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jim macgregor Location
Edmonton, AB
-as a longtime Birder I knew that achieving Retirement was FOR THE BIRDS!
| Joined Geobirds | December 6, 2007 |
| Clubs | none yet |
Sightings by jim macgregor
| 4482 sightings |
187 species |
1028 pictures |
|---|---|---|
Most recent activity
All sightings >>
-actually have heard him for two days and he was very secretive; today though, he has a friend and they both are enjoying the backyard; inspecting the goldfish pond and waterfall and having a shower.
Red-winged Blackbirds
Check OUT my LATE sightings from Muir Lake & Big Lake, AB, (2 posts) while on a morning jaunt with "JB" on the 15th! This shot is a Red-Wing habitat shot at Muir Lake! :o))
Brown-headed Cowbird
-a morning visit to Big Lake, AB with "JB"; foraging in the gravel of a walkway in Lois Hole Provincial Park; this shot of a male allows you to see the bill shape.
Red-winged Blackbirds
-while on morning visit to Big Lake, AB with "JB; this shot of a female.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds
-while on a visit to Big Lake, AB with "JB"; this shot of a female.
Franklin's Gulls
-Big Lake, with "JB". The air was alive with insects, but few mosquitoes. He was low, I wasn't "high"! HA!
Franklin's Gulls
-Big Lake, with "JB". The air was alive with insects, but few mosquitoes. This underwing detail shows the black tips, accented terminally and sub-terminally by white, and then into gray towards the base.
American Coots
-Big Lake, with "JB". "Coot" Coot!
Northern Shovelers
-Big Lake with "JB". Guys outnumbered the females.
Yellow-headed Blackbirds
-Big Lake with "JB". Guys outnumbered the females, that we could see, although the guys do most of the posturing.
Canada Geese
-Big Lake with "JB".
Canada Geese
-Big Lake with "JB".
Common Grackles
-Big Lake with "JB". The female, "walking the plank"! :o))
Common Grackles
-Big Lake with "JB". The guy, hoping that she changes her mind!
Tree Swallows
-Big Lake with "JB". Can you see the mass of insects that have attracted the swallows?
Northern Shovelers
-Big Lake with "JB". "HBG"- here's an example of a courtship couple, both putting on the "talls"; the other 4 males in this group, were wishing that she had chosen one of them instead.
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)s
-Muir Lake with "JB". These represented my only warblers, but in so doing gave me a lot of opportunity to get a "few" shots! HA!
Common Loons
-Muir Lake with "JB".This shot provided an interesting color and texture result.
Blue-winged Teals
-Muir Lake with "JB". "Hasta La Vista, baby", but caught some interesting details.
Common Loons
-Muir Lake with "JB". We only had "2 minutes to wait for our first sightings! These guys were nice enough to do a flyover, after their yodeling.
Song Sparrows
-Muir Lake with "JB".These little guys always seem to be around.
Ospreys
-Muir Lake with "JB". We only had "2 minutes to wait for our first sightings!
Spotted Sandpipers
-Muir Lake with "JB".
White-crowned Sparrows
-perhaps this crop, better illustrates the Western Taiga (Gambel's) subspecies GRAY loreal region
-backyard; heard him before I saw him. :o))
White-crowned Sparrows
-backyard; bath time!
Dark-eyed Juncos
-seems to be some hybridization involved. Did you see my background piece of petrified wood? HA! This is just one of the rocks that make up our small pond and waterfall area of the yard.
Swainson's Thrush
-backyard; this guy left the yard at warp speed with "something" in hot pursuit. In later shots, I detected perhaps an injury near the left eye.
Dark-eyed Juncos
-backyard; this plumage is quite variable, and I don't know if it's a female "Slate" or another possible hybrid.
Orange-crowned Warbler
-backyard; got three quick shots before this guy departed; didn't return that I know of.
Swainson's Thrushes
-backyard; this guy left the yard at warp speed with "something" in hot pursuit. In later shots, I detected perhaps an injury near the left eye.
Purple Finch
-backyard; this female checking out the oilseeds.
House Finches
-backyard; this shot of a male on the oilseed feeder.
Pine Siskins
-backyard; BATH DAY! Sheesh that feels good!
Pine Siskins
-backyard; BATH DAY!
