Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Yard Birds, Flood Birds

Haven't been able to get to some of my regular birding spots lately because the roads to get to them have been flooded. For this reason, I have been spending more time in my yard. So far this year, birding has been great in my yard. A lot of new yard birds!

I don't usually see many warblers in the spring in my yard, however this spring has been different...

Northern Waterthrush
Northern Waterthrush - new yard bird!

Wished I could get better views of the warblers in the yard, but this is the typical warbler view that I get -

Yellow Warbler
The underside of a Yellow Warbler


Here is a little better picture of a warbler -

Blue-winged Warbler
Blue-winged Warbler

While watching warblers in the yard, I found this female Red-breasted Nuthatch. I have never seen one in here in the spring.

Female Red-breasted Nuthatch
Female Red-breasted Nuthatch


Both Orioles have been plentiful and singing away in the yard.

Baltimore Oriole
Baltimore Oriole singing

It is interesting to listen to all the immature male Orchard Orioles singing. Each one has a different song.

Immature Orchard Oriole
Immature male Orchard Oriole

The adult males, which look quite different, chase the young males away.

Adult male Orchard Oriole
Adult male Orchard Oriole



Eastern Kingbirds have been flying high above the yard... (Love this expression)

Eastern Kingbird
Eastern Kingbird

A pair of House Wrens has moved into my swing set where a pair of Carolina Chickadees had been nesting. The wrens violently fought the chickadees off. The wrens are new nesters for the yard.

House Wren

House Wren
House Wren singing

Field Sparrows sing their ping-pong ball like song constantly from the field adjacent to my yard. Here, one tries to play hide and seek.

Field Sparrow
Field Sparrow


However, the flooded habitat has its advantages as well.

Such as these Willet that I found on the side of the road on the way home from work.

New Richmond Willet
Willet

It is odd to see shorebirds walking on roads that I used to drive on. There is a road behind the spotted sandpiper, under the water.

Spotted Sandpiper
Spotted Sandpiper



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8 comments:

  1. Lovely images of your beautiful birds.

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  2. Great yardbirds and photos!

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  3. Fantastic post Don. Waterworld! I loved seeing your warblers. I just saw my first one recently. Lucky you keep the camera in the car!

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  4. What a wonderful variety of birds. Great captures! Hope the flood waters recede soon.

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  5. You have a great variety of birds! Nice shots!

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  6. Beautiful collection of birds!

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  7. Well Donald, you surely do not need to leave home to bird watch! My special yard bird this year is a Phoebe..never had one before :-)

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  8. I liked photo-birding in your yard. Backyard birding is the best kind! I laughed when you showed the typical view of warblers. I know that view well!
    Thanks for the post. It was very interesting to see birds that have gone on up north in their spring migration. I'll imagine that they stopped off in my TX yard before moving on to Ohio.
    Kay

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