Fall and Winter 2006/2007

As I sat here at the computer yesterday, working of course, I watched a group of Blue Jays come up and swim back and forth across the water pans. Lots of Cardinals, Doves and Goldfinches. It was a 78° day so I went out and turned on the water sprinkler. The beautiful male Woodpecker made an appearance at the water pan. Showed me that the other one I'd seen was a female and that with his beautiful bright red coloring, he is the male.

Birds looks so funny when they are fluffed up and all wet. They actually look cooler and happy.  

Just looked out to see a dove floating in the water pan. How very cool. I didn't know they could do that. He took some dips, went from one side to the other and then took off. Lady Woodpecker came up for a nice long drink of water and one of the Robins drank briefly.

I am still seeing the little birds that look like goldfinches, but not quite. The stripes are just a little different. And yes, some have the gold coloring. The Blue Jays are still around and so many this year. They usually disappear when the cold gets bad but not this year. Lots of sparrows and the crowned sparrows. Lots of Chickadees and Tufties. I looked out the window yesterday to see a pair of Robins. Probably a pair since once was smaller and the other was plump. Could have been a mother and a youngster. I was just happy to see them. I have gone around filling all the little water pans and get a giggle to catch a bird or two enjoying the water. After all the ice and snow and sleet and frozen water pans, it is sure nice to have a day of almost 70° to enjoy. The Cardinals and Jays are at the big water pans taking baths and really enjoying it. The weather guy says we'll be 70 tomorrow and 75 on Wednesday but then on Thursday, the next cold front hits. Okay. I can get lots done with these nice days.

The goldfinches are so very many this year that I keep the new feeder full all the time and they still fight over space. There are sunflower nuggets in the mix so the cardinals crowd in to eat their share. We've had so many days of rain lately that the birds are good to eat the wet seeds when they are poured out to dry. There have been a lot more of the crowned sparrow and they are so pretty.

I looked out the other day to see 4 of the mourning dove on top of the water pan in the yard. Both water pans were frozen solid. I went out moments later and managed to get the glacier loose from one pan and with about 6 gallons of water, I had the pan full again. Dove rarely visit and they sure did look thirsty.

The goldfinches made their appearance on this past Wednesday, that would be November the 15th. I was writing a message to Randy at work and looked out the window to see two at the thistle feeder. Then I typed everything in capital letters and was joyous. I filled the feeder again this morning so they would have all 6 feeding stations available. There are so many of them all hungry at the same time now that they need to be able to get to the seeds. I put the finch mix that I'd found this past shopping trip out on the feeders and on the window table. I had tossed some to the window edge so they would get up close and personal with Sly and it worked. Randy said that Sly sat watching for a particular black capped chickadee who kept coming up... Sly would lunge and the bird would fly away. Then they would do it again. And again. The Tufties are still around and lots of the little wrens and other smaller birds. 

I looked out the window this morning to count 8 Blue Jays at the water pan. I had not been putting sunflower seeds out that far but the Jays looked to be trying to find some, scratching around. I know of a big old jack rabbit that always expects to find seeds and probably gets most of them.

It's not a sighting but I have been hearing lots of geese sounds. And it is not the sound of them passing high over head. They are spending the winter nearby again and I am regularly serenaded by the sweet sounds of their calls. Always in late morning through early evening. I live so richly. On the morning we went to vote, I saw a group of about 10 out roaming the pasture. I had been sure I had heard the gobbling of the male as he gathered his girls around. But this is also the time of year when the hunter is out trying to bag a bird for his Thanksgiving dinner. We hear lots of shooting but it is probably target practice since it is so much and so prolonged.  

The hummingbirds are gone now, haven't seen one in about a week. The Blue Jays are up to about 6 everyday coming in to drink fresh water. So beautiful. None today but there were dozens of black birds at the water pans yesterday. A few Grackles as well, very noisy.

Still no more goldfinches. Sure hope they return this year. They are so pretty.

Today is the first day of fall and already the nights grow chilled and the days are not so hot. The hummingbirds are yet fewer and much less often at the feeders and the bees and wasps are taking over.

I looked out the window this afternoon to see the first blue jay of the season and then saw him again later. But he is probably a she since there was no noise of warning.

With our last rainstorm, we suddenly had almost no hummingbirds visiting. There were no more of most little birds and very few cardinals. Very odd indeed. But with the blue jays we are back to having a lot of little birds. The sparrows and what looks like finches. No more of the goldfinches but finches, the plain.