Not only the first Oriole today, but the first Rose-breasted Grosbeak!
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i have two of them at my feeder.. i didnt know what they were until yousent me a pix and identified them for me! thee are my kids’ fav bird so far…
Waiting for the orioles!
I had a grosbeak stop by my thistleseed feeder last week. He didn’t stick around. I guess he headed to the farm.
I love your pics. Wish I could do something like that. I saw the first tanager today. His little bright orange chest literally shone in the brief sun that peeked through our decreasing clouds. A lazuli bunting showed up the other day, too. What startled me about a week ago was the congregation of 24 white-banded doves on the ground below my hanging feeders. They are really big and, from what I hear, are subject to a hunting season. They were busily scarfing up black oil sunflower seeds from the ground feeder and those scattered around. The juncos are now scarce, but all manner of finches abound, and the towhees are here. Stellar and scrub jays, acorn woodpeckers and nuthatches rapidly clean out a hanging feeder with hulled peanuts outside my window. The gray squirrels are busily gathering “stuffing” for their nests and are chasing the ground squirrels all over the place. I have only a small area for my feeders, as I live in a senior village. However, it has been possible for me to create a welcoming habitat, and I’m rewarded with much pleasure in the viewing from my window.
P.S. This is in Grass Valley, in the foothills of the Sierras in Northern California. We are at about 2500 feet and had quite a few days of snow this winter, a couple of times over a foot, which is unusual, really. Must be global warming.
Lovely.
I’ve been watching one pecking around in the grass for several days looking for some sort of tasty critter snack. They are beautiful. Very nice pic. Thanks for sharing!
I love the Rose-breasted Grosbeak; my favorite bird.
Saw a Rufous Sided Towhee today among other birds.
Good to be in God’s nature.
Springtime finally here in Utah..saw a red-winged blackbird on the drive in to work. Flashy guy…
Glad to see the Grosbeak made it. I have them here about 2 weeks ago and fed them well. AnneG in NC
Thank you for these beautiful photos. Because of economic cutbacks, we are unemployed after May and had to give up feeding the birds as part of our severe tightening of the family belt. I am vicariously watching birds from your space now. God bless you and the little creatures who bring us so much joy. We have to be like the birds and trust in God in these hard times.
Had a grosbeak at the feeder here in Kentucky a few days ago. Question: is the “o” in “grosbeak” long or short?
Merriam-Webster’s says a long “o.”
Yes, we had our first Grosbeak yesterday afternoon also! The Orioles arrived last week – but then we’re a little closer to Baltimore…..:)
Uncanny. I just finished reading your post and looked at my feeder and there was my first of the year rose-breasted grosbeak. Father, do you keep a life list and, if so, how many species have you observed. You seem to get a lot that are unusual in the part of the country. Use ebird to post your observations and they will keep a list for you. It’s kind of fun to do even if you’re not a serious birder.
Jim of Bowie: I don’t keep a list like that. Maybe I will start. I haven’t ever heard of ebird and will check it. I don’t, however, consider myself a serious birder. I just like to look out once in a while and see who is around. It is easy to shoot a photo and post it.
Oooo-what a pretty bird!
I hear the cardinals outside my house in the morning….I always call them ‘Their Eminences’.
Sure sign of spring!
Last Saturday I saw the ‘flash’ of a flicker…and on April 30 at Auriesville Shrine, I saw two woodpeckers!
Praise God, all you birds!