Indigo Bunting

What more can I say than this bird is gorgeous!

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.

Indigo Buntings

I heard a rumor of Blue Grosbeaks in a certain township, on a certain road, etc. etc...

Well I went, having never seen Blue Grosbeaks, so driving the distance could be worth the effort, since I was semi-close to the area anyway, spending some hospital time with my Dad who had knee replacement surgery. (he's recouping well)

I did find some ummm... blue ummm... birds. Indigo Buntings to be specific. Not a bad find, but...not Grosbeaks...



The problem was, it wasn't the most pleasant of areas. I wasn't scared really, not in the "Deliverance" sense, but in the...well o.k. maybe slightly in the "Deliverance" sense without the deep woods of Kentucky. Not only that, but the gravel roads could and did swallow your car. You could definately enter and never exit...ever...And, it seems to be the hotspot for large trash. Why not throw your broken washer, dryer, tires, toilets, etc. on the side of a road, what could it harm? Umm, besides giving other "trash" the idea of making a deposit, how about West Nile among many diseases that cause people/birds harm?...Just a thought...



I will not be back unless a report of Blue Pterodactyls are in the area, but the Indigos made it productive and I did see a few Eastern Towhees. Not a complete loss, and... I got out alive, pending test results...

Even More Yardbirds

Another Indigo Bunting made an appearance in my yard and at my feeder.



My Oriole has mastered the art of drinking from the hummingbird feeder.



I have read that orioles will kill hummingbirds in their territory, so I am a little bothered by this. I already have an oriole feeder with orange halves, but he also likes this sugar feeder. Any thoughts on this subject?

Backyard Feeder Friends

I thought I would do a post about my own backyard birds. I have plenty of feeders and occasionally take some shots thru my kitchen window. (The window is open and the screen is removed.)


This shot was taken from my garage as I was walking back to the deck and noticed the menagerie of buffet grazers. I wonder what they talk about-Hillary or Obama?







My first ever visit from an Indigo Bunting. It's been around for 5 days so far, so I hope it plans to stay...





Who can resist a cardinal? It likes to come in the early evening hours, along with his girlfriend.





The White-crowned Sparrow is really good for seed clean up. Doesn't it look like he is wearing a bike helmet?