Yard Birds

It's rare that I post about my yard birds, but since the weather has been gloomy, the only quality photos to be gotten are close ups, so I set up just inside my sliding glass door and waited for my feeder friends to show up.



A favorite of mine, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak is always welcome in my yard.








The female Rose-breasted Grosbeak










I have 5 Indigo Buntings in my yard. I think that they are all related and this one is most likely a first-year male, showing variable amounts of brown, especially in the wingbars.










Here's a look at another sibling.









And this closeup was the closest encounter of the day, as the House Finch fed just 6 feet away.

More Backyard Birds

Another first to my backyard this year is the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. I was thrilled when I first caught a glimpse of him on my platform feeder. My camera was in my car, so I waited for it to leave to go retrieve it and bring it in. When I got back, and waited a few more minutes, I got another gift of 2 male grosbeaks at that feeder. I grabbed the camera, cracked open the sliding glass door, and they were gone. After a little while longer, they were back with their ladyfriend, but I couldn't get that shot either. What I did get, was a photo of 1 of the Grosbeaks at my feeder near my kitchen window. This was taken thru the glass.



I was so thrilled with the last shot, who'd a thunk I would get a grosbeak and an oriole at the same time? My luck was on...



I have been putting out fresh orange halves daily, because they pluck it completely clean by the end of the day.



The female is a bit more timid, but I managed a few shots.



The Grosbeak couple came back to feed, and luckily I was able to sneek out the door for some crappy shots.




She landed on a tree and made a weird face...



And finally, something is interested in my suet feeder. I don't know why, but I don't have luck with suet, although Mr. Red Belly seems to like it.

Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Cuttidad, who is just getting into birding, asked a few days ago, if I had ever seen a Rose-breasted Grosbeak. She has been reading her Illinois Bird Guidebook that I gave to her, since she put up some bird feeders and were getting birds she couldn't ID. She didn't know if they (Grosbeaks) would be in our area. I told her that I had only seen 1 once before, about 3 years ago.
I hoped that some day soon, we both would see one passing through.
As usual, I found a new path and headed in. Just a few yards from the entrance, a medium sized black and white streak flashed by me into the underbrush. I stopped and waited for a glimpse of what it was. I suspected a Red-headed Woodpecker. It took awhile, but then I could see through the bush and spotted the black head. Hmm....This is gonna be good! The anticipation for a new species was exciting!....Finally, I saw the rosy colored breast and that gave it away. I immediately thought of Cuttidad, and wished she could be here.





I took plenty of shots as it got comfortable with me and bounced from limb to limb.





I started walking down the path, when it seemed to follow me.



I took more shots, and seriously, I could have shot him all day, but he had another agenda and finally left me to my walk alone.