Lots of juvenile starlings and parents

This is a photo of a juvenil starling--not mine. As you can see it is much more brown than the parents and hasn't the dark irridescent colours on the head as yet. There are quite a few starlings at the feeder the last few days. Starling apparently like insects but are more or less omnivorous. Although some of the younger birds beg others for food by approaching them and opening their beaks their comrades just ignore them. House sparrows and even pine siskins seem to be able to feed at the same time without too many fights!

More flickers

This morning when I woke up I discovered two northern flickers on the lawn probing for grubs and worms. It seems that these woodpeckers were meant to be like robins foraging for worms but somehow the designs must have gotten mixed up...They are colorful birds usually seen around here this time of year but in no great numbers.

At the bird feeder the main species is the house sparrow but there are American goldfinches and quite a few pine siskins. From time to time I see the odd starling and even crows eat the sunflower seeds. Yesterday I saw a chickadee. They are not too plentiful at the feeder these days. There has been no further sign of humming birds. I will have to change the nectar again as it looks cloudy and ready to ferment!

Feeding crows

I have been regularly feeding local crows. I leave scraps and chicken and other bones out on a plate. The crows usually find it quite quickly but once the scraps were raided by a local cat before the crows got there.
There seem to be several families around now. One crow waggled its wings as I have seen the young sparrows do when they want to be fed. The adult crows simply ignored this behavior. The crows even come and feed on the sunflower seeds below the feeder sometimes. I have also put out a dish of water for the crows and other birds to drink from. The crows use it regularly. I have to inspect it regularly to make sure that mosquito larvae are also not taking advantage of the water!

Red-breasted nuthatches

This is not my photo. I saw two red-breasted nuthatches pursuing each other by spruce trees near the feeder. Perhaps they are mating. There are plenty of young birds about. The young house sparrows insist on pestering their parents for food even though they seem quite capable of pecking for sunflower seeds just like their parents. In fact if they are unable to cajole the adults into feeding them they go back to feeding themselves. Maybe there is a lesson for humans in all this.

A creche of Canada geese.

This is a creche of Canada geese a group of goslings with several adults as well. On our way to Rivers the other day we saw a creche very much like this in a large slough. There seemed to be two pairs of adults and a number of goslings. The goslings are already a good size.

Northern flicker

Yesterday morning I was sitting out enjoying the nice weather and relative lack of mosquitoes and other insects when I saw a Northern Flicker probing the lawn. This is one woodpecker that is a ground feeder. Apparently they love ants. I am sure that our lawn probably provides a good buffet lunch.

Even so these woodpeckers are relatively uncommon around the yard. They have a rather weird ki ki ki cry.

Chipping sparrow

This morning there was a lone chipping sparrow foraging for sunflower seeds beneath the feeder. There have been quite a few from time to time this year. They often are at the feeder along with house sparrows and pine siskins but not in great numbers, usually just one or two.

I saw another hummingbird yesterday so I guess they are beginning to re-appear. I probably should change the solution in my hummingbird feeder. It has been long enough in the feeder that perhaps it will ferment and make the poor hummingbirds drunk.

Yellow warbler

For the first time this year I saw a yellow warbler in the yard. The warbler was not visiting the feeder but landed in one of the spruce trees briefly. There seem to be very few warblers about any more.
My wife saw one hummingbird yesterday, the first we have seen in weeks. There are plenty of house sparrows at the feeder and also many pine siskins. A few starlings are visiting as well. They eat seeds that are fallen on the ground. Even the odd crow picks up the seeds from the ground.