Daily Pics _ 5

These are some photos that my daughter Hillary and I took over the past few days. Hope you enjoy them.

Bottom row are female House Finches (not sparrows!)

Resin

Ahhhhhhh Haaaaaaaaaaaa OK Thanks.... I'm learning more all the time. What about the little fella in the feeder in the center.

Ya know, now that you said that, it makes perfect sense. Sometimes I hear the "meeeeeemeeeeeeeep" that I remember as a child from when we had those tiny finches in a cage. I just figured it was something that I couldn't see. Now I realize that it was probably those little fellas making that sound.

Kiska, didn't know you were shooting birds also. Nice shots of the Pine Grosbeaks. I got a few shots of a female last week, at the State Park Visitors Center, end of Eagle River Road. I'll go out there again looking for a male. I have never seen them in the city. This is one of my shots of a female, from last week.

This Chickadee stopped in for breakfast this morning.

bluegrassmom; it's a very pretty bird and is one we don't see often. After they feed at our feeder, they take off after a couple of days.
Grasmussen, do you know if the pine grosbeak migrate further north?
We've gone a few times to the Eagle River Center, but never in the winter. They've done a very nice job w/trails.
I noticed your Sand Hill Crane photos, very nice, too. There were 3 that stayed very late last fall, but, finally, they headed south. Have you come to the valley when the geese/swans arrive? Certainly impressive sight and sound. Very pretty photos of the Chikadee and Pine Grosbeak.
Kiska

Resin - thanks; I guess they're on the way now, I haven't seen them yet today.
Kiska

Kiska, I have seen Pine Grosbeaks at Kenai Lake in mid-summer. I think they are year round residents, but just not very common. I suspect they they migrate into the valleys in winter and go higher in the mountains as the weather gets milder.

Grasmussen - I'll need to be on the look-out this summer; particularly when we go down on the Kenai. Would love to see them more often.
Kiska

Thanks again Resin. Now I know :-)

I am seeing a pair of catbirds in my yard, now that the robins have gone north.

Got a few shots of a Baltimore Oriole this morning.

Their call is quite distinctive.

My Goldfinch are back.

Pell,

Don't the Goldfinch stay all year there? They do here. ;-))

Marilyn

Yes they do Marilyn but I don't see them that often.

Pell,

We see them all the time during the Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall. We have 2 upside down thistle feeders just for them (so there's no competion with the House Finches). They're so adorable!

I do want to get a second one but the particular one I want is quite expensive so I'm holding off for a while since I'll be ordering the meal worm feeder. I would like to get one of the really long ones with all the perches.

Marilyn-- I thought I posted this link for reasonably priced (?) meal worms (mail order) here, but maybe I posted it on another thread--

http://www.grubco.com/

I think I might agree with your DH about having 10,000 mealworms in the Fridge, but if I could get two bluebirds into the yard, it might be worth it!

BTW, a ranger visiting our yard from the neighboring park said blue birds were in our neighborhood now so I am excited!

Wish I could get some good pics like pelle, sadie, gardenpom, uniquetreasures, grassmussen and bsharf-- I am too shakey and too near-sighted/far-sighted (whatever) to get a good shot (and the window screens , too, are a problem)-- but someday I'll get a decent shot! In the meantime, thanks for posting all the good pics on all the threads, everybody!

Ruffled Grouse in the crab-apple tree a few days ago.
Kiska

Nice pic kiska!!

Not too easy to get pics today with cloud cover and high wind gusts but heres a few.

Female Cardinal

male Northern Cardinal

Carolina Wren

Zoom lens/ Ruffled Grouse
Cross-posted. Thanks pelletory. (misspelled earlier)
The Cardinal is beautiful, too. As is the Cardinal Wren.
Kiska

This message was edited Mar 10, 2007 5:21 PM

Their beautiful!

And of course lots of the nastys. European Starling.

Beautiful shots folks! Love that Grouse Kiska. The European Starling is a beautiful bird. I love the combination of colors in that bird.

Janet

Pelle: Classic posture on that Wren. I love 'em. There's a pair nesting in a boxwood outside our kitchen window. I hope to get some nest pics, if they allow me.

Kiska: That Grouse could win the puffiest bird prize this month!!

Janet: I agree. The Starling is a beautiful bird. First bird I learned to I.D. when I was a young 'un.

No new pics to post. We've had mild weather and the birds aren't coming to the feeders as much.
So here's an oldie from the beach last fall. Redknots and Turnstones.
Deb

Kiska, glad you found this forum - be advised, though, it's highly addicting!!

Great photos, everyone.

The usual suspects.
They're the only visitors this morning except for a Pine Warbler who was too fast for me!
Deb

On to thread about inexpensive bird feeders, Birdlady_Susie, suggested putting peanut butter on a pine cone. So, I went out and put a little peanut butter on the spruce cone near the kitchen window. It worked!!!!! The Chickadee sat there long enough to get four shots this morning. I'm posting this one because you can see the peanut butter on his bill.

We like to make peanut butter pine cones at christmas time, we sprinkle them with seed. They are well received and enjoyed.

My squirrels would love that!

I'm glad to have the help to find this thread, too. Love the peanut butter chickadee.
Kiska

Only shot I am posting today, another of my little yellow-rumped Warbler.

Gold Finches are passing thru here. I've had a number of them on my feeder, but have not been able to get any pics. Also have had Cardinals & Doves.

My first hummingbird pic of the year . . . sure hope I can get some better ones later.