From my Window

by Nita Holstine

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• Spring , Summer & Fall 2008

• The Quail, December 2007

• Fall & Winter 2007/2008

• The Roadrunner Family

• Spring & Summer 2007

• Fall & Winter 2006/2007

• 01-31-03 Goldfinches, cardinals and the American Robin

• 01-16-03 Goldfinches (with one female cardinal)

Scroll Down page for previous notes (before the camera) 

12-27-02

  Just after 11 this morning, I looked out the window to see a big woodpecker going up and down the trees around the water and seed pan area. Stayed for about half an hour and went off into a nearby dense patch. 

  I got all our bird books out and did some looking again. What I saw looked like 4 different woodpeckers but not like any one. When you have more than 3 identification books, they start contradicting each other. 

  There was an article on a bird site and it was showing how winter hummingbirds in Alabama was a real thing. The writer had heard of such a thing, put out a fresh feeder and sure enough, a new crop of hummers showed up to feed. They mentioned the freezing temps not bothering the tiny creatures in the least. Go figure. 

12-20-02

  I just saw something from my window that made me stop and open this file for an update. There was Mr. Squirrel trying to get seeds out of the finch feeder. Here come two goldfinches and attacked him. I never knew they could be aggressive. Wow, and squirrel got the message, left and didn't try it again. The birds fight constantly for a place at the feeder and this was the first time I'd ever seen them work together for something. 

  There are so many goldfinches and they can eat so much. They don't waste any since they clean up the ground. Some mixes have a lot more thistle seeds than others and they will usually toss aside the others to get to the thistle.

  There are always lots of cardinals, both male and female. Hordes of big fat quail. The dove, and lots of little sparrows. No blackbirds staying around this winter (also no cow birds but also no red-winged blackbirds.) But the usual blue jays are plentiful.

  I will resolve right now to make a super effort to grow lots and lots of sunflowers this next summer. I ran a search on thistle and only found methods of ridding the lawn of the pests. Nothing on buying and growing it. Sometimes it will come up volunteer but die out when it doesn't get enough water. Some have flowered but the blooms did not make it to mature seeds. 

11-17-02

  Since we were up to seeing two goldfinches, we splurged at the store and bought a sack of finch's favorite little seeds mixture. One of my first chores for the morning was to get out a feeder Randy had made last year to fill with seeds. It was probably about 3 hours and I looked out the window to see four little birds with one at each opening and perch. Awesome. Well, now there are four at the feeder and another two on the window table. Cool. 

11-13-02

  Today I saw the first Goldfinch. Just one but he was looking to find some small seeds. So cute. I robbed some of the cockatiel's seed mix and put out for the little birds. I'll put finch seeds and thistle seed on my list of to get items. Randy made some most excellent feeders out of 2 liter plastic bottles with dowel rod perches. Still handy and ready to use. 

  There have been no more black birds or cow birds. There have been lots and lots of dove. The quail don't come up in the yard unless you answer the calls or they are thirsty and looking for water. There are lots of the crowned sparrow. Cute little bird and they eat bugs. Good birds, go eat bugs, eat lots of bugs ! 

10-17-02

  We have been seeing a lot of a small hawk around the yard. Randy watched him swoop down across the chicken yard. It made the girls all run for cover but he was much too small to be a real threat. I have seen him flying through the tree tops and making all kinds of noise. He is easily seen from the kitchen window or my desk window. Most beautiful a bird. 

  Briklyn had sent a message about how the cow birds were finally gone. I saw them. They were here. I saw a group of about two dozen black birds. There were some cow birds, some regular black birds and some red-winged black birds. Sometimes we even see a few grackles in the black bird group but these may have moved on since they have not been back. 

  The blue jays come up often for food and water and they may keep some smaller birds away. But they share and when the jays are seen, the woodpeckers are close by. They seem the shy birds while the jays are bold and brazen and sometimes loud. The crowned sparrow has also returned to join the resident group of other sparrows, wrens, chickadees and tufties.