Dark-eyed Juncos
-backyard; first I've seen after losing one earlier to a Merlin on April 17th; suspect this is a male hybrid ("Cassiar", (j.h. cismonyanus) breeds iCanadian Rockies, winters widely, is intermediate between "Slate-colored" and "Oregon"(Smithsonian, Field Guide to the Birds of North America, Ted Floyd, 2008)ALSO: http://avibase.bsc-eoc.org/species.jsp?avibaseid=DED1C8F9EE711FCF
-backyard; first I've seen of these guys.
Dark-eyed Juncos
-backyard; suspect "Cassiar" hybrid. ( breed in Canadian Rocky Mountains) and winters widely. This shot shows the "Oregon" sharp hood delineation.
Dark-eyed Juncos
-backyard; suspect "Cassiar" hybrid; this shot shows the sharp delineation between the hood and the back (the "Oregon" part of the equation); however, there is only a hint of the brown back plumage. This specimen has a shorter tail, with new growth on the tip and tended to back off when challenged by other "Slate-colored" specimens.
-Gorman slough; luv these little "bluebills".
-Gorman slough; paired up.
-Gorman slough; paired up and flushing up and by me at warp speed.
-Gorman slough; paired up.
-Gorman slough; paired up.
-Gorman slough;
Yellow-headed Blackbirds
-this is a precariously located natural swamp that is pressured on all sides by industrial developement! (Gorman Industrial Area); this colony of Yellow-headed Blackbirds has bred here for a long time and I fear that others have plans to roll over it. "Lowes" has just opened a new store, just south of the swamp. and roadways are springing up north of their site. This colony now is comprised of males, waiting for the females to arrive.
-Gorman slough; adjacent transition construction area; find it difficult to be ahead of these guys, for it seems I'm always reacting to them exploding off at low altitude and disappearing into the distance!
-Gorman slough; all were males, still waiting for the females to arrive.
-Gorman slough; 2 pair
-backyard- QUIET! All but 2-3 have, I think, headed for their northern breeding grounds in the Arctic Tundra!
-backyard; still on Nyjer and oilseeds! "percolations" to the uppermost branches of most trees as a group, was more noticeable today. (first time that you could really feel the advance of SPRING WARMTH which should indicate that they will depart for the Arctic Tundra imminently ("for keeps")
Common Redpolls
-backyard; apparently they leave for the arctic breeding grounds when the WARMTH of spring settles in! :o))
Downy Woodpecker
-backyard; hadn't seen this female for a while.
American Coots
(Poplar Lake Natural Area)- this individual figures that ya can't see him! (kinda like an ostrich with the head in the sand! HA!
Canada Geese
(Poplar Lake Natural Area)-contrast this habitat and seclusion to a combined lake and urban area, like Beaumaris, where some birds nest on man-made structures, and adjust their safe distance perimeter to 10 feet or less. (This mated pair hardly moved during my low key observations for the half hour that I was there and they were some 100 meters away!
Ring-necked Ducks
(Poplar Lake Natural Area)- ( a pair) Ring-necked are more easily identified by their ringed bills! Most of the diving ducks are a long distance away the no entry perimeter fence!
Common Goldeneyes
(Poplar Lake Natural Area)- female is pretending that she didn't see that courtship presentation! :o))
Redheads
(Poplar Lake Natural Area)- ( a pair a long distance away!
Common Grackles
--Beaumaris Lake with JB; checking out some spruce trees.
Common Loons
-Beaumaris Lake with JB; that necklace is so perfect!
Red-necked Grebes
-Beaumaris Lake with JB; you always know that they are there, before you see them!
-Sentry!
-Still here! Disappeared for a while in the wind! (90k +)!!
"MOUSETRACKER" is back and grabbed one right before my eyes! I thought that the mice were fast, but he's faster! He actually perches close by, waits until they are a little too far from the hole, and then dives amazingly quickly to grab them with the beak.
-backyard and adjacent property; yards are alive with their churring, and they are much "busier" than the other birds; they move in close to any "doings" and get their perspective on it. Nearing time for them to go, so I will wind down on the last bag of Nyjer. ALSO try to get the backyard pond and waterfall running by the 22nd, which I did. Have to change the water (snow melt), treat it and get the goldfish outside. Most importantly, the waterfall seems to bring in more bird species! :o))
backyard; male on "Barkbutter", Yum!
-throughout the neighborhood; lots of males presenting slightly different renditions of their breeding call. (very pretty songs!)
-backyard; STILL hanging around, prior to the northern migration; were chased towards the house, but didn't have any window casualties; a few, including the Merlin, had to make a quick turn to avoid a collision.
