New and COLORFUL Birds to My Feeders

American Cardinal (male)

Here are some of the latest Backyard Birds in and around my yard recently.  Today I'll show you a little color!!!!  Above is a regular,  our male American Cardinal.  Isn't he gorgeous?  This is the prettiest time of year for the male birds!

Be sure to click on the photos for enlargements... Hope you enjoy them!

Pine Siskins (eating me out of 'house and home') plus one Goldfinch!

Since we have SO many of these little finches (as many as 30+ at a time),  I must share another picture of some of our many Pine Siskins. We have quite a few Goldfinches also--but the Pine Siskins outnumber all of them.

Eastern Bluebird (female)

Our Bluebirds are busy taking care of their babies... They go back and forth to the nestbox all day long... This is Mama Blue at the mealworm feeder.   Bluebirds are very protective of their nest.  AND--I found out that they do NOT like Blue Jays AT ALL.  Every time a Blue Jay comes around,  the Bluebirds dive-bomb the Blue Jay....  But--they don't seem to bother any of the other birds... Wonder why?????

Purple Finch (male)

Our Purple Finches (at least 2 of them) are still around...  This is not a very good photo since it was getting dark --and since I was shooting through the screen door... BUT--you can still see how beautiful he is.

Purple Finch (female)

The female Purple Finch looks alot like other little brown birds.  She is, however, larger than the other similar finches.  She and her male friend are ALWAYS together.

Purple Finches

Here's a photo of both the male and female Purple Finches.  They love to each take a side of the feeder and munch out on black-oil sunflower seeds.  (That is suet on either end of this feeder.)   Whoever named this bird a "Purple" Finch must have been color-blind.  Their color is not purple at all.  It's a very deep rose/raspberry color.

Indigo Buntings (males)

This is a new 'life' bird for me... It's the first time I have ever seen one of these.  They were in my neighbor's yard ---and that beautiful blue color really stands out.  These are two male Indigo Buntings. 

I zoomed and cropped to get a closer shot of the Indigo Buntings.   Wish I could get them to come to the feeders.  I read that they like thistle, nyger, and mealworms... I have all three.  Aren't they beautiful?  I got SO SO SO excited!!!!

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (female)

A couple of times a year,  the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks visit us (spring and late Fall) as they migrate through the area.  On April 30,   I saw a female Grosbeak...  They are such unique little birds.  Love her big white eyebrow!!!!!

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male)

THEN---on May 2,   I saw a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  Aren't they just gorgeous?  Talk about colorful!!!!!! 

Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male)

Here's one more shot of the male Grosbaek----with his mouth full!!!!!! ha ha  (They really love the black-oil sunflower seeds.)

Hope you enjoyed seeing all of the COLORFUL birds at my feeders recently... Birding is just so exciting!!!!

Be sure to 'fly' over to my Photo Blog NOW (click HERE) to see a great photo from Ocean Isle Beach.

Have a wonderful day.
Hugs,

Emoticons

More Backyard Birds

BROWN THRASHER

There have been a few more birds visiting my feeders recently...  So today,  I will share some photos for you. Above is a bird who visits us regularly from spring through fall each year.  It is a Brown Thrasher.  Be sure to click on the photos in order to see enlargements.

BLUE JAY

I love putting peanuts out for the birds.  The Blue Jays LOVE them!!!

female EASTERN BLUEBIRD

Mama Bluebird loves the mealworms I put out for them... Another bird that likes the mealworms is the Carolina Wren.

GOLDFINCH

Our male Goldfinches are getting their gorgeous yellow and black colors now.

PINE SISKINS

How many Pine Siskins will fit on a plate?? ha ha.. The Pine Siskins weren't around much at all until recently --but there are LOTS of them these days!!!

MOURNING DOVE

I love this photo of one of our resident Mourning Doves.  Two of them are around --most of the times in the evenings.  They do like to 'hog' the plate feeder!!!

CROSSBILLS

This is not a good picture (I was shooting through the screen door) --but I wanted you to see the Crossbills one more time.  They (and the Purple Finches) were around here for a few days--but I haven't seen them lately.  There were at least two of them --and I love their 'rust' colors!!!

CROSSBILL

Here's one more picture of a CROSSBILL up close and personal.  Again,  I apologize for the photo quality due to the screen door being between me and the bird.

CHIPPING SPARROW

Here is a cute little Chipping Sparrow.  We have a few of them around these days --but not too many.  They are cute little birds.

PILEATED WOODPECKER

Mr.  Pileated is gazing up at the suet feeder... He acted like he had never done that before --so he was figuring out what to do!!!!

PILEATED WOODPECKER

WELL---he made it!!! He climbed the pole --and enjoyed some suet for lunch!!!  Oh--such a pretty bird!!!!

I was THRILLED to get so much great response to my blog post this past Monday on Introverts and Extroverts...  Click HERE to see that post and the comments.  There are some great comments --and it appears as if MOST of us are adaptable to the situations around us, and most of us have a little introvert AND a little extrovert in us.  I'll do another similar post sometime since most of you seemed to enjoy it.  

Hope you also enjoyed seeing some of my backyard birds today...  Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you on Monday.  (By the way,  I hope you didn't miss my Photo Blog picture on Wednesday.  Click HERE if you missed it.   Hope you enjoy it!)

Hugs,

Emoticons

Two New Backyard Birds in my Yard

Purple Finches

I got so excited last week.  On Wednesday (3/26/13) during the morning,  I spotted THREE colorful birds on my plate feeder.... SO--I immediately got my camera and took some pictures....At first I thought they were House Finches ---but they just didn't look quite the same.  They had more of a raspberry color about them AND there was more color on them than on our House Finches.... Guess what?????  I had  PURPLE FINCHES at my feeder for the first time.  (Don't ask me why they are called "Purple" Finches --since they are definitely not purple in color.....??????)  I had seen Purple Finches when in Arkansas --but had never seen them here before.  As you can imagine,  I was very excited.

