Another newcomer, a pine grosbeak

My area is almost on the border between the bird''s breeding and non-breeding range. I saw it just for part of one day so maybe it moved on further north to breed. The bird I saw was brighter red than the bird in the photo. My bird was a bit trimmer as well. Although the photo is of a male, it looks more as if it is carrying eggs!

Hummingbird refill.

I refilled the hummingbird feeder yesterday as it was almost empty. The hummingbirds are still coming regularly. The feeder has its regular visitors: chipping sparrows, goldfinches, and the odd chickadee. I put a photo of a chickadee on today's post.

I fed the crows some old fish that had been in the freezer a long time. My wife cooked them first and chopped them up into larger pieces. However, the crows were able to grasp the pieces firmly and take off to feed in a nearby field at their leisure.

There was a pine grosbeak visitor again today as well as a few house sparrows.

Immature goldfinches

There are abou half a dozen immature goldfinches that seem to all visit the feeder at the same time. They are just beginning to get yellow colouring but they are almost the same size as the adults. We still have chipping sparrows every day and lately there are a couple of house sparrows as well. A male pine grosbeak has been visiting most days.

I fed the crows an old ham that was still in the fridge at my other place when my son moved out. At first they had a bit of trouble with it but then I split it in pieces with a bolo knife. It then disappeared like magic as they had pieces they could carry off.

There were a couple of robins in the yard today. The hummingbird feeder is still going strong. It seems busiest just before dark. I will have to replace the liquid wtihin another day or so.

First Hummingbird!

I took down my new hummingbird feeder. It was polluted with insects that managed to get in and end up dead in the reservoir! I put some duct tape over the cracked are in my old feeder and it did not leak. Air was getting in before and the liquid simply dripped out! Last evening I happened to glance at the feeder and a ruby throated humming bird was feeding. It was getting on towards sundown. Now that the feeder has been discovered I expect that there will be regular visitors although there are plenty of flowers at the moment so perhaps they will not be all that frequent. Chickadees are faithful feeders as well.

A pine grosbeak visited the feeder again. Also, chipping sparrows (as pictured) are also frequent visitors along with American goldfinches. I saw several house sparrows visiting yesterday. A couple of robins explored the lawn while I was sitting outside yesterday.

Another pine grosbeak

Quite a few American goldfinches have visited today. I include a photo. There was also a pine grosbeak and a house sparrow as well as a few chickadees. There are still chipping sparrows visiting. A crow has taken to visiting the feeder even though it has great difficulty balancing on the feeder and reaching the seeds. Maybe it is hungry or it is just a diversion. My wife wants to shoo it away but I tell her to let it be! It goes away after a short visit.

A few magpies about!

Magpies like crows are not too popular around here. I like both. I even feed crows leftovers at times. Magpies are not plentiful this year but I saw a couple on our way shopping at the next town. There are many more red-winged blackbirds.

The feeder is mostly frequented by chipping sparrows and goldfinches with a few house sparrows every few days and chickadees more frequently. Yesterday I saw a pine grosbeak. They are not very common this time of year. I see them more often in the winter.

A bit more variety!

There was a Harris sparrow clearly visible in the grass by the feeder. I haven't seen one for quite a few days. I saw a house sparrow as well. It is strange that what used to be such a common bird is not all that common around the feeder this winter and spring. I also saw a couple of chickadees. As well there were the usual goldfinches and chipping sparrows.

Another pine grosbeak

There are the usual American goldfinches, chipping sparrows, and a few white crowned sparrows at the feeder as well as the usual odd chickadee. However today there was a lovely male pine grosbeak with lots of red colour.

Neighbours tell me that the hummingbirds are already here. I tried to put out my feeder today but unfortunately the reservoir must have cracked during the winter. I tried to put it up twice but I finally figured out that due to the crack air was entering the reservoir and hence the fluid was continually leaking through the petal outlets! I will buy a new feeder tomorrow. I have sweet carpets since I leaked out sugared water onto them.

Still some redpolls about!

I saw at least one redpoll at the feeder today a male with plenty of pinkish red on his breast. There are also a few black-capped chickadees as usual. The goldfinches are still plentiful as well as the chipping sparrows. I saw a number of white-crowned sparrows as well. Yesterday there was one pine grosbeak that appeared at the feeder for a short visit. It is beginning to warm up again so I will put out my hummingbird feeder soon.

More ducks and geese

We went for a lengthy drive in the countryside and on side roads to visit a farmer friend. We saw a number of Canada geese but not in any large groups. We also saw several pairs of Mallards and several Buffleheads. We also saw a red-tailed hawk. Of course there were many crows mostly just one or two at a time.

Bees are visiting the feeder. They seem to think it is a hive and try to get inside. My neighbour who has a similar feeder but smaller seed had many bees burrow right inside where they were trapped and he had to take off the lid! I wonder if this is a symptom of the widespread problem of hive abandonment. It seems that something happens to the bees navigation system and they cannot find their way back to the hives.

There are only a few redpolls and the lone grosbeak at the feeder today.

One pine grosbeak returns

A quite gorgeous pine grosbeak with some vivid red feathers appeared at the feeder today. However that was the sole bird except for a very few red polls. I haven't seen a single junco all day.

This evening just at dark I am sure I heard a robin but I haven't seen one yet. The disappearance of most birds is very strange. My wife cleaned out the seeds from below the feeder and raked the grass maybe that scared them away!

A few Pine Grosbeaks again

Here is a photo of a pine grosbeak. The males have more rosy red colours on them.
There was also a downy woodpecker again today. As usual the red polls predominate at the feeder. The red polls are very common this winter and they are at the feeder in much larger numbers than the common house sparrows who in past years have been far the most common visitors. I saw no sparrows today. There were a few chickadees as usual. Before long some of the spring birds should appear except that it is turning colder tonight! Also, some birds such as the juncos begin to appear on their way north but I guess it will be a while yet. I had to visit a shed in the yard and the snow went almost up to my knees.

Pine Grosbeaks are back!

The snow has finally stopped and there is bright sunshine. Although it is a bit below freezing the sun is melting snow on the roof and creating large icicles. The birds are very active at the feeder.

Red polls still predominate. However, there are also chickadees and a few house sparrows. I also saw a downy woodpecker again. I have posted a photo of a downy. Also, at the feeder for the first time in many days are a few pine grosbeaks.

We will be going back into the city tomorrow. I will keep my eyes open to see if there are many birds in the countryside. We drove to Shoal Lake today but the road was so icy I kept my eyes on the road rather than see myself in the snow filled ditch!

Finally a grosbeak

Just before sundown a lone pine grosbeak visited the feeder. Well maybe given the hour it was an evening grosbeak.

Two more species at least!

Around lunch time I observed a Pine Grosbeak at the feeder a beautiful male. There was also a chickadee. There are still lots of house sparrows and red polls. The sparrows like to scatter sunflower seeds on the ground and then eat them there.
It is still very cold. I plugged in the car. Fortunately the wind is still quite light so windchill will not be a factor.

Downy woodpecker, Pine Grosbeak

Later today I observed two rosy hued pine grosbeaks at the feeder and later still a downy woodpecker. I assume it is a downy. Hairy woodpeckers are not very common in this area and I believe it is a larger bird than this one.