The Feeder Feed: polychrome edition

The feeders are pretty busy right now.  Every time I look out I see something interesting.

Just a few… for those of you who are interested.

First, a newcomer.  Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, who loves the grape jelly.

He is the first I have seen this year.

Here is a whole pack of Orioles… not quite enough for a team, but the numbers are growing.

Five males in this shot.

Here is the really orange Oriole.  I wish I could capture his color properly.

This is a popular staging area.

Mr. Red-breasted Grosbeak.

Mrs. Grosbeak having a closer look.

Let us not forget some of the birds who stay all year.

Red-breasted Nuthatch.  This fellow landed on the feeder while I was filling it this morning and was not in the least concerned about my presence.

You know this one.  Ray.

In this shot, Goldfinches, Orioles, House Finch, Grosbeaks.

Great stuff.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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19 Comments

  1. pforrester says:

    Where did you get that metal attachment for the jelly and oranges? Just did a quick search and can only find wooden one which I think would be a mess.

  2. Sandy says:

    What a delight to see! As always, I marvel at the artist God is! Father, I still wish I had an old fashioned mailing address for a donation. Some of us still do things that way :)

  3. wanda says:

    Wow, what beauties. Great stuff for sure. Maybe they have all gathered to join in the protest against the fishwrap. The Cardinal looks a bit annoyed.

  4. pj_houston says:

    what a great variety of birds, thanks for posting, father z. I’d like to know where you can order one of those jelly/orange slice attachments as well. I need help attracting different birds.

  5. torch621 says:

    I’d love to attract some orioles. Sadly, I don’t know if they live in the Virginia Beach area.

  6. Random Friar says:

    @torch:
    http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Orchard_Oriole/id
    http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Baltimore_Oriole/id

    Looks like you’re in luck! Orioles can be a little hard to attract at first, but once they find you, expect the word to get around the Oriole community.

  7. ejcmartin says:

    We moved out of the city late last year and it is wonder the number of birds we see in our garden. I finally figured put the the bird making the “whooping monkey” in the evening was a Boreal Owl.
    I too would like to know where you got the orange slice feeder.

  8. torch621 says:

    @ Random Friar

    Thank you for the info. I’m going to try and attach some orange halves to my feeder pole and try my luck.

  9. JKnott says:

    Delightful!!!!!!!
    I know some nuns who love to call the Grosbeak “the Sacred Heart bird”, but this one is “Mrs,”

  10. Christine says:

    Is it the oranges that attract the orioles?

  11. Brad says:

    As a very sentimental animal lover when I look at sweet animals my heart swells. I wish I could communicate to them my love and my desire to do anything for them, and tel lthem to come sit on my hand and have no fear. They should fear themselves before they should fear my hand. This has given me an inkling of how the God loves us. “I don’t care what you’ve done to yourselves. Just come back to me and I will help you! I’ll do anything for you! Just look toward me!”

  12. Random Friar says:

    Orioles love oranges and sweet stuff, including sugar water. There are oriole feeders that are like hummimgbird feeders. Hummingbirds like 4:1 water:sugar, and orioles 6:1 but 5:1 seems a working middle ground for both.

  13. Random Friar says:

    @pforrester: Wilbbirds Unlimited (www.wbu.com), or most local or online stores specializing in wild birds should carry those. I’ve never seen them made out of wood… yes, that might not go well!

  14. benedetta says:

    I wonder why it is that the orioles squabble when there is so much orange to go around. Orange, on the grass, orange, hanging, from the wrought iron, orange, worn with devotion and enthusiasm…

  15. JKnott says:

    Brad: Thank you for your spiritual thoughts. That is a great analogy.
    It got me thinking of how the little chickadees will cheerfully visit our hands if we have seeds in them. I love them because they are such trusting and joyful tiny creatures. They have the ability to bring sunshine to anyone’s day.
    Jesus said, ” Let the little ones come to me.”

  16. wanda says:

    Dear Random Friar, Yes! The orange slice feeder thingy is available from Wildbirds Unlimited! I cannot begin to thank you enough! I searched these out last year and recently this year, no luck.
    I am ever so grateful to you – I’m doing a little happy dance right this minute! Thank you soooo much for the info and very happy bird-watching to you. God bless you!

  17. introibo says:

    I had the huge surprise of having an indigo bunting at the feeder today..first time in several years. Lovely bird!

  18. irishgirl says:

    Grosbeaks being called ‘the Sacred Heart bird’-that’s very clever, JKnott!
    Wow, you sure do have a lot of orioles hanging around your feeders, Father Z!
    The cardinal pic is funny-looks like he’s asking, ‘You lookin’ at me?’ [paraphrasing Robert DiNiro here]
    A couple of Saturdays ago here at the library I saw a flock of vulture-like birds hanging around in the parking lot! They were pretty big! Wouldn’t want to tangle with them, that’s for sure! They looked pretty impressive, with some of them stretching out their wings periodically.
    I have a bird book at home-I should leaf through it and see if they were vultures!

  19. benedetta says:

    Looking back on that cardinal I feel he’s looking out saying, “Surprise!”

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