Birdwatching in My Yard

The planning and planting of trees, shrubs and plants that provide food and cover for birds has paid off.  We have had more feathered visitors this year than in previous years.  I hope you enjoy the photos of my prettly little feathered friends. 

Cardinals have one of the prettiest bird songs.

Female Cardinals

Peanuts are the favorite of these two birds, Blue Jay's

and the Tufted Titmouse

The Cedar Waxwings arrived in a large flock and ate all the berries off our shrubs and left.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker makes a lot of noise as he looks for food.

The American Robin spends most of its time on the ground looking for worms and insects.  Quite a few will hang around looking for handouts as I work in my flower garden.

The Mourning Dove eats the birdseed that falls out of the feeders.

The Chipping Sparrows are little pigs and never stray far from the feeders.

Another pretty song bird is the House Finch.

New to my yard this spring is the Red Winged Blackbird.

Mrs. Red Winged Blackbird

This Song Sparrow has discovered that the lotus pond is perfect for bathing.

Always a pretty sight is the American Gold Finch.  This is their first year paying more than just a brief visit to my yard.

The Brown-headed Cow Bird is a new visitor to our yard this year.  They are brood parasites and lay their eggs in the nests of other birds.  Female cow birds can produce up to 40 eggs per season. 

The birds become very cautious when a Red-shouldered Hawk shows up.

The birds disappear when a Coopers Hawk arrives on the scene.  His primary food is, well, bird.