Birds On My Deck: 19 SEP 26

 The ravages of Avian Flu have really compounded the loss of bird numbers.  It wasn't that many years ago when I could count on seeing a dozen species of birds in a morning/early afternoon of reading and hanging out on my deck.  This past weekend I only saw for, and honesty one of those I only heard--the Blue Jay!  

There were also a pair of chatty Carolina Wrens, a pair of Cardinals, with a particularly curious female, and a trio of Black-capped Chickadees.  

CARDINAL, Cardinalis cardinalis

The male Cardinal is the most red of all birds.  It is this red that, in fact, gives it its name!  They are stunning creatures, but I think the female is lovelier than the male.  She is not a one hue wonder, but wears a gown of many colors: taupe and tan, gray and white, cream and khaki and that brilliant orange beak.  

BLACK-CAPPED CHICKADEE, Poecile atricapillus

Many birds find admirers among humans for their apparent faithfulness in coupling.  And many birds do pair up for life.  But many others don't; we just don't know them well enough to recognize their infidelity.  And some find comfort in flock-mentality.  Robins do.  Have you ever noticed that?  When I find one, watch, others will be nearby.  

For me, two species in particular seem given over to the intercourse of many: Gold Finches and Black-capped Chickadees.  Of late in my world when either appear in my yard, they are rarely in any significant numbers.  Perhaps even just one.  It's sad.  On this day, I counted at least 3, but possibly 5 Chickadees together.

Mid-Afternoon Garden Guest: Mrs. Catbird

 

Catbird Takes A Bath

 On a sultry midday visit to My Little Garden Zoo, Catbird avails herself of the freshly topped off water of the American Alligator habitat to take a bath.  What joy!

The dirth of songbirds is evident.  The ravages of GMO pesticide impervious crops decimating the essential insect bounty, the hardships of climate change (heat & drought), the persistence of the Avian Flu pathogen and it's plague tole.  The birds are disappearing.  Since moving here in 1994, I would say that there are probably 30 to 40% fewer birds.  I haven't seen or heard one of those ubiquitous little invaders the English House Sparrow all year.  They used to be EVERYWHERE.  Likewise, no Blue Jays, no Gold Finch, and not a titmouse or chickadee since April.  I do have Catbird, and Carolina Wrens are always complaining about something.  Robins, mostly in the morning.  I surprised a lone Mourning Dove the other day when I pulled into my driveway, and there is still a pair of Cardinals nesting somewhere in the neighborhood.  A small murder of Crows swoop through once a week or so.  I used to hear Palliated Woodpeckers down by the creek playing the dead sycamores like bongo drums, but not in recent memory.

So catbird bathes in the Alligator habitat of My (silly) Little Garden Zoo and Caroline Wren bitches about life at me from the Kwanzan Cherry tree, and what else can I do but be grateful?  Celebrate and revel in their presence?  What joy

Bird Watching: Mourning Dove

 

MOURNING DOVE

Zenaida macroura

Druid Hill Park

Baltimore, Maryland

Birds of Winter

 

White-throated Sparrow

Dark Eyed junco

Bird Watching: Downy Woodpecker

DOWNY WOODPECKER, Picoides pubenscens 

 

Bird Watching: Barn Swallow

Bird Watching: Great Blue Heron

Eastern Song Sparrow

 Seen at the Jasper Crane Rose Garden in Wilmington, Delaware.

Mourning Dove's Labors Lost

 

Gray Catbird, Garden Guest

 

Mourning Dove on its Own

For the past couple of years, a pair of mourning doves has spent the summer in my backyard.  This year I noticed just one.  Here on a rainy day.  Below a couple of days later on the bird bath, still by itself.

Lone Mourning Dove in the Spring Rain

 

Bird Journal: White-throated Sparrows

A pair of White-throated Sparrows, Zonotrichia albicollis.

 

Catbird Feasting on the Fruit of the Sumac: Baltimore, Maryland

Adolescent Cardinal

Eastern Towhee

Flitted through my backyard this afternoon...  What joy!

Bird Meets "Birds"?