09-27-02

  It has been 4 days now that I've been watching a pair of woodpeckers come up everyday. One is more distinct and colorful so he's the boy bird and the other, more of a dull color and less noticeable, is the girl bird. They drink their fill at the big water pan, stop by the seed pan and then go up and down all the trees in the area, pecking out all those little bugs. Good birds, good birds.

  It's been over a week since I saw the last hummingbird. Time to bring the last feeder in and get it cleaned up for storage. They are always a really fun part of every day. The blue jays have invaded full strength now. I can see 6 of them right now, either at the big water pan or at the seed pan. They were noisy earlier but they are really quiet while they are eating and drinking. I'm pretty sure that it is the males being noisy to chase off any threat to their ladies. It is noticeable after a while which are males and which are females. The guys are just a bit bigger are seen first. When he says it's safe, then she can move in. They fill the biggest of trees in our forest and the sounds can be deafening. But they are calling to each other; sometimes from one clump of trees to another. Okay, maybe it is more like they're screaming at each other. What's funny is that the noise scares the dickens out of my indoor cockatiels. I have to go tell them they are in no danger, that I will protect them.  

09-20-02

  I looked out the window this afternoon to see the first blue jay of the fall. What a beautiful sight. Just one but that's the beginning. When Max the puppy and I were out on our long walk through the woods, I thought I heard a jay. The sound is a lot like the crow but not quite as harsh. Sure enough, it was. Fall is really in the air. Time to scrub up the big water pan. Maybe find a few more to help the crowding.

09-18-02  

Today marks 4 days since I've seen a hummingbird. It is so quiet without them buzzing around. We've not had any temps below 62 so far but we have a cold front headed our way and they say we will be in the lower 50's. That's brr cold for us. I read the writing of an "expert" who said that hummers did not migrate, they merely hibernated all winter long. I've never found any other authorities who agreed with his findings. I've never found any signs that they build a nest to live in all winter long. 

  The baby cardinals are growing up. All summer, we've heard the cries of babies to be fed. Now, they are all grown and eating on their own. The diligent parents have taught the offspring where all good seeds come from; our seed table. 

  Barely noticeable from the window is the lack of red winged black birds and cow birds. They always come together but since we've had so many crows and scissor tails, we've had no cow birds and black birds since early this spring. I scattered chicken scratch to help attract the crows into the yard area so they could help eat the grasshoppers. They do a pretty good job. It also brings them into view of this window.  I really am looking forward to the return of the blue jays this winter. This is a lousy year for acorns although there are thousands of trees. The woodpecker is another cool winter visitor. They eat the acorns but they sure do love the black sunflower seeds. The blue jays are such a sight on an icy winter's day. Swimming back and forth on the big water pan. Okay they're just flapping their wings like crazy and running through the water but it is such a mess and they can half empty a fresh filled big pan of water. It sure looks like they are having fun. Cardinals as well as most of the smaller birds take water baths even on the coldest  days of winter.  

08-23-02

  About 2 p.m., I looked out the window to see the roadrunner come around the corner of Max's yard. It is ever so cautious, moving about 5 or 6 feet, stopping still, then moving again another 5 feet or so. On to the water pan to drink his fill and then disappear again into the brush. I've recently seen him 3 or 4 times out south of the house but this time he was close and well on his way to the water pan. Time & temp says it's 103 degrees right now and many more creatures will venture up for a cool drink of water. 

  The cardinals are bringing up a new batch of babies. Some rowdy boys sparing with each other and some dainty little ladies so cautious and dainty. The hummingbirds are off making a new crop of babies and are at the feeder much less often. It will pick up again soon. They all like it when I keep a sprinkler going during the worst of the heat.   

08-08-02

  As soon as the mommy and daddy cardinals got the babies out of the nest and to finding their own seeds, they started a new batch of babies. The seeds and water are plentiful and the living is good. 

