A New Month

It's April and the Orioles are beginning to show up in force. This afternoon, while relaxing in the backyard, I spotted 7 male Orioles at one time chattering at 2 different feeder locations. Such characters when they get a group going - clicking and whirring like R2D2 (quite different from the chatter of one or two), pointing their beaks to the sky! Later in the afternoon, a female showed up.

One of the male hooded orioles snacking. Photo shows the business end of the ip cam keeping tabs on the 'feeder tree'. Thinking of replacing it with a higher res cam, but it holds up well out in the elements - not meant to be outside! This cam view is on the blog and can run a 24 hour time lapse if you have a shockwave-flash enabled device.

I have decided to put up a finch sock, we'll see how long that lasts. Seeds are generally too messy, but very shortly several finches turned up - males (fairly bright yellow body with darker wings) and females.

A western Bluebird male also made an appearance. Based on the activity at a friend's backyard birdbath, we are trying out one.

Speaking of trying out, I bought a new type of oriole feeder today to try. It has an interesting plastic spring in the bee 'excluder' mechanism. Hopefully it works. That would be a first!

Returning Orioles

Update March 22nd
Devil eye night feeding Hummers?

Just a shot too far for the flash (to get faster shutter speed), the sun had just set - but not as dark as the photo makes it look.

Update March 19th - Last day of Winter this year!
We had a cold rainy weekend, last blast from Ole Man Winter. The rain messed up the solution in many of the feeders so time to flush and refill. Hummers are picky about their food!
Also, first regular photo of the incoming Orioles. He looks a bit lonely sitting up on a branch announcing his presence. Hopefully he gets some buddies soon.

March 13th - The first Orioles were sighted March 9th, a week earlier than last year. As before, the first arrivals are adult males decked out in orange and black. One was even caught a few days later on the time lapse camera on the blog.

Soon the females should be arriving.

Also, a few new hummers are showing up. There is at least one male Allen's or maybe Rufus buzzing the feeders near the middle of the yard. The brown coat shows up clearly as he hovers in the sunlight.
Here is a shot of an Allen's on the left, two Anna's to the right. Remember, click any image for a bigger view.

A male Anna's playing peek a boo in the Monkeyflower bush just below the feeder.

A couple of perched male Anna's and a female Anna's with another male zooming in from the right - no spot to land!

 

We have just finished up with a nice rain storm - 1.45" over a couple days. Doesn't seemed to have bothered the birds any.

 Caught on tape trying to wash some bees away!