Birding from Our Deck with Beer and Wine

It is cloudy. It is cool. It is spring migration and yet we are supposed to stay close to home. So on this somewhat dreary Saturday afternoon we set up chairs, binoculars, cameras, got some wine, beer, and snacks and waited for the birds to visit the numerous feeders and the birdbath. We also have mature oaks with emerging foliage, dogwood with lovely flowers, azaleas in bloom, and assorted shrubberies to attract them. We wait for the show to begin.

A Grey Catbird was the first to show up,  pausing on the deck railing before flying up to the simple cage suet feeder to enjoy a tasty treat.

These birds earned their name because they "meow". Seriously, if you squint your ears you can hear it. They also have a distinctive "rusty" patch on the underside of their tail. Very cool birds who spend the summer here.

The year round birds were...around...knowing full well that our patch of green serves up a 365 days a year buffet.

The American Goldfinches, at least a dozen in view, were enjoying thistle seed, the males in their breeding plumage of lemony yellow, and the females are a bit less showy.

A White-breasted Nuthatch also enjoyed the suet feeder. These birds are great to watch on tree trunks as they walk down head first.

Dan got this shot of two Carolina Chickadees who have taken up residence in a bird house he made for them. We had left over purple and pink spray paint, hence the groovy colors. One is feeding the other an insect. How sweet!

Two Yellow-rumped Warblers flitted on the trees, gleaning insects form the branches and buds. They're just passing through, but it's so cool to see them! This male's breeding plumage is really attractive, and I'm sure the ladies agree!

Way up in the tree tops, we saw two Blue-headed Vireos insect hunting. So fast, very far away, and the lighting was terrible, but this not too great photo shows a distinctive field mark: the white "goggles" around the eyes.

While sitting on the deck enjoying our libations, Dan asked "where is the Red-breasted Grosbeak?" Good question as we have seen this striking bird each spring for the past few years, but so far not this year. They love to crack sunflower seeds with their big triangular beak. Had they made it as far north as our neighborhood? A minute after Dan had posed his question, as if on cue, this beauty flew to the top of a concrete gnome in our garden.

What luck! This male Rose-breasted Grosbeak is one of the most striking of the migratory songbirds. The afternoon was made for us. Time to take our empty glasses and head in to start dinner. We hope to see Mr. Gross and perhaps his Mrs. a few more times before they head off. Ahhh, spring!

Spring Migration Is Happening!

Well, like the rest of the world, we are anxious for this "new normal" to end. However, no one knows exactly when that will happen. What Dan and I do know is that mid-April to Mid-May is a great time for birding in the Washington DC area. Parks are closed including many of the local birding hot spots. Many more people than usual are out and about and sometimes it makes social distancing a challenge. What we have learned that if we want to bird in our neighborhood park is to go into the woods. The appropriate footwear and longs pants are a must. Tick season coincides with spring migration, and the spring rains can make for a muddy trek.

Our local "pocket" park has a nice mixture of trees. Ironwood trees with their low canopy (about ten feet max) beneath the towering oaks and tulip poplars are a draw for different migratory songbirds.

Today we saw our first of year Black-and-white Warbler.  These migratory birds live up to their name with their distinctive striped plumage. Easy to spot as they hop along branches, gleaning insects and larvae from the undersides of leaves.

We also saw Palm Warblers, a nice little flock of Yellow-rumped Warblers, and White-eyed Vireo. The breezy conditions make for challenging birding, but we were delighted to see these other early spring migratory birds.

Another bird that is actually leaving our patch of woods to northern breeding grounds, is the Hermit Thrush.

This large-eyed cousin to the American Robin skulked along the forest floor, searching leaf litter and rotting logs for tasty treats. The bird gave us some great views as it perched on a log or mossy hillock.

Like the Hermit Thrush, the Swamp Sparrow prefers to breed a little farther north, and despite that we were delighted to see one picking at the muddy bank of the creek and fallen branches in the water.

These striking birds nest in wetlands. While not a threatened species, the decline of wetland habitat bears concern for the future of these sparrows.

Speaking of sparrows, we saw a flock of the tiny Chipping Sparrows picking up nearly microscopic bits of seeds from the asphalt path that rings the park's grassy field. Happy kids enjoying the sunshine and riding their bikes and scooters scared the flock into the river birches where I got this shot.

Today we continued to see the Eastern Phoebe, where about a week ago we observed it building a nest under the pedestrian bridge over the creek. Today one of the two birds we've counted gave us a very cute pose in the vicinity of the bridge. With all of the people walking over it, we hope the birds keep to their hidden nest and raise young there.

Once home, a shadow passing the bedroom window caught my eye. A male Pileated Woodpecker soared from the vicinity of the suet feeder to an oak in the backyard. He checked out a cavity in the tree before moving on. I managed to get a portrait close up of him before he soared away. I love to watch these big woodpeckers fly!

Happy Spring!