A Carolina Chickadee in my Live Oak

Another little sweetie, a Carolina Chickadee, was spotted two days ago in one of the  large Live Oak trees in my yard.  I seldom get to see any chickadees here in my yards.

Carolina Chickadees are really active and quick birds that flit around leaf to leaf, hunting for the small insects that they enjoy eating.  I especially appreciate all the birds that are insect hunters here in my yards as they help keep mosquitos and flies under control.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the slightly larger version of the picture.  Enjoy!

Sweet Songbirds

Male Northern Cardinal

Northern Cardinals, Carolina Chickadees, Carolina Wrens, and Tufted Titmice have been here in the last couple of days.  My neighbor has a bird feeder up and that is a big draw now for these songbirds.  There also has been newly seen squirrel interest in that feeder but that is another story.

These little birds are enjoying Millet and Sunflower Seeds from the bird feeders as well as a variety of naturally growing Fall berries and seeds here.  The Northern Cardinals, Chickadees,and Carolina Wrens also eat small insects and are having a great time finding caterpillars and other goodies around in this neighborhood.  I took these pictures on Oct. 4, 2014 and again on Oct. 5, 2014.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

 

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Wren

The Carolina Chickadee’s Easter Feast

This tiny Carolina Chickadee is such a cute bird!  I took several pictures of this little chickadee yesterday afternoon at about 4:00PM.  The bird was feasting on a variety of bird seed at my next-door neighbor’s bird feeder.  I was really glad to see this bird.  I rarely see chickadees here.  The Carolina Chickadees eat seeds, small insects, nuts and fruits.  They really love the Black Sunflower Seeds, which seem to be an almost universally beloved seed for seed-eating small birds.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photo.  Enjoy!

Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Chickadees are precious little birds!  A few are here with the other smaller songbirds that have been arriving in the last two weeks.  These grey, buff and black birds are super fast and flit around a lot.  They are hard to photograph because they don’t stay perched in one spot for very long.  The neighbor here has a bird feeder that has been delighting the Chickadees.  This feeder is under a covered porch also shaded by the huge Oaks.

The Chickadees have been flying from the large Live Oak trees along the street behind us, to feast at the bird feeder.  These birds love seeds, small pieces of nuts, fruits, berries and small insects and spiders.  I am sure that I’ll be seeing more of these cuties in coming weeks here.  It’s been very windy here and a bit cooler.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Wordless Wednesday

 

 

I took these photographs in my yard on November 19, 2012.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

 

Chicka-Dee-Dee-Dee

These Carolina Chickadees came to the bird feeder here yesterday in both the morning and afternoon.  They were here with the Tufted Titmice, Northern Cardinals, House Finches, and Mourning Doves.  I sure do think that they are cute!  The Carolina Chickadee and its cousin the Black-capped Chickadee are so similar in looks, it is really hard to tell the two apart.  The Carolina is ever-so-slightly larger and has a larger black bib on the upper chest and neck.  Otherwise, they are the same.

The Carolina and Black-capped Chickadees eat insects, seeds, small fruits, and small pieces of nuts.  They love to pull-out the Black Oil Sunflower Seeds out of the feeder and leave the Millet.  Their call is a sound like their name that is repeated six or seven times and is soft-sounding.  I took these snap-shots yesterday, Nov. 19, 2012 from my yard and have cropped them so you can see what the tiny birds look like in better detail.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger snap-shot.  Enjoy!

A Little Bird Told Me

Actually many little birds told me.  That is, they told me that I need to refill the bird feeder with bird seed.  These tiny birds are just mobbing the feeder.  We fill this feeder every three days and it is not a small feeder.  Not that I mind very much.  I delight in seeing the White-breasted Nuthatches, Carolina Chickadees, House Finches, Northern Cardinals, and Tufted Titmice that are now regulars at the feeder.

I also see one of the Red-headed Woodpeckers at the feeder.  I am no longer seeing any Red-winged Blackbirds or Brown-headed Cowbirds here at the feeder.  One bird that does not eat seed is the Eastern Bluebird.  I am showing a youngster that is just now turning orange and blue.  Bluebirds eat insects and are a wonderful bird to have here.  I took these pictures from my living room window and from the yard on August 28, 2012.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

Female House Finches and a Chickadee

The House Finches have just mobbed the bird feeder!  They tend to come in groups of six or seven but they come early and often.  I think the Millet is the big attraction as I have not yet had any of their other favorite, Nyger or Niger Seed, in the feeder.  The Carolina Chickadees are also enjoying the feeder.   The day was sunny and cooler here yesterday.   That nice weather is great for the wildlife (I liked it too!).

The hen House Finches are brown and have a light buff-colored chest that is streaked with dark brown.  They are not as flashy as the males.  Males have a splash of red feathering on their heads during the breeding season.  These birds like being near homes and are often seen at bird feeders.  I took these pictures in my yard on August 11, 2012.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger photo.  Enjoy!

Tiny Bird, Big Tree

A Carolina Chickadee was flitting about in a tall Oak located along the end of the driveway here.  This is an area that is pretty close to a fringe of woodlands and the small gulch that is near the dam of the pond here.  Chickadees are quick, agile birds!  They don’t spend a lot of time in one area unless resting.  This behavior may be defensive in nature.  They are active hunters and catch a lot of insects.  The Carolina Chickadees also eat fruit, seeds, and small cracked pieces of nuts.

Carolina Chickadees have a black cap, grey back, white undersides and a strongly defined black bib under the chin. This is the beginning of nesting season in Cumberland County, TN for many songbirds and Chickadees are among those pairing up.  The Chickadees nest in tree cavities.  I have seen several such cavities in trees here.  There are a lot of tall Oaks lining the street  here, and many other small trees in the gulch area.  It is always nice to see the Carolina Chickadees!  I took these pictures here in the yard on March 20, 2012.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!

A Carolina Chickadee at the Feeder

A Carolina Chickadee came to the bird feeder yesterday morning here at the little farm.  This bird was the first Carolina Chickadee I have seen here this year.  I used to see a lot of the Carolina Chickadees where I just moved from at my lake home.  That home was located in a heavily wooded neighborhood.  My present neighborhood does have woodlands but also has a lot of cleared pasture lands.  I am hoping to see more of the cute little Carolina Chickadees.

Carolina Chickadees are grey with a black head, white cheeks, white chest and a little area of black at the throat and upper chest (sometimes referred to as a “bib”).  They eat berries, fruits, seeds, and many insects.  Both the males and females look-alike.  Young chickadees also look similar to the adults but of course are small.  These birds tend to hang out with other small birds like the Tufted Titmice.  They often sound like:  “Chick-a-dee-dee-dee”.  I so enjoyed seeing this perky bird yesterday.  These pictures were taken from inside my living room through the window and porch railing.  Please click on the thumbnail image to see the larger picture.  Enjoy!