Friday – 4.6.2018

1:00 AM – Today we celebrate the squirrels. We’ll start with a couple of videos of squirrels on the cylinder feeder. We didn’t think they’d every really disturb that one, since it’s loaded with hot pepper compressed seed. But at least one squirrel is untroubled by that (and guess which squirrel that is. In this first video, he’s figuring out how to approach the feeder, and in the process, knocks the camera down.


It’s the One-Eared Squirrel! We were wondering what he was up to. In this video, he’s gobbling red hot pepper seed. He doesn’t even hesitate.


Finally, here’s are two squirrels maneuvering for a spot on the platform feeder.

 

Thursday – 4.5.2018

1:00 AM – Carolina Wrens on the cylinder feeder. This video was taken with the Nikon Coolpix camera, instead of the Arlo security cams. The difference in quality is obvious, though my shaking camera work doesn’t help. Next time, we’ll use a tripod.


Cardinals, Blue Jays and Finches alternating turns on the platform feeder. It’s nice to see cooperation, but a good bird dustup would have been more interesting.


Chickadee on the platform feeder.

Wednesday – 4.4.2018

1:00 AM – Another ‘Year Ago Today’, featuring the birds of April 4, 2017.

1:50 AM – The first hummingbird of the season, and the first to be captured on our Hummer Cam (formerly the Suet Cam). He’s only visible for less than a second, but this shows the hummers are here, and the security cameras can record them.

4:10 AM – We haven’t seen any female Bluebirds for several days now, and the male is still carrying food off somewhere – presumably to her. We’re looking forward to seeing small Bluebirds eventually.

Here’s a Ghost Cardinal in the rain.

Sunday – 4.1.2018

1:00 AM – We’ve seen the Cardinals do this, but it’s the first time we got video of Blue Jays sharing food. We assume it means the same thing – some kind of courtship or nesting behavior.


An old Bluebird video, from September, 2017.

Thursday – 3.29.2018

1:00 AM – Here’s a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. We haven’t seen one of these for a few months. They’re obviously a close relative of the Red-bellied Woodpecker. You can tell the difference by the long white stripe on the edge of the wing, and the red markings on the top of the head, and the throat (for males).


Bluebirds, followed by a Yellow-rumped Warbler, on the mealworm feeder.


Male Cardinal on the mealworm feeder.

Backyard Birds in Central Alabama