3:22 AM – We have plenty of current videos on hand, so we’re skipping the Retro-Sunday feature until next week.
Another ‘snow video’, this one some random birds eating during a lull in the snow fall. Although it snowed all day, it was not a very heavy snow fall. The birds were able to get out and feed throughout most of the day.
And, trying to drink from the frozen birdbaths. We put some liquid water in them, so every bird got their thirst quenched.
From before the snow, colorful birds on the Squirrel Buster – a House Finch and Pine Warbler.
2:51 AM – A Cardinal on the platform feeder is a common sight. We haven’t presented a Cardinal video (except ‘retro’s’) for a while, so, here it is:
Another Cardinal video, this time on the mealworm feeder. Cardinals will go for mealworms, but they usually prefer the platform and Squirrel-buster feeders, where the sunflower seeds are. In this video, Mr. C is having lunch, and discouraging the regulars from joining him – that part is in slow motion. As soon as he leaves, the Bluebirds come back.
2:59 AM – Another ‘drinking birds’ video. We have so many because there’s so much traffic at the birdbath. All the birds (and other critters) have to drink water.
One from the December, 2016 archives. This Mockingbird is not happy about the floating fountain in his birdbath. This bird was originally misidentified as a Blue-gray Gnatcatcher.
4:37 AM – We’re seeing more Mockingbirds this Fall – or maybe the same few Mockingbirds a lot more frequently. As seen here, he’s a fan of the platform feeder and the birdbath. He also likes mealworms, puppies and long walks in the rain. Maybe not those last two.
Archive footage (November 2016) of birds peacefully at the birdbath. There are Bluebirds, Purple Finches, Cardinal and Sparrows.
12:27 AM – This is the first time we’ve seen one of these, and we’ve tentatively ID’ed it as an Eastern Phoebe. The video is choppy because our camera started ‘pixilating’, and we had to edit it. The Cornell Labs website says they can be winter migrators or permanent residents here in Alabama. It also says they’re from the Flycatcher family of birds, who usually eat insects and so are not often seen at feeders. These seem to like the mealworms pretty well.
More from the Archives. This was recorded in November 2016.
4:38 AM – It’s ‘Retro-Robins’, a review of past videos featuring the American Robin.
We’ll start with some juvenile Bluebirds being approached by a juvenile Robin. I’m pretty sure the Robin wants to be friends, but the Bluebirds aren’t having any of that.
From last summer, a Robin bathing”
From more than a year ago, a Robin drinking:
Finally, a Robin and a pathetic looking molting Cardinal. The Robin waits for the Cardinal to leave before bathing. Robins are notoriously modest.
3:24 AM – Thirsty squirrels, a cat and the very popular raccoon take their turn.
I still have a hard time telling the difference between the varieties of Sparrows. I think these might be Song Sparrows, but those are supposed to have stripes on the chest. They also look like White Throated Sparrows but they don’t really have white throats. Whatever brand of Sparrow these are, there are several of them, which is nice, as they haven’t been around much lately. A femaile Purple Finch is also there, until finally a Cardinal runs the whole lot of them off.