-backyard; the samr male made a couple of passes today, looking for a snack.
Merlin (Prairie)s
-backyard on neighbor's garage roof; first junco sighting became a lunch today for this male.
Merlin (Prairie)s
-backyard on neighbor's garage roof; first junco sighting became a lunch today for this male.
Merlin (Prairie)
-backyard on neighbor's garage roof; first junco sighting became a lunch today for this male.
Common Redpolls
-backyard; Yup Joyce, you and I should get a tax credit, in the name of Ecology, for feeding these hungry Arctic breeders! $$$$$$$ HA!
Dark-eyed Junco (slate-colored)
-backyard; ground foraging with lots of redpolls.
Downy Woodpeckers
-another shot
Downy Woodpecker
-backyard; SHE'S BACK! Have seen the male quite regularly, but hadn't seen his mate for a fairly long time.
-backyard; resident pair feeding on oilseeds.
-backyard; very skittish and in smaller flocks; suspect someone else has been around looking for a nice chicken dinner. :o))
-everywhere in neighborhood; often the first species that you see when you step outside in the morning.
-backyard; on oilseeds;
-backyard; still "eating us out of house & home"! HA! And when you check GEOs record of Redoll sightings for the past two years in the spring, they customarily hang around until the mid to last week of April, before heading north.
-backyard; on "Barkbutter" ' this guy likes it as much as I like cruchy peanut butter! Haven't seen the female and suspect that she's perhaps guarding a claimed nest site.
Fork-tailed Flycatchers
NOT a Fork-tailed Flycatcher! Thought we needed a break from SNOWLAND! {"JB" sent this shot of a Slaty-backed Forktail (Himalayas)}
American Redstarts
NOT an American Redstart! Thought we needed a break from SNOWLAND! {"JB" sent this shot of a White-capped Water Redstart (Himalayas)}
-backyard; this individual seems to have all of the Hoary characteristics; also is the only individual to frequent the suet feeder; AND every time that I catch it feeding, and run for the camera, it vanishes like a hoary little ghost! HA!
-backyard; this link from the "Cornell Lab" provides good information on this species: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/common_redpoll/lifehistory
backyard; gonna have to grow the Nyjer myself! Sheeesh! And they will also eat "Barkbutter", Seed pies, suet and oilseeds! (Guess all this is necessary for their long trip to the arctic tundra to breed!)
Canada Geese
-two pair at Mayliewan man-made lake; our latest snow has covered any of the partially melting ice surfaces; parked the car and auto- opened the window, and 2 of the 4 departed (good eyes and ears) :o))
Canada Geese
-two pair at Mayliewan man-made lake; our latest snow has covered any of the partially melting ice surfaces; parked the car and auto- opened the window, and 2 of the 4 departed (good eyes and ears) :o))
-backyard; nut feeder, flat feeder and sampling some "bugberry" "Bark Butter".
-backyard; arrived later in the day when the Redpolls were thinning out; on oilseeds.
-very busy, EVERYWHERE, particularly on Nyjer and oilseeds.
-backyard; panic feeding on, oilseeds and nuts after another DUMP OF SNOW! (forcasted to continue through the weekend with freezing temperatures.)
-backyard; returned to panic feed on Nyjer, oilseeds and nuts after another DUMP OF SNOW! (forcasted to continue through the weekend with freezing temperatures.) This indicates that they have not departed seriously, for their arctic tundra breeding grounds.
-backyard; panic feeding on, oilseeds and nuts after another DUMP OF SNOW! (forcasted to continue through the weekend with freezing temperatures.)
-now that I have said they are in short supply because of the influx of crows, I heard, then saw one cruising over adjacent property! :o)) (I also suspect that there are still many in the vicinity of our "past" winter's "Snow Mountain". (one storage location for our "past" winter accumulation from roadways
-adjacent property; poulation gradually increasing after fairly recent spring arrival.
-adjacent property; they are very deliberate in tending to their territorial claims. (large spruce trees continue to be reduced in the neighborhood and have reduced suitable nest sites.) Now that the crows are dominating the area, Common Ravens are in short supply. (Suspect that they know that their nest success would be poor, with a fairly good population of crows.)
-backyard; 2 pair on oilseed feeders, preparing for the onslaught of rain & snow around supper today through tomorrow. AARGH!
-Awesome! High in a maple on adjacent property during my dog walk; heard, then saw my first Robin this year! YeeeHaw!
