I have to say, whoever invented feeding birds deserves an award. I kid, of course. But, seriously, if you love birds as much as I do, then a feeder is a must. And, thanks to a thoughtful gift to my father from @brisby, I no longer have to use a makeshift feeder like the one I wrote about here. I now use the simpler and more effective cage feeders.
My local supermarket sells C & S brand EZ Fill suet baskets along with refill cakes containing either seeds or berries. If it were spring or summer, I would use the berry ones. But, this time of year, the local birds are looking for seeds. And, I'm more than happy to oblige. There are two feederss hanging from the branches of a tree right outside my kitchen window.
Here, I will present the five varieties of birds that have frequented my feeder the most.
Blue Jays
I've observed as many as four blue jays at the feeders at one time. These highly intelligent birds are seen here year round. I have no idea which ones are the males or females. Blue jays seem to be one of the few birds where there is no real distinction between the males and females. They can also be attracted to ground feeders containing corn or peanuts. Funny, one time I caught a blue jay in the act of hiding a peanut. I posted about it on November 3, 2017. Holy shit, was it that long ago? Unlike squirrels, blue jays can remember where they've hid thousands of nuts.
Blue jays have the ability to mimic other birds and will often imitate a hawk to scare other birds away from feeders. I've heard that sound many times.
Northern Cardinals
No bird has frustrated me more than the northern cardinal. A male and female visit my feeders. But, they usually show up when I don't have my camera and fly off the second I grab it and start filming. In fact, I have yet to get the female on film. The males have the characteristic red color while the females are a brown color.
Interesting fact, northern cardinals are territorial during spring and non-territorial during winter. This fact explains a lot of what I've witnessed. During warmer times, I've seen the cardinals drive off the other birds. They haven't been doing that lately.
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Two types of woodpeckers have been visiting the feeders, the downy woodpecker and the red-bellied woodpecker. Sadly, I have no usable footage of the downy woodpecker. They are a small bird and my camera has trouble focusing on smaller objects when I film them from a distance. Filming through a window doesn't help either. I'll have to play around with some settings and hopefully resolve that issue.
I have managed to capture their bigger cousins, the red-bellied woodpecker. Of course, woodpeckers prefer to hammer away at trees looking for insects to eat. But in the winter, when insects are more scarce, They will frequently visit suet and seed feeders. They really seem to enjoy pecking away at the suet.
Mourning Doves
I've observed two mourning doves scouring the ground beneath the feeders, gathering up the many seeds that fall from above. Most doves will migrate south for the winter. Interestingly, though, a few will decide to stay for the entire duration of winter. I wonder if having access to feeders sways their decision at all.
Mourning doves are probably best known for the sounds they make, more than anything. I'm not just talking about their unique call, either. But, also, the distinct whistling sound created from the wind rushing through their feathers during takeoff.
European Starling
I almost didn't include this bird with this post due to what appears to be a slight blur in the pictures. But, it's such a cool and beautiful looking bird that I decided to share it with you anyway. European starlings are here year round, but they actually look different in the winter than they do the rest of the year. That must be why I felt like I was seeing this bird for the first time.
This is another bird where there is no major difference between the males and females. European starlings can not only mimic the songs of many other birds, but they can also mimic the human voice. So, my neighbor didn't call me an asshole? Hooray!
Bonus Content
Finally, here is some bonus content. Because no bird feeder is complete without the weirdest looking bird of them all...
Sources:
Birding For Beginners: Northeast by Stan Tekiela
Wherever we are, we are surrounded by nature. It's always trying to communicate with us. Take time to notice. #NoticeNature.
All gifs and images are my own unless otherwise stated.
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Yooo, cardinals are so awesome. I remember reading a bunch about them after being curious if the bird in the CD Project Red logo was real. Wish we had cooler birds visiting our feeder in Norway. We mostly see robins.
Yes, the cardinal is one of my favorite birds. We get a lot of robins here too.
These pics are gorgeous! 😍
There's a blue jay that is outside the kitchen window every morning but I swear it knows when I finally have my camera ready and takes off. 😂
I wonder how many neighborhood wars began because of starlings' chatter? 😜
🤔 I can't place why but I feel drawn to that last bird. 😁
Thank you. Birds are such teases aren't they? I took my tree down already. Kind of miss it. I want a picture when it's fully decorated.
Yes I do agree! Whoever invited the bird feeder is t a legend. There is nothing more peaceful that watching bird do their work. Thanks for sharing 😄
Always happy to share. I would watch birds all day if I could.
Great shots man, my mom's bird is the cardinal and I always think of her when I see them.
Thanks for the kind words. I've discovered so many cool birds since starting this blog, but the cardinal remains one of my favorites.