Tag: songbird

Tidbit.

An adult Common Grackle drops a tidbit into a fledgling’s waiting and eager mouth.

Aptly named.

I saw this bird Wednesday afternoon making its way along some of the Manitoba maples’ limbs. Unfortunately neither camera nor binoculars were handy. I made a point to have the camera handy this afternoon and fortunately it paid another visit.

It seems to be the aptly named Black-and–white Warbler, possibly a female since the belly streaks appear to be a buff colour. I don’t recall ever seeing it before. I am pleased to have seen it flitting about.

First visit.

I happened to be sitting on the deck when this Baltimore Oriole made its first visit of the season to my backyard hummingbird feeder, which it prefers to the larger oriole feeder.

Had the better angle.

Faye had the better angle to capture this Rose-breasted Grosbeak waiting to approach one of our feeders.

Blends in.

This female Northern Cardinal blends in very well; only her beak betrays her presence.

Clings.

A molting American Goldfinch clings to the nyger seed feeder.

ch

Sprightly.

I was fortunate to capture this Chipping Sparrow, a sprightly visitor to the backyard.

d

A precarious place, revisited.

It is day 14 of the Mourning Dove sitting its nest. While not that cold – it’s 1C – it’s a miserable day with moderate to heavy snow falling and likely continuing for several more hours.

The incubation period is 14 days, according to All About Birds. I hope another two days elapse before hatching; while the snow likely ends tonight, tomorrow nights’ low may dip to -5C.

A very tough time. Fingers crossed. We will see what we see.

A precarious place.

While standing at the door pondering whether to let Fitzi in, a small movement caught my attention. This Mourning Dove had ducked, apparently trying to hide from me. It has apparently made a nest at the very end of the sheds’ eavestrough roughly 3 meters from where I stood just inside the door. It may be a precarious place to build a nest. We will see how this turns out.

Found it.

It has been a cold and very dry January. Open water has been a scarce resource for the songbirds that we feed. The heated bird bath failed. I bought and put out a new one, and the American Goldfinches found it within fifteen minutes.