-backyard & adjacent property. Much more visible now, and some breaking off branches for nest material.
-heading home after a day at the office, west over the adjacent school ground.
-backyard; these birds were away for a couple of days; then one returned and the others soon followed; suspect that this is a portion of the flock that had regularly visited after arriving earlier this year.
-backyard & adjacent property; they are quickly moving in along with the Ring-billed Gulls.
Barred Owls
-back detail
Barred Owl
-visitor to "Wild Birds Unlimited" on 107th Ave. with Dr.Gordon Court (Provincial Wildlife Status Biologist with Alberta Fish and Wildlife. This female was hit by a car at 4 years of age and is now 9. There are a few known pairs around the Edmonton area. Luv those dark eyes!
Canada Geese
-just a main entrance shot, showing the beginnings of the ice melt on Lake Beaumaris (JB will be able to help us with his "backyard" updates after mid-April)
Canada Geese
-just a couple of main entrance shots showing a few of the first arrivals, and the beginnings of the ice melt on Lake Beaumaris (JB will be able to help us with his "backyard" updates after mid-April)
Ring-billed Gulls
-just a couple of main entrance shots showing a few of the first arrivals, and the beginnings of the ice melt on Lake Beaumaris (JB will be able to help us with his "backyard" updates after mid-April)
Ring-billed Gulls
-some of first arrivals at nearby Mayliewan man-made Lake. (this shot shows some of the perimeter cattails, where the Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles like to nest.)
Ring-billed Gulls
-some of first arrivals at nearby Mayliewan man-made Lake.
Ring-billed Gulls
-some of first arrivals at nearby Mayliewan man-made Lake. (this shot shows the open water areas beginning to grow.
-adjacent property; a breeding pair flew directly overhead. (likely from nearby Mayliewan man-made Lake) Another confirmation of Spring! :o))
-backyard; on Seed Pie; Redpolls appear to have departed on one of our warmest days of recent, for more northern breeding latitudes.
-adjacent property, perching precariously on top branches of a birch, next to two spruce trees, where I suspect they plan on nesting. (Possibly, this may be the reason why things are so quiet in our backyard.)
-heard my first American Crow in our neighborhood, which is definitely a message that Spring has really arrived in our snowy surroundings. (Be on the lookout for Robins, blackbirds etc.)
-NOT a sighting! :o)) but an interesting Range of past sightings from the "eBird" Site: http://ebird.org/ebird/map/burowl?bmo=1&emo=12&byr=2009&eyr=2013 AND a description from "Cornell's, "All About Birds" site: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/burrowing_owl/lifehistory
Merlin
-my daughter spotted this male, swooping low and into a tree, with "chicken dinner"; Kevin got a nice shot!
-heard their arrival at nearby Mayliewan man-made Lake; will try and get over today, to see what's shakin', and firm up their numbers.
Northern Flicker
-backyard; male INTERGRADE (yellow-shafted + red-shafted/ with gray cheeks, throat and general tone of body plumage.)
-backyard; on Nyjer and everywhere.
-backyard; male, working the pear tree.
-backyard; this little one still a part of the flock; 1st year male.
Hoary Redpoll
-backyard; was difficult to pick out from many pale Commons; -after many shots, I suspect that this specimen is in fact a Hoary; (not often that you get a chance to see the entire rump area, which on this specimen is pure white; undertail coverts are also unstreaked; the bill is tiny, with basal feather bristles; the back plumage is frosty and the face has that pushed in look) this would make this it an "exilipes". (Arctic)
-backyard; ANOTHER DUMP of snow; male INTERGRADE (yellow-shafted + red-shafted, with gray cheeks and throat); at this point, I still don't know who the breeding pair are (of the 3 that we see); kinda wish that they would hold hands or something! HA!
-backyard: ANOTHER DUMP of snow; the big one on the flat feeder, which I had to clean off AGAIN. :o))
-backyard; ANOTHER DUMP of snow; real busy on the Nyjer & finch mix feeders; (gonna have to reload!)
-backyard: ANOTHER DUMP of snow; female ("basic yellow-shafted) on seed pie.
-backyard: ANOTHER DUMP of snow; real busy everywhere! (much more common to see them pretending to be woodpeckers on the suet and seed pies). This species are master "adapters"!
-backyard: ANOTHER DUMP of snow; real busy on the Nyjer feeders! Gonna have to reload! :o))
-backyard: ANOTHER DUMP of snow; real busy on the oilseed feeders! (needed to add another feeder).
