The hardest birds at the feeder area to photograph are the ground feeders. They hide in the bushes, stay in areas I can't see well from the windows, and blend in to their surroundings most of the time. They also move constantly!
Having said that, I still love watching them! This group of Bluebirds is new to my "ground crew" this year. They like the suet, but keep dropping down to the ground looking for something tasty, so I finally crumbled some "Orange Dough" flavored suet on the ground and they were eating that yesterday. However the Wren and Starlings like it, too. The actual orange you see was an experiment....they pecked at it a bit, but didn't seem excited. Something eventually ate it, but I don't know who.
Looking a bit bewildered. I don't think the Bluebirds really like much of anything that I have to offer, but they keep hanging around.
This is a more typical ground feeding group....House Sparrow, Cardinal, Cowbird.
The forsythia bushes at the end of the drive are their favorite place to perch and hide, so I always sprinkle seed near these bushes. Here the American Tree Sparrow is waiting his turn......
......dropping down and sneaking through the tangle of bushes.
The Fox Sparrow recently joined this group, which usually has House Sparrows, White-Throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Towhee, Junco, Cardinal and the Brown Thrasher.
The Junco waiting.
Mrs. Cardinal
The Towhee going in deeper. These bushes are a great place for them to hide if a hawk is spotted in the area, too.
This Towhee drives me nuts....it likes to eat by the bushes to the left of the front door. So I get a lot of shots like this one framed by the narrow sidelights of the door! Cropping doesn't help. Oh, well...they are there to eat and not provide me with photographs. Sometimes I just have to watch :-)
The Mourning Dove showed up. I haven't seen them much this winter.
Even the Wren likes to drop down and search the ground at times.
Hmmmm....whose tracks are these?
I think I know this one.....
.....especially when the tracks head over the top of the dome! Only one "critter" likes to go up and over...... Star! Mike can hear the squirrels when they are running over the roof, but I usually don't hear them. They consider it a short cut between the back deck and the front feeders :-)
Having said that, I still love watching them! This group of Bluebirds is new to my "ground crew" this year. They like the suet, but keep dropping down to the ground looking for something tasty, so I finally crumbled some "Orange Dough" flavored suet on the ground and they were eating that yesterday. However the Wren and Starlings like it, too. The actual orange you see was an experiment....they pecked at it a bit, but didn't seem excited. Something eventually ate it, but I don't know who.
Looking a bit bewildered. I don't think the Bluebirds really like much of anything that I have to offer, but they keep hanging around.
This is a more typical ground feeding group....House Sparrow, Cardinal, Cowbird.
The forsythia bushes at the end of the drive are their favorite place to perch and hide, so I always sprinkle seed near these bushes. Here the American Tree Sparrow is waiting his turn......
......dropping down and sneaking through the tangle of bushes.
The Fox Sparrow recently joined this group, which usually has House Sparrows, White-Throated Sparrows, Song Sparrows, Towhee, Junco, Cardinal and the Brown Thrasher.
The Junco waiting.
Mrs. Cardinal
The Towhee going in deeper. These bushes are a great place for them to hide if a hawk is spotted in the area, too.
This Towhee drives me nuts....it likes to eat by the bushes to the left of the front door. So I get a lot of shots like this one framed by the narrow sidelights of the door! Cropping doesn't help. Oh, well...they are there to eat and not provide me with photographs. Sometimes I just have to watch :-)
The Mourning Dove showed up. I haven't seen them much this winter.
Even the Wren likes to drop down and search the ground at times.Hmmmm....whose tracks are these?
I think I know this one.....
.....especially when the tracks head over the top of the dome! Only one "critter" likes to go up and over...... Star! Mike can hear the squirrels when they are running over the roof, but I usually don't hear them. They consider it a short cut between the back deck and the front feeders :-)
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15 comments:
The least they can do is to pay for their food by letting you have a photograph or two Mary. :) I guess Star like it up there on the roof as it probably has a nice view. :)
Do the bluebirds eat the oranges Mary? I've got some to put out.
Like me I bet you can't wait for the dragonflies and butterflies!!!!
Too funny about the short cut across the roof!
Looks like you have lots of bluebirds. I've only seen three at one time at our place. I don't believe we've had any Towhee. The only new one that has shown up has been a Red-Bellied Woodpecker.
Glad you like Di's blog. I thought of you when I saw all the birds. =D
I have tried to get a good picture of the juncos, but they very seldom sit still.
Love how you have such a variety of birds!
Joan: Well, they let me get photos...just not always good ones...or is that my fault not theirs? LOL
Eve: They pecked at the actual orange a bit, but weren't real intereseted. The Orange Dough suet is popular with many of the birds and less greasy than a lot of the other suets. It is hard and dry and will crumble.
Lindy: The Bluebirds have been new this year. I hope they remain. If you open a door and the squirrels are close to the house they leap to the roof and head to the other side. They really do like to use it as a short cut. We drove in the drive and I saw one going over the roof to hide from us....that is what made me notice the tracks in the snow :-)
Rose: I have a lot of trouble with the Juncos and photos. That pink bill never seems to photograph well.
Country Dreaming: I'm very blessed with variety and love everyone of them....except maybe the Starlings and Cowbirds at the moment.
Wouldn't it be great if all the birds just 'knew' where to land so we could get great shots?Wishful thinking,I guess.You have lots of birds and are getting great pictures.Enjoy!
Blessings,ruth
Somehow I just knew Star would have a shortcut to the feeders. I think you did a good job of getting pictures of the ground feeders.
I would be so very excited if I had Bluebirds (and Towhees and Wrens...) at my feeders!! You are living in a great birding area. Thanks for sharing these pictures.
What a great assortment. I've never seen a bluebird, a towhee, or a wren, and only the cardinal when I was on vacation.
If you visit My Empty Nest you will see Coal, my black American Goldfinch.
Ruth: Yes, we need to train them better :-)
George: Yes, the "patter of little feet" at our house is definitely squirrely in nature :-)
Ruth: The bluebirds have been new this year. I think I have so many ground feeding birds because I have lots of bushes and shrubs for them to hide in and nest in.
Peggy: That is so cool! How unusual to have a black goldfinch!
Hi Mary, Glad the Bluebirds are visiting now. You have many of the same birds that I have. I 'may' have seen a cowbird this week--but didn't get a picture. I still have not seen any mockingbirds around...That's the TN State Bird... Hello!!!!! ha
Great pictures.
Hugs,
Betsy
Hi Mary, do enjoy your bird photos. I wish we had bluebirds around here but I have never seen them.
Good shots of your ground feeders Mary. I'm wondering why the Bluebirds are sticking around? I thought they only ate insects and meal worms?
I've only seen a Towhee one time around here. He left too.Must be he didn't find anything good to eat.
B.
Mary: Really neat bluebird photos.
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