Saturday – 1.6.2018

3:52 AM – This is an unexpected Retro presentation of a new variety, called: Bird Life One Year Ago Today. Below is the posting from January 6, 2017. It was cold back then, too

1.6.2017 – 9:40 AM – Tonight we’re supposed to get a couple of inches of snow. The temps will be below freezing, so tomorrow morning we’ll replace the ice with water in the baths, and keep an eye on it during the day.

Some activity this morning, nothing exciting, but this site is all about bird videos. So, here’s one of a Purple Finch sitting at the bath, thinking about something. His crest is clearly visible – I hadn’t noticed it before.

Here’s a Robin getting a long drink of water:

Finally, from yesterday, a Caroline Wren bathing:

Friday – 1.5.2018

4:27 AM – As mentioned before, peanuts are very popular, particularly in freezing weather. Here are a couple of montage videos of heavy traffic on the platform feeder.

In the first clip (in order of appearance) we have a Bluebird, male Cardinal, Brown-headed Nuthatch, White Breasted Nuthatch, female Cardinal.

Second clip has a Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Sparrows and a Dark-eyed Junco.

Thursday – 1.4.2018

2:39 AM – A few days ago, in the morning, two Blue Jays looking for something to eat. We haven’t refilled the feeders yet, and so have a couple of disappointed birds.

The peanuts have attracted a variety of birds to the platform feeder and rail, including the Red-bellied Woodpecker. At the end of this clip, look for a bonus appearance by a Blue Jay.

Wednesday – 1.3.2018

3:38 AM – The ever-popular cylinder feeder has had a lot of traffic. Here’s a Bluebird, Downy Woodpecker and (probably) a Purple Finch. Maybe a House Finch. Sometimes the red and purple look the same to me.

When the mealworm feeder is empty, the Bluebirds start to show up at the other feeders – as in the Seed Cylinder Birds video above. Here’s some more recordings of Bluebirds eating seeds and other non-mealworm food. When we filled the worm feeder, the Bluebirds all moved over to it.

Tuesday – 1.2.2018

1:58 AM – The squirrels have become very bold. Here’s one feasting on the platform feeder. When D comes out to shoo him off, he’s not impressed. When she’s almost close enough to grab his tail and swing him around he decides to make a break for it.

The missing Blue Jays have returned. We’re glad to see them, but it’s clear they only love us for our peanuts. Like this one. In the brief clip we see him tuck one away, then eat one and finally hop over a dove to the rail, where there are plenty more.

This Red-bellied Woodpecker is really mining the seed cylinder for something special. He gets it, too.

Monday – 1.1.2018

3:29 AM – Happy New Year to all. We’re well into our second year of video taping the wild (more or less) animals of our back yard.

We’ll start the new year with a nice Yellow Warbler on the cylinder. They’re good luck on New Years Day. Like black-eyed peas.

Next, a brief clip of an Eastern Phoebe on the mealworm feeder. They’re also good luck on New Years Day.

The One-eared Squirrel is back, eating pepper seed without hesitation. We hope he has another successful year as a wild creature.

Sunday -12.31.2017

3:31 AM – Happy Birthday to D, my wonderful wife. Here are a few videos to start your morning with.

We saw the Blue Jays for a few minutes the other day. The peanuts we’ve been distributing lured them out. But we didn’t get any good video of them. So, to make up for that, here’s a few ‘Retro Blue Jay’ clips.

The Yellow-rumped Warbler, besides having an awesome name, has some nice markings. The chest stripes are not unusual, but we haven’t seen them on the Warbler before.

The Brown Thrasher is not as colorful as the ‘Glamor Birds’, like the Cardinals and Bluebirds, but it’s an attractive bird nonetheless.

 

 

 

Friday – 12.29.2017

3:08 AM – The first bird in this clip is a Brown-headed Nuthatch. That’s not a rare bird, but it is unusual for our backyard. Mostly we have the White-breasted variety. The second bird is, in spite of the drab coloring, a Pine Warbler. The smaller beak and chest stripes distinguish it from the Goldfinch

Here’s another Pine Warbler. Like most of the other birds, they like mealworms.

Very short video of a squirrel trying to feed at the cylinder. He’s not there long, presumably finding out it’s full of pepper seed.

 

Thursday – 12.28.2017

3:56 AM – The White-breasted Nuthatch is a small, very active bird. He darts in, grabs a seed, and flies off. Here he is on the platform feeder. Today, he’s mostly after peanuts, a big favorite in cold weather. A Carolina Chickadee makes a guest appearance, and finally a big male Cardinal. The Nuthatch isn’t intimidated by the bigger bird – he just  flies in, picks out his peanut and takes off.

I’ve got no idea what this Mockingbird is pecking at. Or maybe eating.

 

Backyard Birds in Central Alabama