Write 28 Day Challenge—Day #18 Tiny

Mar 1, 2023

Spring has come early here to the Northern end of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. I have to say there has not been enough snow this year for me. One of the earliest signs of Spring are our happy, vocal Spring Peepers. However, they are still quiet. Perhaps they know we still have to get through March.

Just the same, a careful look at bird feeders reveal a small sign of Spring. The tiny, diminutive male American Goldfinch is beginning to put on his summer courting outfit. Goldfinches are year-round residents here in Virginia. Males loose their bright plumage for winter. This makes it difficult to tell males from females. Not to worry. Spring brings on the summer wear and males are very easy to spot then.

American Goldfinches, Carduelis tristis, are often called Wild Canaries. They are a very loved tiny bird that twitters upon taking flight. They fly an undulated flight pattern.

They come year-round to bird feeders. They love Nyger thistle (which is pricey!), but they also enjoy Sunflower seeds (not as pricey, and brings in more birds). I have them all year at my sunflower seed feeders.

An interesting fact: They belong to the finch family, and are the only finches to change their ‘coats’ season to season!

Hope you enjoy these photos I have taken of ‘our’ finches at the feeders. Happy birding!

In Focus #14—One Fun Bird at Feeder

Apr 16, 2021

There are so many good photographers of birds on the internet. The photos are remarkable, and some do not even seem possible to me to capture. Such patience and great timing. I admire all of them.

For me, it is more of a ‘catch as catch can’ with photographing birds. It was so thrilling to see this special little bird at our feeder last week. I have fed birds for forty years, and still have some I am waiting to see, i.e. an Evening Grosbeak and/or a Rose-Breasted Grosbeak. Oh the joy of seeing one of them at our feeders.

I hardly believed my eyes early the other morning when looking out at the feeder. Transfixed at the window, I did not dare to move, but needed field glasses for a positive identification. To my intense joy, my eyes proved correct.

There foraging all around the ground was an adorable Rufous-Sided Towhee! Happily eating the sunflower seed off the ground (they are ground feeders). I have admired Towhees for many years, and enjoy beyond measure their sweet, Spring song, “Drink your Teeeaaa!”. But I have never had one at the feeder.

There was no photo taken because I was having such joy just watching it. It flew away just as I was thinking I could get a photo. That sweet little bird gave me a second chance. It was at the feeder the following morning. I did not dare to open a window or door, so the photos were taken through windows with screens.

These photos are surely not the best, but by golly, I have one, and that is so fun. Just look and see how cute and happy this bird is! It is sure to put a smile on your face. I love what Calvin used to say in the comic strip Calvin and Hobbes, “There is treasure everywhere!”

Indeed so.

In Focus #8—Birds in the Hood

Sep 8, 2020

Catching photos of birds has always been a joy and pain at the same time. It seems my camera is always not on me when I see a great photo. Forget about running into the house to fetch it!

Bird watching has been a wonderful pastime for years, learned from my dear Aunt from many a walks in the woods. I started keeping a ‘life list’ of the species in my 30’s. I only have about 130 species checked off so far. The last, very exciting species I saw (and have only once) was the Bobolink!

Our feeder is filled daily with sunflower seeds. The bird bath is next to the feeder. Watching a bird take a bath will make one laugh! One day I’ll catch a photo of it. BTW, sunflower seeds attract Goldfinches as well (some folks insist thistle seed is the only feed to attract goldfinches). Truly, life is not the same without the beautiful, cheerful Goldfinch in it.

Another fun discovery for us with sunflower seed is how easily they grow all around the house and garden! We have beautiful sunflowers from the seeds the birds drop all around the house. We leave them on the stem and enjoy watching the birds, especially the Goldfinches, eat on them all through the fall and winter. Bonus! If your zinnias are left to dry out in your garden, you will see the birds eating them as well, plus they will re-seed themselves next spring. Double bonus!

There are many other birds around here on the farm than posted on this blog. These are the few that just happened to turn out rather nicely. Thought it would brighten the day to share a few of these lovely, happy neighbors that are all around us.

Thank God for birds. A friend of mine recently told me where she read “of another service rendered as the birds sing their praises in the morning…that somehow the vibrations of their voices actually affect and aid in the awakening of God’s creation for the day.”

Isn’t that a beautiful thought?