The Oriole Cam

Backyard bird report.

It would appear that the redwing blackbirds have left for the season.  Same for the tree swallows.  Off to southern coastal states, Mexico and Central America.  Jill spotted bluebirds in the bird bath.  The robins continue picking-about in the yard.  Cardinals, kingbirds, hummers and goldfinches are everywhere, warblers are passing-thru. It's been the best year in memory for indigo buntings, purple finches and orchard orioles.  And with all the dead and dying ash on the landscape woodpeckers rule the world around here.

The orioles are still hanging-around but they're not long for this neighborhood and will be departing before too long.  And the porch camera will likely be redeployed somewhere in the woods.

Meanwhile, the grape jelly has been removed as it's been attracting bald-faced hornets; and those buggers are sociopaths.

Last batch of photos.....

 

   

Porch Setting

Following our daily walk the girls got their daily bath and underbody flush.  

And the sun came out!


Porch setting and bird watching with the Dowager Retriever.

Spotted were:  goldfinch, chickadee, robin, redwing black bird, brown creeper, hairy, downy and red bellied woodpecker.

American Goldfinch

Meet Carduelis tristis - the American Goldfinch.  Often called the wild canary.

photo - Eileen Worman

Like the male in the photo above this bird is characterized by bold yellow plumage, black and white wing bars, a black patch on the forehead and a white rump.  The female is a duller olive-yellow color and doesn't have the black patch on the forehead.  

Found in open areas if you like attracting song birds to your yard hang a thistle seed feeder and you may get flocks of these to come and visit.

click on the nest to enlarge

This is a late summer nester with the female building the nest, lining it with thistle down and incubating one brood per season.  Both the mom and the dad feed the young.

This is a fun bird.  It travels in flocks and has a crazy roller-coaster flight.