels continue to raid all the others.

I’ve started throwing a fruit/nut seed mix on the deck railing for the blue jays to come gobble. I watched one spit one type of the see out one day, must not have been a fan of that type. If the blue jays don’t come in time, the squirrels find it. The cardinals and sparrows seem to enjoy it there as well. Probably need to get a proper tray feeder for the area by the deck. The downy and red-bellied woodpeckers still visit the suet feeder when the squirrels aren’t hogging it. As does the Carolina wren.

At work on Thursday, I spotted more robins, a blue jay in the woods near the main playground, and then a robin sitting on a branch with two mourning doves near the pre-primary playground. A group of gulls also flew overhead late yesterday afternoon as we were out there.

What birds did you spot this week?

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Joining in with the Bird Depot hosted by Anni over at I’d Rather B Birdin’.

In honor of the Kansas City Chiefs upcoming play-off game, there’s a lot of red on display around the city. Thought I’d do my part and start my post with a red bird today.

Red Birds

Cardinals. Funny thing if you’re talking sports and saying “red birds” in this city, you’re not talking about football. Your talking about the baseball team from the other side of the state named after those red birds. We’re all Royal blue around here during baseball season. Enough sports talk. How about some more cardinal pictures?

Can’t leave out the beautiful female cardinal.

And Friends

I’ve noticed the house finches and sparrows like to hang out around the cardinals.  Moving on, how about a photo of a bird that’s not exactly red but has the color in its name?

Red-bellied woodpecker 

Bought a new “squirrel proof” birdfeeder last weekend. The first birds to test it out were the chickadees and then, this fellow:

Kind of funny as he has to work hard to get the seeds out and the suet feeder is easy for him. However, I’ve noticed he now prefers the new feeder. At least, the house sparrows take a break from their seed scattering ways when he arrives.

Another bird to return to the yard this week, our hawk!

Hawk tales

Still not completely sure of the kind. He’s perched in a tree across the street in this photo. I ran outside to take some photos and got fairly close. Though later realized, I should’ve grabbed the bridge camera with the better zoom!

And while I say a hawk, there are two in the neighborhood. Later the same afternoon, I opened the door and listened. And then, stepped out in the street and saw one sitting in a tree at the corner of the road and the one photographed, now in a tree behind the neighbor’s house. Calling back and forth. I grabbed J and we listened for a bit.

Tried listening to various bird sounds and now, I’m even more confused on what it might be. The “crying” sounds we heard don’t seem to match the Cooper’s hawk but those are the most common hawks for our area. I think it might be a red shoulder hawk based on sounds. We do see those on occasion.

On another day, I was simply watching my birds at the feeders when one swooped down low and made a pass over the area! Lucky day for the songbirds and fat squirrels, not such a lucky day for the hungry hawk. Hopefully, I’ll see our hawk (or hawks) again soon and get a better zoomed in photo.

Other Birds Spotted This Week

It’s been a good week for watching the birds out the back door and I’ve been home to do it. One morning, I spotted a pair of crows over the roofline in a tree up on the corner.

And another day, like something out of a dream, a goldfinch perched on the fence for just a moment. I don’t know what the little yellow birds have against our yard but I seldom see them out there!

And finally, I’ve counted 3 so far of the my favorite little white-throated sparrows foraging about on the deck and in the yard!

All our regular customers as well: the Carolina wrens, tufted titmice, downy woodpeckers (saw 3 of those at once one day as well!), blue jays, and chickadees. On a warm day, I even spotted two brown tree creepers in the oak tree. And J noticed a flock of starlings stop briefly in the backyard yesterday.

What birds did you see this week?

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Joining in with the Bird Depot hosted by Anni over at I’d Rather B Birdin’.

Before I continue my post,

Please watch this short video. I want to make sure you read, “they’re blue!” in the correct voice. It’s short and if you have less than 30 seconds, just forward to about the 17 second mark.

Something about those silly commercials! They always make me laugh. Probably because sometime long ago, I think I became somewhat the parent person the ad pokes fun toward.

Anyway, back to the birds. Specifically, the blue jays.

