Lots going on – birds are busy on both livestream cameras
I just posted a video Cleon took of birds at the large bird bath. (Go to the website menu and click on ‘Videos’. It is the first one.) Here is a photo he took of the bird feeders. From left to right: on the platform feeder is a Mourning Dove, on the safflower feeder with the
red roof is a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, on the tree is a Hairy Woodpecker – a female, I think, and on the peanut feeder is a Red-headed Woodpecker. This is an unusual group. The Mourning Doves and grosbeaks are at the feeders every day. The Hairy Woodpeckers – we have a pair – are here maybe once a day. And the Red-headed Woodpeckers – we hear 2 pairs – are at the feeders from time to time.
The juveniles are starting to come. There is a family of Blue Jays – and they are quieter than they usually are. There are Common Grackle juveniles – ‘quiet’ is not part of their world. They are noisy and will not leave their parents alone. They follow them everywhere – begging for food. Sometimes the parents pop something in those gaping mouths and sometimes they ignore them – sound familiar?
If you watch the livestream of the bird feeder cam, you can’t help but notice the birds prefer the small birdbath to the larger one. We think that is because we have gravel in the bottom of the smaller birdbath, and there are also rocks around the side. We did this last year as an experiment thinking smaller birds like chickadees, titmice, and nuthatches would use it because it was shallower. They do not use it, but the rest of the birds seem to love that small birdbath. Even the larger birds use it much more than the roomier bird bath next to it. The larger birdbath does have a patterned bottom so is not slick, but the birds seem to like the gravel in the smaller one. Cleon watched 2 adult Common Grackles jam themselves in that small birdbath yesterday and take a bath together. Of course, Cleon had to go outside to refill it when they were finished! Lots and lots of splashing!