Mulberry tree birds
Day one: so many different species drawn to the berries.
Baltimore Orioles are almost as ubiquitous this summer as robins or sparrows! But always a delight to see.
The males are the more dramatically colored.
The females are very industrious and fun to watch.
It was the father I saw feeding the baby, but unfortunately I only got them close together. I especially like the last picture taken an hour later.
Speaking of babies, baby robins are everywhere these days. They are quite cute with their speckled bellies.
The Cedar Waxwings were feeding each other. Such elegant birds, with their masked face, red on the tips of their wings and a tail they dipped in a pail of yellow paint.
And then he joyously ate one himself.
Goldfinches are almost to brilliant in the evening sun.
The Red-bellied Woodpecker has been a voracious eater this week. Their babies are also around and eating mostly independently, though still begging, as you see.
The Rose-breasted Grosbeak is candy to birdwatchers’ eyes. This evening we only spotted him at the very top of the tree. The next day was quite a lot better as you’ll see. But I was surprised by the bright red under the wings when he took a dive.
Other critters that day were the many chipmunks, squirrels and even a ground hog.
Day two: Another glimpse of the Grosbeak in the trees but then in the woods I saw one much closer and good some fun shots.
If that weren’t exciting enough, a little Wood Thrush was walking right up the trail to me. I ran into him 3 times on my walks, in more or less the same place, but the light was always difficult.
And then I bumped into the beautiful female Scarlet Tanager, a yellow partner to the striking scarlet male.
When I emerged from the woods I was thrilled to see the male tanager stopping a few seconds longer than usual so that I could finally get a picture of him.
Also on my walks through the woods I saw a young Grackle with a parent and a young young cardinal waiting for his father to return.
And when I got to the water, there was a flock of Northern Rough-winged Swallows. They are not as colorful as the other swallows in the neighborhood but it was fun to watch them socializing on the tree limb over the water. And down below in the river was a blond beaver, at least as he appeared in the light of the day.
In the mulberry trees there were Bluejays, house finches, Kingbirds, more Orioles and Cedar Waxwings, and Bluebirds picking the berries right off the ground.
All in all, a great couple of days – mulberry madness will soon be over, sadly!