Juvenille Yellow Rumped Warbler

This morning while I sat sipping my coffee a cutie patootie hopped onto my new platform feeder and left me wondering what it was. I first thought it was a yellow throat as they have been all over my yard this week until I noticed that it had a streaked breast and didn't really look like the yellow throat, but it did have the warbler beak!

The little fella than hopped onto step and let me have a good long look at him...I noticed that there was a little bit of yellow under his wings and at the base of it's tail. This made me believe that it was in fact a different kind of warbler. Upon consulting my trusty field guide I realized it was a juvenille yellow rumped warbler!


He then hopped around for a bit and made his way to my back flower garden which is still thick and lush with fall flowers (turtlehead). I had hoped to get a picture but no luck...we'll see, but as this is a first time sighting for me I'm still pretty excited!

Rain, rain and more rain.

What a dismal day it is today. It started raining about 12 o'clock and it hasn't let up since! There's nothing new happening in the yard but I could let the start of October happen without posting at least something!


The picture posted above is of a yellow bellied sapsucker that I saw on our first camping trip of the year. This fella flew across our path and let me take picture after picture of her. I was thrilled as this particular trip allowed me to see the largest amount of wildlife I've ever seen on a camping trip. A brown Bear, a Massive doe, a fox, magnolia warbler, cedar waxwing, grouse, pileated woodpecker, are just a few of the sighting we had. I loved the trip!


It really kicked my passion of nature into high gear and my obsession of woodpeckers! I've seen Downy, hairy, pileated, and the flicker this year 2 of which were for the first time. I really wish that I had a decent lens that would enable me to get the perfect shot.

There's still no sign of the Junco's so I guess that means that the birds aren't totally done for the year but it's getting close. There's a wager going on as to when we'll all have to turn on our furnaces for the first time amongst many of my friends. I said October 3oth...I think I might lose!

The poor sparrows are sopping wet and still scavenging like crazy! They are determined little buggers!

Magpies arrive in full force

I've had magpies for the last few months, I don't mind them as they are a pretty birds and they don't seem to chase off anything other than the house sparrows. There must be something good down that pipe as the downy woodpecker was after whatever it is as well. I first thought he was going to fly into my window!

He hopped down to my new eco-tough platform feeder (thank you Christy!) and went after the croutons I'd put out and then moved onto the suet...not a picky eater that's for sure!

Time to plug in the bird bath

Well Another sign that the weather had taken a turn...I woke up to find that the bird bath had frozen and the birds were sitting on it pecking at the ice trying to get something to drink.

So I took pity on them and went out and plugged it in. It's a heated bird bath that lets me keep fresh water on hand during the winter. It's about the same power draw as leaving a single light bulb on...not a bad deal considering before this I never had any birds stay past December!

Cold Snap

Well I think it's official fall is definitely here, the temperature went from +30 to +10 in just 1 day. Kinda crazy...doesn't give the body a lot of time to adjust.

As a result of the temperature snap most of the migrating birds here took off. I only had the harris sparrows for about 2 days. I had no idea that they would leave so quickly, so I'm extra happy that I got the pictures when I did.

The sparrow flock is mostly just house sparrows now. The white throated sparrows have gone as well as the chipping and white crested. I'm a little sad as it seems like too short a time...I miss my birds!

This morning while having my coffee I noticed that a downy woodpecker had come back to eat some suet on the feeding station closest to the house. The sparrows were on the feeders by the fence and in the middle of the yard, leaving the station closest to the house totally empty.

The downy seemed pleased as punch until the sparrows noticed that he was there. 2 of them flew over and defended the previously empty station and tried to chase off the woodpecker. He managed to get a few pecks in before they bullied him away. I was not a happy camper as it was the truest form of bulling I'd ever seen. "I don't want it but you can't have it either so I'm going to chase you away!"

Eventually the downy came back and was able to eat a bit more suet before the sparrows tried to bully him away again. I made a bit of noise and the sparrows took off and the downy stayed and had a nice snack and made my morning breakfast very entertaining!

I really hope that the birds aren't done for the year yet. I haven't had a chance to get to oak hammock marsh yet and I really want to see a few more birds before the snow flies. I love the fact that the house sparrows stayed for the entire winter last year for the first time, but I need something more than that. Maybe this year I can attract nuthatch's and chickadees...everyone else seems to have them but I never do.

I guess if nothing else I can watch for the arrival of the juncos!

The Common Yellow throat

So much to my surprise, while working on my computer I heard the ever familiar chirp of the yellow throat coming from my front flower bed. So I went to the window camera in hand and thought there might be an off chance that I could get a better shot of it that I did the week before.

I made several attempts but the glare from the window sill was totally preventing anything worth while. Then she moved to a flower pot on the top step and I moved to the side window and hit the jackpot! I ended up with 6 shots that I deemed worthy but the shot above was by far one of the best shots I've ever taken!

It's been met with rave reviews from many fellow birders and I couldn't be more pleased. I think I'll have to blow this one up...now I just need a place to hang it!

A Baby Downy Woodpecker!!

Wow is today ever a great bird day and it's not even 9 am yet!! So while I was enjoying my morning coffee (I had just gone out and refilled all of my feeders), I noticed that there was a baby downy woodpecker on one of my homemade seed feeders pecking away.


He moved from feeder to feeder, looking for I don't know what, but eventually he made his way to the feeding station by the door, much to my delight!

He was so tiny I couldn't believe that he was the same size as the female house sparrow. I watched him hop about and when a magpie flew into the yard he hunkered down to become one with the branches...a very cool self preservation instinct that I'd hadn't witnessed up close before.

In the above picture he was pecking at something that was jammed down the pole hole...very cute to watch as his head would disappear down the tube.

My new favourite baby to visit the yard this year...cutie patootie!