Woodpeckers on suet

As the days get longer, some of the birds that were gregarious cooperative participants in the local "guild" of birds all winter are showing up at the feeders in pairs. Unlike in the very cold weather when they had to help each other find food and keep warm, now they are beginning to define territories.
The Downy woodpecker pair (above) and the larger Hairy woodpecker (below) will probably select their nest sites in the next three or four weeks. Meanwhile, they appreciate the suet feeders.

bird tracks: snow angel

Near sunset.


We admired the bird tracks
in the snow zig-zagging
beneath the feeder.


I wonder what maneuver
made the wings on this
snow angel?

winter moon in sunlight

Cold clear blue January sky glowing behind crisp branches
making a frame for winter moon.

pileated woodpeckers

A pair of pileated woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus) live in our wild woods. They are very secretive so we have not located their nest or roost hole. Over the last few weeks we've seen them at the suet blocks every few days. Nearly 18 inches long, the male is big enough to tilt the "barn" feeder as he hangs on it. This afternoon, as the wind chills dipped, the female hung on a big tree and fluffed up her feathers to stay warm.

elated chickadee

We put up a new "tray" feeder on a pole near the "barn" seed dispenser and suet cages.

The chickadees seem to love the new offerings!

Flicker

We've seen a single Northern Flicker several times recently at the suet block and scavenging along tree bark in our wild woods.

fluffy warm

As the temperatures drop, the birds fluff up their feathers to increase insulating qualities.

winter guild

This year, the guild of birds wintering together in the wild woods includes this chickadee and the two northern cardinals behind it, all waiting in the brambles for their turn at the seed feeder.

frosty

Heavy frost on the grass this morning . . . this gray squirrel sat on a snag tree in the sun with toes around the branch, eyes not fully open, tail up wrapped along his back extending to his ears. Cozy.

burning bush

One of the brightest autumn jewels on the edge of the wild woods -- "burning bush" Euonymus alatus.

the battle for black chokeberries

A group of Eastern Bluebirds Sialia Sialis, darted in and out of the Black Chokeberry Aronia melanocarpa bushes. Surmising these bluebirds might be the two broods that fledged out of our nestbox this summer plus the adults, we smiled and watched as they flew around at the edge of the woods. Then, as the bluebirds moved off towards the cattails, a flock of Cedar Waxwings Bombycilla cedrorum appeared and settled in to savor the black leathery chokeberries. Their grey and buff coloring might help them go unnoticed, but their yellow tail-tips were bright accents among the burnished chokeberry leaves.

the winter "guild"

The birds are gathering into their winter "guild". Several of the woodpeckers are back again -- the Downy Woodpecker Picoides pubescens, the Hairy Woodpecker Picoides villosus, Red-bellied Woodpecker Melanerpes carolinus, and the big Pileated Woodpecker Dryocopus pileatus. This Red-bellied Woodpecker helped himself to sunflower and safflower seeds.

autumn at the edge of the woods

blue jays

The group of blue jays we've seen this summer have joined the guild as winter approaches. The chickadees are so vocal while they enjoy the peanuts; now the jays know about these special treats, too. As soon as I put the nuts out, the reconnaissance flyovers begin . . .

autumn woods

The woods and gardens are gorgeous! After several very cold nights, the leaves are changing to their autumn splendor. The black chokeberry bushes add a warm accent at the edge of the woods.

peanuts

Peanuts (unsalted, in the shell) are a nice treat for many of the birds that gather into the winter guild here in the wild woods. The chickadees, ever curious, help themselves first whenever we put more peanuts out on the bark tray.

early snow

October, and we've had 3 snowfalls already. It melted quickly since the ground and foliage are still warm, but a rude awakening for the birds who have yet to migrate southward.

penstemon (maybe?)

My gardens are surrounded by neighbors' flowery landscaped yards, one of which probably threw seeds to the wind for this result.

Many of our favorite plants have struggled in this cool dry summer to develop their best blooms. But this beauty seems to have taken advantage of the situation to surprise us. Along the neighbors' fence, a few days ago I noticed some stalks of intense magenta blossoms among the cattails. Research has led me to think these are penstemons, although I am not sure of the exact species.

These plants seem to have self-seeded in an area that is wet enough to nurture their germination. Another welcome addition to the wild woods.

bird bathing

The birds love the "bubbler" that continuously moves water in the crockery bowl that serves as one of our bird watering sites. This week the American Robins (Turdus migratorius) have been lining up and sometimes are rudely impatient as they take turns in the bowl. When this bird finished the vigorous part of her bath, she spent several minutes just relaxing in the water with her bottom on the bubbler.

garden harvest

The kitchen garden at the edge of the wild woods produces a precarious harvest of veggies when the grazing deer stay outside the rabbit fence. On most afternoons there are just enough tomatoes, summer squash, beans, snow peas, or leafy greens ripe for our small suppers.

hummingbirds

With four nectar feeders at different places around the yard, we often see the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) as they make their rounds each day. This little female was sipping nectar from the 'Black and Blue' Sage (Salvia guaranitica) as we sat nearby. I often see these little flying jewels at the feeder outside my office window, as they sip and dart back into the woods.

tiny toad

We've seen toads of all sizes this year. But this one, shown in my hand at the base of my fingers, is the smallest so far.

bluebirds - brood 2, day 16

The young bluebirds fledged out of their nest today. We watched for hours as the adults fed them sparingly in the morning, then teased them with worms to encourage fledging. Inside, the three young flapped their wings, took turns perching at the opening, and called out for more food. The adults' response was most often a worm waved in front of the box (or offered but pulled back) to beckon the youngsters out.

raspberries

The new row of raspberry brambles we put in last year are bearing fruit -- delicious red, black, and golden raspberries. The three are a wonderful mix of real intense berry flavor, but even better with a few of the little wild blackberries we find tucked in between the buckthorn and honeysuckle along the old fence row in the wild woods.

hostas in bloom

The shady front corner is finally established with astilbes and hostas.
In past years I tried a few other plants here but they did not like the situation.
This Spring the astilbes and hostas came up vigorously and seem very happy together.
The "Krossa Regal" Hostas have become huge vase-shaped beauties with blooms on stems nearly as tall as I am.