- 1 in an adjacent spruce tree, talking to himself! Other 2 were flying over the adjacent schoolyard & park.
- backyard; to flat feeder for nuts.
backyard; another SNOW DUMP! Had to wait a little for me to clear off some of the feeders; pretty busy all day on Nyjer and finch mix.
backyard; another SNOW DUMP! Had to wait a little for me to clear of some of the feeders; male feeding on " Bark Butter".
backyard; another SNOW DUMP! Had to wait a little for me to clear of some of the feeders; feeding on oilseeds
backyard; another SNOW DUMP! Had to wait a little for me to clear of some of the feeders; feeding everywhere!
-backyard; local breeding pair on flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard and in adjacent trees; not really feedeing seriously on Mountain Ash berries; more of a get together and tree hopping ritual.
-backyard; DUMP of snow meant feeders had to be cleared, and the neighborhood largest, was first on the flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard; DUMP of snow meant feeders had to be cleared, and the neighborhood flock, was panic feeding on all available food.
-flying over neighborhood backyards. I suspect that this species is finally getting a little braver and will eventually visit backyard feeders, like the magpies and crows. After all, in urban locations, it is a more reliable food source than sporadic littering by humans.
-backyard; DUMP of snow meant feeders had to be cleared, and the neighborhood largest, was first on the flat feeder for nuts, along with 2 more of the pod.
-backyard; DUMP of snow meant feeders had to be cleared, and it has been a while, since a good portion of the local population has been serious about getting oilseeds.
-backyard; DUMP of snow meant feeders had to be cleared, and they were anxious to get at the Nyjer seed. NICE thing about tube feeders, is that snow is easily cleaned off. :o))
-backyard; DUMP of snow meant feeders had to be cleared, and this male was after the "WBU" Bark Butter! YUM!
House Finches
-backyard; 2 pair, feeding on oilseeds.
-backyard; local female of pair,feeding on Seed Pie.
-backyard; on Nyjer feeders.
-backyard; flew high into the Green Ash in the sunlight, just before sunset (Daylight Saving); beautiful show of yellow on wings and undertail coverts. (couldn't get a fix on it soon enough to determine which of the 3 usual visitors it was.
-backyard; had picked up some "Birdacious" Bark Butter from a "Wild Birds Unlimited" store, and pasted it on a wood block feeder that I had; today was the second day, and the first to this new food offering was a male Downy Woodpecker.
backyard; everywhere, with one or two individuals interested in what other species are doing, away from the Nyjer feeders.
backyard; at least 4 today (2m/2f), with the males singing up a storm; feeding on oilseeds. "Cornell" ("All About Birds"), also has an informative history on this species: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/house_finch/lifehistory
backyard; male intergrade with gray cheeks and throat, feeding on Seed Pie.
backyard; usual visitors lately.
-backyard; the usual male & no sign of who he was chasing yesterday. On suet cage and working the pear tree on the leeward side of a trunk.
-backyard; the usual female of the pair, on the Seed Pie.
-backyard; female at the Seed Pie; sooo funny to see the little House Sparrows working under her on the snow, cleaning up the "crumbs"; (this suet cage is about a foot above snow level and they are close to being able to touch her, as they scurry around!)
-backyard; everywhere! Will need to hire an "air traffic" controller to manage the skies!
Great Gray Owl
-our son-in-law Kevin, was up to Slave Lake on business, and wished that he had taken more "glass" for this shot! He always has a "point and shoot" with him, and got a pretty neat picture of this big guy! Remember, they are "all feathers" and are (.7 - 1.7kg), whereas a Snowy is (1.6 - 2.9kg)!!
-backyard; I'm thinking that there are more, but it's impossible to get an accurate count when they are back and forth to multiple locations! ALSO, thought that there may have been a HOARY, and I still would like to get a shot of one. (I like to see a few identifying features, before I'm willing to concede that in fact, it is a Hoary.) I've seen many "pale" specimens, which turn out to be "Commons". :o))
-backyard; male of the pair was back at the Seed Pie.
-backyard; resident pair on flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard; concentrating on a little more fat and whittling away at the Seed Pie; also pretty serious about nesting claims in bird houses.
-backyard; on flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard; busier today with overnight temperatures colder; feeding on Nyjer.
-backyard; busier today with overnight temperatures colder; feeding on oilseeds and the males were singing up a storm!.
