A Sweet Goldfinch

This Goldfinch was the lone bird at my neighbor’s tray feeder.  By the way, I believe the bird is a hen.  It was a windy morning so I did not see many songbirds at all other than the finch and an all-too-quick male Northern Cardinal that escaped before I could get its picture taken.

My neighbor had a triple feeder set-up which is very good as it offers a variety of different seeds and feed to suit the needs of different birds.  Some love Niger, and some love Sunflower while still others like Milo.  The finch loves the Niger and also the Milo.  Some also will take broken sunflower seeds. I took the pictures on Dec. 18, 2016.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

A Social at the Bird Feeder

Hen Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinals, House Finches and a couple of Mourning Doves were all partying at my neighbor’s patio bird feeder a few days ago.  We are seeing more and more migratory songbirds here so I am happy when I am able to get pictures of a group of these birds.  I took these pictures on Sunday, October 16, 2016.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

House Finches

House Finches, Mourning Dove, Male Northern Cardinal

House Finches, Hen Northern Cardinal

Neighborhood Songbirds

Carolina Wren

It has been rainy here so I have not gotten out much but I did manage to snap a few pictures of birds on my street in recent days.  I spotted a tiny Carolina Wren enjoying the bird feeder that is in a neighbor’s yard.  I also took a picture of an Eastern Blue Jay perched on the top branches of a very tall tree near my home.  That picture was taken at dusk in very low light so I have lightened it quite a lot here.

The last two pictures were of a Mourning Dove and a couple of male Boat-tailed Grackles enjoying that very same bird feeder.  My neighbor’s feeder attracts many different birds!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Eastern Blue Jay

Boat-tailed Grackles

Mourning Dove

A Bunny and Birds in the Neighborhood

A Cotton-tailed bunny rabbit, a Northern Mockingbird, Mourning Doves, and a band of roving White Ibises, were all spotted in my neighborhood in the last week or two.  It has been raining a lot here so I have not been out taking a lot of pictures.

Cotton-tailed Rabbits are not commonly seen here.  I think there are plenty of Coyotes, Hawks, Bald Eagles, and Osprey that actively hunt the bunnies.  I saw this particular rabbit in a yard of a home quite close to our local neighborhood park lake.  The best time to see rabbits here is at twilight or even at dawn.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Sweet Songbirds

Male Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinals, House Finches, a Carolina Chickadee, a few Mourning Doves and a Tufted Titmouse were all spotted here on my street in the last few days in addition to the small flock of Downy Woodpeckers.  I took all of these pictures last week.  The birds are enjoying several nice bird feeders as well as the abundant insects in the shrubbery and Oaks.

We have been having nearly daily rain also so there is plenty of water, as well as food for the birds.  Pretty soon, we will also be seeing many more migrating birds.  I can’t wait!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger picture.  Enjoy!

Female House Finches with Juvenile Northern Cardinal

Mourning Dove

Carolina Chickadee

Mourning Doves

Mourning Doves have been cooing in the trees here on my street all year-long.  These placid medium-sized tan doves are so soothing and pretty, they are a joy to have nearby.  The doves have enjoyed feeding at the neighbor’s hanging tray bird feeder and also picking up fallen seed underneath the feeder pole.

Mourning Doves also enjoy a splash or two at the neighbor’s bird bath during the hot weather.  Doves mostly eat grains but do also enjoy some fruits from time to time.  They are sweet-tempered birds.  I took these pictures during several days in the last month.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of that picture.

 

House Finches at the Neighbor’s Bird Feeder

House Finches are sweet attractive little songbirds.  A small flock of the House Finches lives here on my street.  These little guys love to grab a bite to eat at my neighbor’s bird feeder.

Finches love Niger Seed, Black Sunflower Seed, and mixed prepared commercial bird seed.  The male here is the one with the red chest and the females are streaky brown.   The females look very similar to sparrows, female black birds, and female cowbirds but slightly smaller.  I took these pictures last weekend.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of that photograph.  Enjoy!

 

Backyard Blue Jays

These Eastern Blue Jays have made their home in my neighborhood this year.    There are a few pairs here that frequent bird feeders, bird baths, and our Oaks and shrubbery.  These jays enjoy a lot of seeds and fruit but also occasionally enjoy insects.  The Eastern Blue Jays are widespread in most of the Midwest, South, Southeast and Eastern USA.

The Eastern Blue Jays are one of the two types of Blue Jay we have in Florida.  The other kind of jay is the Florida Scrub Jay which is a very different-looking bird.  The Florida Scrub Jays are getting very rare.  I have not seen a Scrub Jay in my neighborhood.  The Scrub Jays mostly live in undeveloped land with lots of native shrubs and low trees.  I took these pictures both last week and this past weekend.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger picture.  Enjoy!

 

 

Waterfowl Taking Advantage of the Bird Feeder!

The geese are so smart that they have learned to bump the bird feeder pole and get a shower of tasty seeds to fall to the ground.  Here at the little neighborhood park lake which is a residential lake as well, the waterfowl have all learned to take advantage of certain bird feeders for some extra chow!

I don’t know if the owners know the true reason for the waterfowl crowd being in their yard, but it is a interesting situation to observe.  Poor squirrels may be getting a bad rap!  Ha!  Who can say?  I do know that the Canada Geese, Florida Mottled Ducks, White Ibis, Double Crested Cormorants, and the Egyptian Geese sure love pecking up the bits of bird food scattered around the shoreline backyard!  I took these pictures this last weekend.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger picture.  Enjoy!

 

Northern Cardinals

Probably a hen Northern Cardinal but perhaps a juvenile male

A family of Northern Cardinal birds has made its home in the shrubbery along my street here recently.  The neighbor’s bird feeder and bird bath are big draws for a lot of songbirds now.  It has been hot and stormy so the birds like to grab a snack and cool off in that inviting bird bath water.

The cardinals eat seeds and sometimes enjoy an insect or two but mostly are seed and nut eating birds.  A more distant neighbor on the next street over has a small flower garden with a couple of Sunflowers that are now blooming.  The birds are really going to go wild over that!  So many lovely little songbirds now.  I am enjoying getting to do some bird watching in between thunderstorms!  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of that particular photo.  Enjoy!

Male Northern Cardinal

Male Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinal Male

 

Northern Cardinals

Northern Cardinal – likely a hen but possibly a juvenile male

Northern Cardinal Juvenile Male