Our prompts this week: Starts with S, Week's Favourite, Family
Starts with S:
This is a Song Sparrow, which I photographed in my parents' garden last weekend when I was visiting them. I usually see different birds when I visit them, and this time was no exception. So far, I haven't seen a Song Sparrow in my yard.
Interestingly, the Song Sparrow has a remarkable range of subspecies - about 30! - across North America. This one is the typical eastern variant.
Week's Favourite:
I was pleased this week to see a Northern Flicker for the first time in my front yard. I managed to get a picture of it - not a great picture, but it was exciting to see a new-to-my-yard bird, so that makes it my favourite!
Family:
I am hoping that a new family will soon be underway in temporary housing on my downspout! This week, an American Robin built her nest there, and she took three days to complete the process.
Day 1
Day 2
On day 3, it looked similar to day 2, but a bit more built up. Here she is sitting in her nest on day 3.
It was interesting to see her coming and going with bits of twig, and then smaller bits of twig, and then grasses. She ended up bringing chunks of mud that she used to push into the nest sides, presumably for strengthening it, and making a lining that is smooth and soft. I will be checking it to see how many eggs have been laid in it. Last year a robin built its nest in the climbing hydrangea which is just adjacent to this spot, so it might be the same pair I suppose. I do look forward to seeing a robin family over the next few weeks!
7 comments:
...well my friend, you have gone to the birds this week! Robins have been setting up house around here too. Enjoy your week.
Nice collection!
Claire, I am glad that you have robins. We have them here, mostly in the winter. Our summer birds where we moved to are black birds, doves, and rabbits. We saw four in their teens running and playing together this evening on our walk. Oh yes, we have what I call "rain birds" which I think are mocking birds. Some got angry downtown and were attacking pedestrians.
I like too your 'Song Sparrow'. I think those are the kind we have here (Gulf Coast area) as that is what they look like.
Please don't work too hard, but I know your time is money.
..
A friend had baby Canada geese on her lawn last week!
I love the bird pictures, but mainly I am amazed at how green and lush your yard looks after so recently seeing it heaped in snow.
How exciting that you might have little ones soon! Great capture of the flicker. I've really enjoyed seeing them in my pasture. That's a lot of varieties of sparrow. It just reinforces my desire to call any small brownish bird I don't know a sparrow. Thanks so much for joining Friday's Hunt. Hope you have a great week!
It's always exciting to find new birds. And a nest nearby, too! Love it! I watched a Robin scoop mud from our yard last year and fly off to build. She was very busy! Looking forward to seeing your babies! Interesting you mentioned the Song Sparrows, I just saw a pair out back this afternoon. They stay around here, but I often miss them with all the other bird traffic. They tend to wait until there's a lull in the feeding frenzy.
Post a Comment