-backyard; suspect 2 males, but couldn't determine, as they were darting about with aerobatic flying maneuvers, which I hadn't seen before! One was aggressively chasing another from the general vicinity; (don't know if this was actually a male trying to impress a female during some kind of breeding behavior, OR one male claiming territory in a dispute with another male)
-backyard; this pair haven't been around lately, but returned today; male flew up from the Seed Pie and hacked out a small portion of the bark on the pear tree; (don't know if this is some sort of territorial claim, or perhaps, to impress his partner.)
Barred Owl
-sighted by my daughter and son-in-law on a hike through Hawrelak Park. Kevin took this shot.
-NOT A SIGHTING- "JB" forwarded this link to me, which shows the payoff for this species, which has special adaptations for improving their catch rate! {reversible 3rd toe (allows 2-forward and 2 behind) and spiny bottoms on all toes(better grip)} http://www.youtube.com/embed/nA3LtXnNIto?feature=player_embedded
-backyard; finally changed the Nyjer seed in the tube feeder, because no one was interested; presumed that I had forgotten to re-charge this particular feeder with fresher seed; took 5 minutes, and they were on it! (If there are Redpolls around & they are avoiding feeders, it's likely that your seed is beginning to degenerate and dry out.)
-backyard; flyover to the NE, with lots of chat!
-backyard; starting to overflow into the front street deciduous trees to communicate and frolic. :o))
-backyard; really going through the Nyjer seed; even though the spilled seed is heat- treated by manufacturers to prevent germination in the spring, the "carpet" of residue and spilled seed, should still be removed from the ground. to prevent spoilage and mold problems.
-lots of these guys in the boreal forest environment; 3 came over with the Gray Jays to see what was going on.
Gray Jays
-stopped for a break, after a snowshoe geocache hunt, through heavy boreal forest near Chip Lake, with JB; heard first, and then called in a pair with my whistle imitation. :o))
-lots of these guys in the boreal forest environment.
backyard; for most of the day; seems they go through equivalent of 1 tube feeder of Nyjer in a day; gets a little expensive, but you can substitute finch mix which is somewhat cheaper and can contain some Nyjer.
-backyard; feeding on Nyjer and finch seed mix.
House Sparrows
-backyard yesterday; seems a little early, but close to "normal" I suspect.This link interesting on incubation: http://www.treeswallowprojects.com/cincubat.html
-backyard; feeding on oilseeds; suspect the local breeding pair.
-backyard; male on nut feeder.
Common Redpolls
-have been in yard and adjacent property for the morning; this shot of a pretty light male, but not a Hoary. Wind has just come up and they have thinned out a little.
-flying SW over the adjacent school ground and park, which takes it deeper into the urban area.
-backyard; on Nyjer and finch seed mix; they are not as intimidated by House Sparrows on the same tube feeder. Weather channel featured pictures of Redpolls from across Canada. (Seems that 2013 is showing a significant irruption of this species. (poor northern birch catkin crop)
-backyard; feeding on Nyjer, nuts and finch mix; keep looking for a Hoary, but being very careful with the paler individuals that I see. ( Most important to me is the back plumage, which should look like it has a Hoar Frost coating; then I look for additional characteristics) and hopefully get a picture which captures the evidence.
-to flat feeder for nuts.
-suspect resident pair; not much feeding on oilseeds.
-everywhere; really taking a liking to the finch mix, which is understandable, because they are actually a type of weaver finch! :o))
-resident pair speed working the trees and sampling suet cakes.
-flyover west at 3:15 PM, usually the return to roost event. (a little early?)
-on flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard; this was the male "Intergrade" (yellow-shafted + red-shafted, with gray cheeks and throat) on Seed Pie.
-backyard; breeding pair; everywhere!
Common Redpolls
backyard; on Nyjer and finch mix seed.
-backyard; adjacent property and flat feeder for nuts.
-adjacent property.
-backyard; oilseeds; resident pair.
-backyard; everywhere!
Common Redpolls
-backyard; on Nyjer & finch mix feeders;
-backyard flyovers. ("Family Day"! :o))
-backyard; suspect the resident pair.
-backyard; on oilseed feeders.
-backyard; on Nyjer and oilseed feeders.
-backyard and adjacent property.
-flying over adjacent property.
-backyard on flat feeder for nuts.flying over adjacent property.
Downy Woodpecker
-backyard; this male visited throughout the day.
