1:37 AM – We had quite a bit of activity at the feeders this week, and a pretty good crop of videos. We’re skipping Retro-Sunday this week and presenting a few of new ones.
This pair of Blue Jays are furious eaters – and one of them not too careful where he gets his seed. There’s plenty to go around, why take food from the beak of his buddy? Probably just Blue Jays being Blue Jays.
While we’re on the subject of Birds Behaving Badly, here’s a Mourning Dove that’s not interested in sharing. Not at all.
And finally, a female Cardinal with a punk-style crest and a bad attitude.
1:08 AM – Mourning Dove and Blue Jay at the platform feeder. The Jay approaches, and the Dove puffs himself up to send a message. Must have worked, the Jay didn’t try to get into the feeder.
Bluebirds hanging around the platform feeder and birdbath.
2:17 AM – Another bird identification problem. I think this is an unusually colored House Finch. The Cornell Labs website had an image of one that looks like this – the yellow markings on the breast and back, but no vivid stripe near the eyes. The beak is the right shape, and the tail is slightly notched – both features of the House Finch. Also, he was in the company of a pretty standard female Finch. If anyone has a better guess, I’d like to hear it. In the meantime, here are some videos. This is the first time this bird has been here, hopefully not the last time.
Another video of that probably House Finch on the Squirrel Buster feeder. He stands up to a Cardinal that tries to run him off.
1:37 AM – There are always some Bluebirds on the mealworm feeder. We have at least a half dozen of them, probably more. That’s why we keep posting videos of them.
Blue Jay really doesn’t want to share with feeder with the Cardinal. No hesitation, as soon as the Card gets close the Jay runs right at her. Oh, well. It will be the Cardinals’ turn in a few minutes. That’s the nice thing about having multiple feeders.
3:06 AM – Nice video of a male Cardinal eating sunflower seeds. Since the molting season seems to be past, the Cardinal’s feather’s really look good.
One Chickadee after another. They rarely stick around, just pick up a worm and fly off. They’re the smallest bird we’ve got in the yard, except for the occasional surly, combative hummingbird.
1:57 AM – Maybe it was the number of Mourning Doves trying to crowd into the feeder, but yesterday was one dove-scuffle after another. Here’s a series of vignettes of irritable doves attacking other irritable doves. With soundtrack.
Purple finch on the Squirrel Buster. According to the Cornell Labs they are winter visitors to this part of the country. I know we haven’t seen many this summer, but in the last week there have been a couple of them around.
12:17 AM – Cardinal and Mourning Dove, getting along for the moment. The dove seems a little more comfortable than the Cardinal, who’s watchful and alert.
1:35 AM – Retro Sunday, once again. But first, something a little different. Here’s a video of a Carolina Wren at the mealworm feeder, published several days ago. Here it is again, but now with a soundtrack, another original composition.
This one is from January, 2017. Its a very interesting video that demonstrates how alert (and quick) the sparrows are. Four of them are sitting in the feeder. Suddenly they all fly away. Within a second a hickory nut falls from the branches above and lands in the feeder. It seems no matter how intently the birds are hogging down, they’re still paying attention to their surroundings. If you’re potential hawk-food, I guess that’s a good idea.
12:26 AM – More Bluebird excitement on the mealworm feeder. About three quarters of the way through the clip, a juvenile Bluebird lands next to an adult. It looks to me like he give the grown-up a little back talk, followed by – well, take a look. A slow-motion version is included.
Cardinal flapping and displaying to Mourning Dove. It doesn’t do any good – the dove isn’t going anywhere.