Birds on the fence

A metal rail fence surrounds the back yard and protects the edge of a steep 35-foot cliff behind and below it. That area was recently clear-cut and includes a large brush pile, very attractive to birds. The fence is a sort of jumping-off place where they often stop and survey the surroundings before continuing on to forage in the back yard. I can stand at one of the corners of the fence and passively await the arrival of the next traveler.

Dark-eyed (Slate-colored) Juncos will stay for the winter:

Small flocks of Eastern Bluebirds forage together. Some will persist all year, and I particularly enjoy having them stop by:

For Eastern Phoebes, the fence provides a vantage point for finding and capturing insects, whether airborne  or on the ground:

Purple Finches have visited several times. They can be elusive when perching among the tree leaves, so I was pleased when, some distance away, two females sat on the fence:

Then, for the first time, I saw a one of the females visit the feeder:

A male Purple Finch also appeared:

While the Purple Finch, on the left, is similar to the male House Finch to the right, its color is noticeably deeper-- "raspberry red" as opposed to "brick red" of the latter species. Admittedly, my poor window photos do not demonstrate the subtle difference in color, but do show the proportionally larger head, more massive beak and face pattern (light line over eye and broad dark line through and behind eyes) of the Purple Finch:

An American Crow seems entitled to a place near the bird feeders:

Chipping Sparrows are the most common fence-sitters:

Sometimes, from inside the house, we sight a large or unusual bird on the fence, compelling me to photograph through a back window. This has happened a few of times during the past month. Note the differences between these two raptor species of similar body size, both in immature plumage.

Its slim body, long tail and short wings are adaptations which allow the  Cooper's Hawk to chase small birds through the tree branches:

The more rotund Red-shouldered Hawk has very long and broad wings for soaring or swooping down from a perch to catch its preferred prey (insects, small rodents, reptiles and amphibians) out in the open. During winter its diet includes more birds:

Beyond the fence, the colors of autumn are reaching a peak:

This is the clear-cut area below the fence. The brush pile is in the foreground:  

In morning shade, a deer grazed in the clearing:

On our morning walk, Diamond Lake was bursting with color:

Here is a video clip of a drive along Birch Mountain Road in our neighborhood. Fasten your seat belt and hang on tight for a ride through New England fall colors:

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Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Image-in-ing

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World
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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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