Northern Flicker (yellow-shafted)s
-backyard; this female (yellow-shafted) and the male (yellow-shafted) hung out together for most of the day.
-backyard; everywhere!
-backyard ; on Seed Pie for a brief period. (no sign of the female (yellow-shafted) or the male "Intergrade (yellow-shafted + red-shafted); possible that they could be the breeding pair.
-backyard & adjacent property.
-backyard ; feeding on oilseeds (one at a time); likely the local breeding pair.
-backyard & adjacent property.
-backyard; everywhere!
-backyard in birch clump & on nyjer & finch mix feeders; back and forth to adjacent heavily branched large trees for socializing.
-backyard; 2 males on oilseed feeder; finches have been sparse for the last 4 days (warm spell)
-backyard; on flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard; on flat feeder for nuts.
-1 flying north over backyard; then 2 west, at the end of the day.
-adjacent property; heard only 2 in the morning and then 1, at the end of the day.
-backyard; male, working the birch clump and briefly on suet feeder.
-backyard; on niger and finch mix tube feeders.
-backyard; everywhere and in bath.
Common Redpolls
-sure nice to have them back for awhile! Feeding on Nyjer and Finch mixture. This shot of a female (no pink on the breast).
Common Redpolls
-backyard; this shot shows the moderately extensive masking around the beak.
-foreign sighting of interest; (ANL) this bird was tagged as a fledgling, north of Provost, Alberta on Sept 3, 2012 and migrated to Venezuela by mid-January 2013! (This would seem to indicate that these birds are capable of a long distance migration in their 1st year!) http://www.hawkmountain.org/who-we-are/news/vulture-in-canada-found-in-venezuela/page.aspx?id=3818
-scouting around the neighborhood. One was emitting a rather interesting little "nothing" of music or phrase.
-backyard; the guy on the Seed Pie for a little while.
-backyard; alot of "nestie, nestie activity.
-adjacent yard.
Yahoo! Actually came down to the Nyjer tube feeders; don't really know why it took so long, except that I refilled last years + seed with this years manufactured (Sept) seed; both seed samples were "spoon" tested (ie squeezed seed on white paper and the Sept sample left more oil stains). Remember, Nyjer is heat- treated and has a shorter shelf life.
-backyard; this male spent a few minutes chipping bark away in one spot on the pear tree; suspect that this was communication drumming, which can be territorial or breeding behavior.
-spotted circling over the adjacent school and landing on the roof a couple of times; Friday and Saturday are good days to check for tid-bits left by the students, and the garbage cans are inspected as well.
-backyard' on flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard' on flat feeder for nuts.
-backyard and adjacent hedges for cover and capturing any sunshine that popped through. One male was the first to try out the finch seed that I introduced in the long tube feeder. (it has a cup, rather than Nyjer slot- feed mechanism.) Didn't take long for others to pick-up the new skill. Remember too, that the House Sparrow is a weaver finch and not actually a sparrow!
-adjacent park; during a morning jaunt, our lab was attracted to the scent residue of a track in the snow; one of two ravens that flew over, veered and dove down to within about 2m from us, to see if there was food involved in this activity! These covids are masters at connecting food with activity.
-backyard; very cautious and quickly feed from the flat feeder and then bolt for cover!
-backyard; on flat feeder for corn and nuts.
-backyard and during my travels on the northside of city.
-breed in the Arctic and normally summer in the tundra; this is a second year of irruption where they move much further south.
-backyard; female on cherry suet and Seed pie, with House Sparrows picking up the crumbs. :o))
-"heard", on adjacent property, but "NOTTA" "nother" one! NO BIRDS of any species today! :o((
-seen by my daughter and son-in -law on light posts adjacent to Anthony Henday Drive (127 Street + 97 Street); (remember this is the second year of an irruption of this species from their more northern habitat!) The large expanse of naked topography, due to new roadway construction, is a preferred habitat, where prey can be captured more efficiently.
-backyard; the large specimen that is also a skilled mouse hunter, fed on nuts from the flat feeder.
-backyard; the entire flock flies into the adjacent Yellow-twigged Dogwood, then to the flat feeder for a nut and then quickly back into the dogwood for cover, to finally eat their food item. (I saw the Merlin yesterday).
-backyard; the intergrade (yellow-shafted + red-shafted) on seed pie, while the female yellow- shafted sampled the nut feeder.
-backyard; the female yellow-shafted on the nut feederwhile the intergrade (yellow-shafted + red-shafted) fed on the seed pie.
