White-eyed Vireo

Saw a new bird at the farm today - a white-eyed vireo.  Unfortunately it moved too quickly for me to get a picture.  I was immediately taken by the bright yellow around its eyes, and a yellow wash on its underparts.  I have never seen any vireo before, so this was a real treat.

Edit:  Added picture 5/30/2020

Recent Photos February 2020

Hooded Mergansers on a pond near our property in Due West.  Right on the highway.

Tom turkey in the snow - our back yard

Orange crowned warbler during the snow

Carolina wrens.  They were jumping back and forth from the pavement to the wheel well.

Two photos with beautiful coloration.  In this one my camera focused on the bluebird. . . .

. . . and in this one on the cardinal.

Lightened photo of a cardinal in the bare bushes...

...and another.

Birds in the snow!!

We had an unexpected snowfall this morning.  Weatherman had called for a cold rain, with a chance of flurries around daybreak.  Well, the weather didn't start until around 10:00 this morning, and soon big, white, fluffy flakes were coming down, and continued falling until about 3:00 this afternoon.  So we have an inch of beautiful snow on the ground, and the bird activity was heavy.  It's been a surprise winter day, but very enjoyable.

Just a common house finch, but the snow on his crown makes a pretty picture.

First goldfinch of the year!

Orange-crowned warbler on the bottom.  A few minutes ago I got a rare sight - I saw the orange crown!!  That is not common at all.  It was just a slight orange line on its head.
Other than that pretty orange line, it is a very nondescript warbler.

The obligatory cardinal photo in any winter picture collection.

Big Morning at the Farm Ponds

Trip to the farm ponds this morning.  We've not been out there much since getting our own farm.  It turned out to be a very good trip!

First, an immature hawk species.  I cannot tell the immature hawks apart.  This was either a red-tail or a red-shouldered.

And then this was at the edge of the ponds.  Looks like the heron is keeping guard over the mallards.

Buffleheads (female) on the lower pond.  One male was with several females, but he's not in this picture.

Then - we saw a large bird circling fairly far away, decided it was a vulture - until we spotted the white tail and head.  A mature bald eagle!!!  It decided to fly to a spot closer to us.  Still not great pics, but definitely enough to see what it was.

 Finally - something was in the snag at the top of a dead tree, where we usually say "Is that something?" and it turns out just to be the top of the snag.  Well, this time it was something.  A peregrine falcon.  A first for both of us.  The clincher was when it flew to get a dove for lunch.  Hugely powerful wingbeats, and FAST.  Classic for a peregrine.  This was also larger than a merlin, and much larger than a kestrel.  And the cheek patch fits a peregrine.  Great way to end the trip!

Farm Ponds 1/2/2020

Rainy morning - cold - but we went to see what was out there.  Beautiful male bufflehead with two females was about all that was interesting.

We did see two loons on Hartwell on the way out there.  I got this snapshot.  I almost think it was a red-throated (red does not show in the winter), but probably it was a common loon.

Feeder Birds 2019-2020

Started on 12/15/19.  This will be added to throughout the winter season.

1. Carolina Chickadee
2. Tufted Titmouse
3. Carolina Wren
4. Pine Warbler
5. Orange-crowned warbler
6. Yellow-rumped warbler
7. Ruby-Crowned Kinglet
8. Red-winged Blackbird
9. Common Grackle
10. Mourning Dove
11. Blue Jay
12. Downy Woodpecker
13. Red-Bellied Woodpecker
14. Mockingbird
15. Brown Thrasher
16. Brown-headed nuthatch
17. White-breasted nuthatch
18. Northern junco
19. House finch
20. American goldfinch
21. Eastern bluebird
22. Cardinal
23. White-throated sparrow
24. Song sparrow
25. Chipping Sparrow

Recent Birding - Not Much

Birding's been a little slim lately.  We've been at the farm so much that we haven't been out to the Dobbins farm ponds.  I haven't yet established a birding place at the farm.  I need to get something set  up where I can go and observe to my heart's content.

People reported a white pelican at the Chris Taylor Memorial Park on Wednesday, 12/12.  Of course, that was the one day I didn't check the rare birds report during the day.  On Thursday morning, I had a window of about half an hour, so tore up there in hopes of seeing it, but it was apparently gone.

We've just set up the feeders, so the winter feeding season has begun.  I hope we can get something new or interesting this year.