In anticipation of colder weather, I switched up the birdseed, thinking I’d just do it for a special treat for my “regular” customers. However, it brought out a bigger variety of birds including the lovely blue jay!

They have no problem coming right up on the deck to grab the seed. Though they are skittish enough, all photos were through the back door.

While they don’t like to pose for my photos, they aren’t bothered by the other birds or squirrels. I have a rather blurry (too blurry to share) photo of a blue jay enjoying his breakfast right next to one of my pesky squirrels.

If not for the pesky squirrels, I’d love to put a peanut out for the blue jays. I can recall being lucky enough years ago to visit an aunt in Florida and watch as she put a peanut out for her blue jay each day. I’m pretty sure it’s not something I could do in the land of squirrels. Judging by the last few days, I firmly think perhaps the phrase should be multiplying like squirrels, not rabbits!

However, I do plan to stick with this more varied seed at least through the winter months as I love seeing the blue jays come around closer. Maybe they’ll eventually pose for me if I’m outside with them.

Other Birds Spotted This Week

It’s not been a great week for sunshine or really being outside at all. On Tuesday, we walked to the pond at the end of the street and as the gate was opened, trespassed. Just a little bit to see the pond up close!

On the way through the field, I spotted a few crows in the trees as well as this one on the ground.

I always tend to forget that crows are fairly large birds until I see some on the ground.

And in other exciting news, we saw another hawk in the backyard on Thursday! The weather was awful and it’d just quit raining so I might as well of taken the photo at night. However, I edited a little so I could share.

A young Cooper’s Hawk or something else? J keeps asking me what kind of hawk we saw and I’m not sure. Want to guess from my blurry photos?

Wish the lighting had been a bit better (and I’d not been so cold!) as it did that thing where it turned it’s head all the way around to look at me.

Here’s the front of the bird.

What do you think? Hoping it comes back on a warmer day or at least on a day when it could land in range of the back door window (I had to go outside and around the side of the house for the photos above).

Along with the birds mentioned above, I saw our regular backyard visitors: cardinals, chickadees, sparrows, the two tufted titmice, two nuthatches, both the downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, sparrows (including the white-throated sparrows), and Carolina wrens. A few geese and gulls flying overhead. A robin or two in the front of the house. And some starlings. What birds did you see this week?

Most Wanted For Crimes Against My Bird Feeders

I believe this is the leader of the squirrel gang terrorizing my backyard bird feeders. I don’t mind sharing a bit of the bird seed but I’m a bit fed up with the vandalism of the feeders. The gang now numbers at around 7. One member broke my favorite finch feeder. Another dumped the contents of the other feeder all over the ground. And finally, yet another member “stole” all the suet from the suet feeder.

Searching for a new “squirrel proof” feeder is on the weekend agenda. Any suggestions?

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Joining in with The Bird Depot hosted by Anni over at I’d Rather B Birdin’.

A snowstorm greeted us on the first day of the year around here. I was happy as I recalled last year starting with a beautiful day. An opposite start to the year means an opposite kind of year, right?

We had lots of warnings about our storm so I’d stocked my bird feeders early. I think the birds were happy about that.

Did I cheat and sprinkle some bird seed on the deck rail for better close-up photos? Maybe.

And did other persons in the house complain when I opened the door for these shots? Loudly. Still, look at all those cardinals!  Worth the cold breeze to capture them on camera. Not all pictured but I counted around 13.

So many birds to start off 2021, a good sign indeed!

Last year’s news (earlier in the week):

The hawk returned to our backyard. And though not pictured, seemed to be enjoying a songbird dinner. I think the squirrels were all too fat for him to carry. Must be their defense, eat all the bird seed and become too heavy for the hawks.

Other birds spotted during 2020 and into the new year: a pair of blue jays (hoping for decent photos soon), chickadees, tufted titmice, robins, crows, nuthatches, red-bellied and downy woodpeckers, and Carolina wrens.

What birds did you spot to end the old year and begin the new one?

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Joining in with the Bird Depot hosted by Anni at I‘d Rather B Birdin’

P.S.

In case you’re wondering, I used to blog at So Not Organized but switched over for the new year to a brand new blog. Needed to change hosting so started fresh. Still me and still planning on sharing birdwatching posts each week.