-backyard; everywhere; feeding on oilseeds.
-backyard; feeding on oilseeds.
-backyard; seemed that 3 did a little oilseed feeding and then were joined by the remainder of the flock that landed high in the pear clump; as soon as they arrived, the 3 percolated up to join them & everybody departed; I also noticed that they had recently been feeding again on the large birch in the adjacent school ground. (birch seed casings scattered on the snow)
-backyard; on flat feeder for fruit and nut mixture. This was the male intergrade (yellow-shafted +Red-shafted) with the gray cheeks and throat.
-backyard; this smaller group of the neighborhood bunch were staking out their claims for nestboxes! (in & out the entrance holes; pulling out small amounts of last year's grass and sitting in the entrance holes, with a smile on their faces. :o))
-doing the neighborhood rounds with a flicker; this is the mean average # in our immediate neighborhood (all seasons)
-backyard; on flat feeder.
-backyard; on flat feeder and under feeders.
-backyard; just the female today; on suet cakes and Seed Pie.
-backyard; on flat feeder.
-backyard; feeding on oilseeds
-everywhere, paying particular attention to nest box claims.
-2 basic yellow-shafted and the intergrade (yellow-shafted + Red-shafted); on flat feeder & Seed Pie.
-the usual visitors (m + f yellow-shafted and m intergrade.)-panic feeding by all regular species because of cold temperatures and blowing snow!
-from "NE, Costco" parking lot, saw the "wave" flocking behavior before settling down in the roost area. (Suspect pretty close to the stockyards.)
-backyard; just two hanging out together (suspect a pair) and feeding on oilseeds; trying to determine if one might be a Hoary, but I would like to catch more characteristics in a shot. :o))
-backyard; breeding pair working the trees in close proximity through the day.
-backyard; finally caught them feeding on the Nyjer feeders for a short while.
-backyard; the male gray yellow-shafted INTERGRADE and the female basic yellow-shafted arrived first; the other male basic yellow-shafted joined the "pair?" a little while later.(still trying to determine who represents the pair of these 3 regular visitors.)
-backyard; just 1 on the oilseed and flat feeders; I sprinkled a little Nyjer seed on the ground in the hopes of coaxing them to feed on the tubes. :o))
-backyard; everywhere and no House Finches yet.
-backyard; 1 male intergrade and 1 male yellow-shafted, feeding on flat feeder for nuts and the intergrade, also on the seed pie.
-backyard; the male on a suet cage.
-backyard experiment! Placed remnants of a Seed Pie in a pedestal flower pot: (first to use were the Magpies, then the Blue Jays!) OH, THOSE CORVIDS! By the way, did you know that the ancestral family roots of the "Birds of Paradise" were corvids. :o))
-backyard experiment! Placed remnants of a Seed Pie in a pedestal flower pot: (first to use were the Magpies, then the Blue Jays!) OH, THOSE CORVIDS! By the way, did you know that the ancestral family roots of the "Birds of Paradise" were corvids. :o))
-backyard everywhere, including the heated- bath! The jays also frequent "the SPA" as well! :o))
-backyard; on oilseed feeders.
-backyard; feeding on oilseed feeders; 2M; 4F
-adjacent property in spruce trees.
-east over adjacent school yard toward the shopping centers.
-backyard; male yellow-shafted INTERGRADE, with gray cheek and throat; feeding on the seed pie.
-backyard; female today and male yesterday feeding on suet and working the Pear tree.
Downy Woodpeckers
-backyard; a guys gotta work to get from a bad feather day to a fine feather day!
Downy Woodpecker
-backyard; a guys gotta work to get from a bad feather day to a fine feather day!
-backyard; briefly visited the flat feeder for nuts and departed as a group. Still no interest in the cleaned and re-located tube Nyjer feeder.
-first birds I found today; wind is pretty high and they were all hunkered down in a hedge between the houses; offers good protection from predators and it's in the SUN! So far today, they are not interested in the feeders.
-backyard; one of the 2, was cautiously checking out the re-location of one Nyjer tube feeder; got within about a meter, and then they both departed. (I cleaned the newest of the feeders and refilled with fresh seed); I also noticed in Superstore that they have Nyjer in smaller quantities, that are tagged with an expiry date (Sept 26. 2013); this would imply that the manufacturer is saying that this seed will last for at least 9 months! It would seem that there is still much debate on just how long Nyjer's shelf life is!