Bird Sighting of the Day!

[Virgo10]

Maybe even the year. Around 3:30 this afternoon I was watching the gold finches we have out back when a new bird perched in our peach tree which is right outside the window. It was a male Scarlet Tananger. I have never seen one.... EVER! What a magnificent bird. Slightly smaller and much thinner than a Robin, it has a vivid red body with black wings.

Here's some info about it:

http://birds.cornell.edu/BOW/SCATAN/

Anyone else seeing any unusual or interesting birds around their house?

Roberta

 

[flaps]

Do my neighbor's roosters and hens count? (They - the poultry - come over now and again. )

Actually, there is one little fellow who visits from time to time that we haven't identified yet.



*edited to remove link

 

[Jolie C]

Most of my bird sighting is on the New Jersey Turnpike. (Not directed at me, though... )

 

[MAC3]

WOW what a beautiful bird. I get excited to see the Orioles when they return.

 

[JESW]

Beautiful birds, aren't they? We have lots of bluebirds in this neighborhood and I still get a thrill when I see them flying by. A couple weeks ago I saw the male rose breasted grossbeak - beautiful!

Of course I can just sit back and watch all my colorful birds here in this room.

Jill

 

[Virgo10]

Originally posted by JESW
Beautiful birds, aren't they? We have lots of bluebirds in this neighborhood and I still get a thrill when I see them flying by. A couple weeks ago I saw the male rose breasted grossbeak - beautiful!

Of course I can just sit back and watch all my colorful birds here in this room.

Jill

Bluebirds! Lucky you. Where abouts are you located in MA? I'm on the South Shore.

Have you heard about the Mass Audubon EBird site? It's really fun to keep track of all the species you've seen and the site allows you to follow what other people are seeing too. Here's a link:
http://www.ebird.org/MassAudubon/index.html

Roberta

 

[poohtown]

love my birds!!!!

My faves are the bluebirds - they just babies!!! And the hummingbirds!

I also have robins that I swear are the same ones every year - they just have babies too!!! Every year in the same tree.

I have seen cardinals, blue jays, and yes the beautiful scarlet tanager.

I think the most unusual bird was this --- one day I walked into the back yard and there was a HUGE eagle trying to soak in the birdbath. I was in shock. I wish I had a camera with me because he was so big that he overlapped the entire bowl.

 

[mrsv98]

I love my birds and feed year round (tho I do wish they would poop somewhere else! )

In the backyard, I have:

House Sparrows
Song Sparrows
White-Throated Sparrow (migrating)
Robins
Grackles
Starlings
Bluebirds
Mourning Doves
Gold Finches
House Finches
Black-Capped Chickadees (Winter)
Juncos (Winter)

And in the neighborhood we have Flickers, Downy Woodpeckers and a Red-Tail Hawk. It is amazing to watch the Hawk. I will be sitting in the kitchen looking out in the back when all of the sudden all the birds will scatter and a dark brown flash will streak through the yard. In fact, this afternoon the dogs found the remnants of someone's meal...eww!

In the Fall we will have bunches of migrating Warblers but it is really hard to tell them apart in their fall/winter plumage. It is really sad, my flocks have been really decimated due to West Nile Virus. I used to have a HUGE flock of Chickadees, maybe 12 or 15 and this last winter, I had 2. I am hoping the numbers will recover, I just love those little guys!

 

[JESW]

Roberta....we are just over the RI border in SE MA...in Mendon. Bluebirds were trying to nest in my neighbors birdhouse but the swallows chased them away. One of these days I'll get some houses out...right now we have several baths out but no houses.

Jill

 

[orvilleair]

Look at the red eyes ... ohhh, it's just the cicadas. Cincinnati, Ohio has them everywhere, and it's amazing to hear them while driving 65 mph on the interstate. Some neighborhoods have none, and others are full of cicadas. As for the birds...

Lots of grackles migrating right now. Not the prettiest bird. Still waiting on Goldfinches and hummingbirds

SC