The picture above shows all three of the PURPLE FINCHES.   Be sure to click on the photos to see enlargements.

Purple Finch

I  cropped one of the photos of the PURPLE FINCHES to get a better photo of one of them.  What a gorgeous little bird!!!!

Red Crossbill

THEN---that afternoon (same day),  I saw another colored bird at the feeder.  I really didn't have any idea what this bird was ---so I took some pictures and sent one to my birder friend, CHRIS,  to find out the name of this bird....

He wrote me back and told me that I had a RED CROSSBILL at my feeder.... Wow---was I even more excited???  Another LIFE bird for me!!!!!!  I apologize for the photo since there was a shadow on part of the bird/feeder.  I lightened it some ---but the bird was much prettier than the picture shows.

What I do want you to see is the way the bill does 'cross' each other.... (Click to enlarge.) SO---Crossbill is a perfect name for this bird.  I did not have this bird pictured in any of my 'local' bird books --except for the Birds of the Smokies.  They do have Crossbills there ---so I guess he just came my direction just to visit!!!!  How nice!!!  That little guy just made this old woman VERY happy!!!!!

male Eastern Bluebird

But--there are other special birds in my life.  One is this little male EASTERN BLUEBIRD.  To tell you how much I love Bluebirds,  I ordered some MEALWORMS and a new bird feeder JUST for them.  How do you like the new feeder?  I put mealworms in the bottom and suet on the side containers...  Neat, huh???  Love the fact that it has a dome --so I can leave it out when it rains.

female Eastern Bluebird

Here is a female EASTERN BLUEBIRD at the Mealworm Feeder.  These little birds are nesting ---so I wanted to provide a special treat just for them!  Mealworms are expensive--so I may not  be able to afford getting them year-round ---but right now,  I'm enjoying being able to give them this treat which they love.

male Red-bellied Woodpecker

Here's a good picture of one of our resident RED-BELLIED WOODPECKERS.  He is being nice and waiting his turn at the Suet Feeder.

Flying Finches at the Plate Feeder

I seldom get photos of birds in flight....  BUT--when I saw all of these finches on the plate feeder,  I jumped for my camera and snapped this one JUST as some of them flew away..

Goldfinches

Our adorable male GOLDFINCHES are getting their 'mating' colors now!!!!  They are very drab during the winter ---and then turn bright yellow (and black) in Spring/Summer....




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Deer in the Snow in our Front Yard

I'll close with two more of our recent snow pictures.  We had snow for about three days (March 22-25, 2013) --but never did get alot of accumulation. (maybe an inch or two at most).   However,  we caught four DEER trying to nibble on our English Ivy in the front yard.  Of course,  that is a NO-NO... I grabbed my camera and ran outside to get some pictures before running them off!!!!!  But---I felt sorry for them ---out there on that cold day in the snow!!!!!  As you can tell, it was snowing hard when I took this shot.

Deer in the snow

Here is one more picture of two of them --as they ran into the empty lot across the street.  Aren't they beautiful creatures???

Hope you have a wonderful day.   I feel the need (call it burn-out) to take a blog break.   I love blogging --and have been doing it since 2006.  BUT--for the past year or so,  I have been struggling  to keep it up--including all of the commenting on your blogs..  Both George and I have said that it has become work instead of pleasure, which is not good...  I know that many of you take breaks --so I'm going to try it.   Not sure when I'll be back ---but hopefully April 15 or so.  I want to work on Family History and work in the yard IF Spring ever gets here, along with other things.

I will still be emailing  and will be on Facebook some (which is simple)---so feel free to write, especially if something happens which I would want to know about... Many of you know that I'm an email person ---so don't hesitate writing me.   So many of you are very very special blog friends --and I don't want to lose touch...   Not sure what my future holds when it comes to blogging...  But--I'm thinking about making some changes (like I have done off and on in the past).  In the meantime,  thanks for loving and caring about me.   Love you ALL.

Hugs,

Emoticons

Backyard Birds on a Snowy Day

Eastern Bluebird

We have had quite a bit of snow off and on recently.  My backyard birds flock to the feeders most every single day,  but on a snowy day,  they come even more so!!!!!  SO--I got the camera out and took a few pictures to share with you recently.  Be sure to click on the pictures for enlargements.

Female House Finch,  Goldfinch,  Male House Finch

Red-bellied Woodpecker

Eastern Bluebird

American Robin

American Robin

Male House Finch

Female House Finch

Goldfinch

Downy woodpecker

Carolina Wren

Mourning Dove hogging the plate feeder

Pileated Woodpecker --thinking about getting to the feeder!

And a COLD, PUFFED UP Tufted Titmouse

There were other birds (Cardinals, Chickadees, Nuthatches)---but they escaped my camera this time.  Anyhow-- hope you enjoyed seeing more of my wonderful Backyard Birdies...

On Wednesday,  I will publish a post on my new PHOTO BLOG.  Be sure to click HERE to see the Wednesday post.

We had a fabulous weekend hiking and searching for waterfalls at the Little River Canyon and at DeSoto State Park near Fort Payne, Alabama.  This was George's big 71st birthday weekend celebration --and we had a BLAST.  Here's a picture of George blowing out all 71 (7 + 1) candles on his German Chocolate Cake.... I'll do an entire post about his birthday weekend on Friday.  SO be sure and tune in!!!!!!  

Hugs,

Emoticons