Yard list is expanding

So far I have seen and identified 35 bird species from our new home in central Connecticut. Of these I have photographed 26. Nearly all have been seen through the expansive window views. Indeed, the most recent addition to the list was an adult Bald Eagle soaring just above the back yard as we were having lunch in the kitchen. 

The majority (24) of these species were seen as they fed on or beneath the feeders, but I try to capture their images in more natural settings, such as this White-throated Sparrow...

...Song Sparrow,

... Northern Cardinal,

...Red-winged Blackbirds,

...and Eastern Bluebird:

Gray Squirrels had been busy gobbling up the sunflower seeds, so readily dispensed by the tube feeder:

I decided to substitute this feeder with one which I had used in New Mexico nearly 20 years ago. It is surrounded by a coarse wire mesh. It admits smaller birds but discourages the squirrels. After I switched feeders, the birds were suspicious and reluctant to visit them for a day or two. The squirrels persisted but had little success.

One squirrel perched atop the shepherd's crook above the feeder, as if waiting for the situation to improve:

Unable to reach the seed, this squirrel nibbled at the suet:

 

The suet is popular with the woodpeckers, such as this male Red-bellied Woodpecker:

The original feeder had short perches which discouraged larger birds. The wire enclosure now permits the cardinals to rest on the wires and reach the seed:

The bluebirds are still in the process of selecting a home. I have not seen them collecting any nesting materials:

The cold and windy weather has discouraged us from taking extensive walks, but one afternoon this week the surface of Diamond Lake was free of ice and undisturbed by breezes:

Sunsets were colorful nearly every evening, even when storms threatened:

= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

________________________________________________

Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________ 

Spring is here!

We greatly anticipate the arrival of northbound migrants during the next few weeks. 

Eastern Bluebirds are exploring both of the nest boxes in the back yard. All my photos are taken through the windows so they are a bit soft.

The female perched atop the roof of the box at the rear (west) edge of the lawn:

The male bluebird flew over to join her as she entered the nest hole:

The other nest box is to the north. That male alighted in a nearby tree and then visited the suet feeder:

He flew to the nest box:

The female then chased after him:

The Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Juncos are departing. We had only three visitors Instead of over a dozen:

One of the two White-throated Sparrows we saw today had molted into sleek breeding plumage:

There was a single Song Sparrow at the feeders, but they breed locally and I heard one singing:

 

American Goldfinches are turning yellow:

Northern Cardinals are whistling their spring songs:

Black-capped Chickadees softly sing their "fee-bee" love song:

Tufted Titmice will be competing with the bluebirds for nesting holes:

This one is working to extract the meat from a sunflower seed clutched between its two feet:

House Finches are singing vigorously:

White-breasted Nuthatches also breed locally. They favor the suet:

With earlier light, warmer mornings are conducive to walks with the grand-dogs along the shore of Diamond Lake, its surface stilled in the calm air. Along the Lake, a chalk message on the pavement greeted the arrival of spring (those are the two Tibetan Mastiffs and the poodle with MaryLou and our daughter):

The sunset has crept ever nearer to due west, so evident from the windows of our daughter's Great Room, upstairs from our suite. Bird species exhibit a predictability of their plumages, however varied between the species, sexes and seasons. Yet,  like snowflakes, no two sunsets are ever the same.  We never tire of the gorgeous views of the setting sun:

But... sub-freezing temperatures and light snow are predicted for tomorrow!

= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =

Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

________________________________________________

Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________

Subtle signs of spring

Snow has mostly melted as our first winter in Connecticut draws to an end. Despite freezing temperatures overnight we finally are seeing blue skies. After one snowstorm, a male Eastern Bluebird flew in to inspect one of the nest boxes:

A pair visited the other nest box after our last snowfall:

My photo of the female bluebird unintentionally  included a photobombing male Northern Flicker perching nearby:

The female bluebird preferred to watch from a branch, providing a nice view of her less conspicuous plumage:

So far I have not seen them bringing nesting materials to either nest box.

American Goldfinches flocked to the sunflower feeder:

Males are beginning to molt into their bright yellow breeding colors. A male (to the upper right above) shows a hint of yellow around its neck, while this male also shows a few black feathers emerging near its bill:

For comparison, here is a male I photographed in Illinois during the summer of 2017:

Tufted Titmice often carry away sunflower seeds to pry open in a more secluded location:

Black-capped Chickadees always cheer me up even when the snow is falling, although their eyes do not reflect much light and are nearly invisible amid black feathers:

An American Robin stopped at the platform to look for a snow-covered cherry:

Diamond Lake, just down the hill, is no longer iced over. No need to bundle up against the frigid wind as we walk the lane along the shore:

The leaves of the Rhododendron seem to have come back to life. Perhaps the flower buds have also survived the winter:

Sunsets have been to die for. This is the view from a bedroom window of our suite. The swimming pool cover is snow-free:

= = =  = = =  = = = =  = = = = =
Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

________________________________________________

Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
________________________________________________