White-Breasted Nuthatch

I was working at the kitchen sink this afternoon, glanced out the window at the feeders--and got a quick glance at a white-breasted nuthatch!   A first at our feeders at this house, the first one I 've seen since being in Missouri in about 2003, and the first at any feeder since Mountain Creek Road in the late '80s. It returned about twenty minutes later and I got a much better look.  A real treat on a dreary December day!

We've already seen a brown-headed nuthatch this winter, about three times, so--if we could just get a red-breasted, it would complete the trio.  Never had that happen before.

Feeder Update

Had a brown-headed nuthatch and a ruby-crowned kinglet last weekend.

The weather was unseasonably warm yesterday; I have noticed that the level of seed in the feeders is directly proportional to the temperature.  When it's warmer, the level stays higher.  There are more bugs out to eat.

I am determined to try to see if we have any hairy woodpeckers this year.  I've always assumed that all the woodpeckers (but the red-bellied) are downy; however, there may be an occasional hairy also.

I am also determined to see if we have any purple, not just house, finches.  There is supposed to be an invasion this year.  We may also get siskins again this winter.

Finch Identification

Someone posted this on Carolina Birds on Facebook.  He photoshopped it to put all these types of finches on it.  I'm sorry I do not know whom to give proper credit to.

Supposedly we may get siskins and purple finches this year.  I haven't seen a purple finch in twenty years - it would be a joy to have some at our feeder.

Roger Tory Peterson always said that a purple finch (lower left in picture) looks like it is dipped in raspberry juice.  That's a perfect description of that little bird.  The house finch is more red/orange, and its red is restricted to face/front and rump.  The color is more distributed on the purple finch.

I do not think I would be able to distinguish the difference in the female purple and female house finches.

I would love to get siskins and purple finches this year.

Red-Shouldered Hawk

It's been a very slow summer for birds (as most summers are).  I put the feeders up on Monday (10/20/14) but have not had much traffic yet.  I'd like to possibly keep feeding all summer next year, just to see if we get any fall migrants through here.

On Monday night Mike saw a hawk in our yard.  It seemed almost tame; it was in no hurry to fly away.  I looked at it with binoculars and it was a red-shouldered hawk, which is considered uncommon in our area.  I got a beautiful look at it.  I had marked it on my life list last year after seeing one in the neighbors' yard across the street, but was only about 80% sure about it.  This makes it a definite for me.

I will try to do better at documenting now that fall has arrived and the birding should be better.

Complete List of 2013-14 Feeder Birds

2013-14
This year's feeder birds:

1. Carolina chickadee
2. tufted titmouse
3. Carolina wren
4. pine warbler
5. song sparrow
6. chipping sparrow
7. northern junco
8. downy woodpecker
9. red-bellied woodpecker
10. cardinal
11. mourning dove
12. red-winged blackbird
13. common grackle
14. hermit thrush (new bird for both Mike and me)
15. American goldfinch
16. house finch
17. ruby-crowned kinglet
18. rufous-sided towhee
19. bluejay
20. brown-headed nuthatch
21. yellow-rumped warbler

New Birds

We've seen two new birds at the feeder in the past week:  brown-headed nuthatch and yellow-rumped warbler.  Neither are new to our life lists, but we've never seen either at our feeders before either.  Soon I will make a complete list of birds seen this winter.

We've missed the red-breasted nuthatches and the pine siskins this winter.  No invasions this year.

Goldfinches are getting their summer plumage and are splotchy brown and brilliant yellow.

Frantic Feeders in a Snowstorm

Snowstorm for the past three days.  Feeders have been hugely busy:

1. Carolina chickadee
2. tufted titmouse
3. Carolina wren
4. pine warbler
5. song sparrow
6. chipping sparrow
7. northern junco
8. downy woodpecker
9. red-bellied woodpecker
10. cardinal
11. mourning dove
12. red-winged blackbird
13. common grackle
14. hermit thrush (new bird for both Mike and me)
15. American goldfinch
16. house finch
17. ruby-crowned kinglet
18. rufous-sided towhee
19. bluejay

Not As Many Winter Birds

The feeders have been very busy but we do not have the beautiful irruption birds that we had last year.  No pine siskins, no red-breasted nuthatches.  But plenty of titmice, chickadees, juncos, doves, cardinals, and HOUSE FINCHES.  I wish there were some way to feed the others but not the house finches.  They go through seed so quickly, and they're not that fun to watch.

We also see the red-bellied woodpecker, downy woodpecker, pine warbler, and ruby-crowned kinglet from time to time.

Dobbins Farm Ponds

I am so tardy posting on here.

We've made seven trips to the Dobbins Farm Ponds and seen a short-eared owl twice.  Once Mom was with us and we got beautiful views that time.

I'm also 95% certain that I saw sandhill cranes flying overhead but can't mark them down for that.

We added the horned lark and savannah sparrow to our list.

On one of the earlier trips I added the common loon (Lake Hartwell) and the owl to my life list.

We have really enjoyed birding the Dobbins Farm Ponds this winter!!