  I read recently where a cardinal watcher mentioned that the male will feed the female. When the female is still sitting on the nest, the male will take the seeds to her. As she comes up to our seed table, he will take them to her in the tree where she waits. When the babies first follow the parents to the window table, both will feed the baby until he or she learns to eat on their own. When he starts coming up on his own, one of the parents can be seen in the tree, watching to be sure all is well with the baby. Once in a great while, a baby will demand to be fed, not wanting to get his own food. Sometimes they will get tired of listening to his distinct cry and feed him. Usually, they will just lead by example and go to the table and start eating. 

  When we first see the babies, the male and females look alike. Muted light brown with no bright red and only some side and tail feathers becoming a red color. The beaks are a dull, slightly darker brown. After several more weeks, the males begin to look like someone tossed a bottle of red medicine in the wind. The boys are all splotchy but both girls and boys are starting to get the orange beak. I have heard some people call it red but to me it appears to be orange. The males have amazing songs they can sing but they only do this during mating season and seem to say, Look at me, I am so very pretty.

  The cardinals and most all other birds are near or full size when they leave the nest. It is a unique experience to watch them teach the baby to fly. We have raised cockatiels for lots of years now and I was witness to seeing them teach a baby to fly. Two adult birds swooped in as the baby sank instead of rising to the perch. They each lifted their side of the baby and brought him up to the roost. An amazing sight to say the least. I'm am sure that if I were able to watch long enough, I would see such a sight with the cardinals and other birds. 

  The hummingbird count is back up to normal. I have two small feeders in the yard right now. Something was knocking the one out of the tree when I'd keep it further from the house. I am finding more and more names for the different hummers. We have none of the solid dark color but I still see no mention of the ones that flash the red front when they want to and we do have several of those. I would need a digital camcorder to capture than one. Same with the sight of them opening their thin tiny beak. That's a really good one. 

  It only takes about 30 minutes to get a hummer to accept you and land on your finger or sit on your palm. Take a chair if you tire easy but be patient and move little and slowly if at all. Place a few grains of sugar (real sugar, nothing artificial & no honey) on the palm and hold still. Never yell in their area, clap your hands or make harsh noises. They will accept you much quicker if you never frighten them. This is all best done in the area where the nectar feeder is hanging in the tree. It is easier to do this with some hums and not others. If they have a baby waiting in the nest, they probably would not take the time. The first time I tried to get a hummer to sit on my finger, I had read an article where the lady did as her husband asked and it only took a minute for a tiny bird to land on her finger to eat at the feeder. They thought it might be her bright red nail polish. No way. I never use nail polish and just hold my finger just in front on the feeder's opening or the opening's perch (depending on the feeder.) It's asking a lot to get the little oh so warm little critter to trust you that much, but they don't have a natural fear of humans. 

  Saw the falcon come down to the water pan two days ago. I'd see him when Max and I were out on walks several weeks ago. When I first saw him last year, I had to get online to identify him. We get lots of hawks but he's not that big. I hope to be watching if he takes a splash bath in the big pan. I've seen a crow take a bath but that was in a really hot and dry summer. 

  I must mention that I have not heard the Whippoorwill in about two weeks now. I don't have a category for night singing birds so I'll note it here. Several years ago, I happened to be listening when the call sent out was answered. He moved closer and closer and then there was not another call until the next spring. Not a sound. I am still searching for a picture of one. I might be seeing them in the daytime and not know it. 

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07-03-02

  Today and yesterday both I have seen a turkey moving through the yard. One time coming up to drink water and then looking for the corn I had put out. With Max penned for most of the day, they can come back up for food and water. The grasshoppers have eaten all of the wild grass seeds that they usually eat. I saw a bird for about 10 minutes this afternoon. At first I thought it was a cow bird, but its head was black. I thought it a chickadee but it was bigger and the body was red. I could only see the body because the bird was preening like he'd just come out of a good bath. He was not close enough to get a good look at him later.  

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06-18-02

  It is difficult to get the page out and make notes where there is nothing new. Over the last few days, there have been baby cardinals showing up at the window seed table. They are easy to recognize because of their brown mottled beak color. They are as big as the adults but their body color is dull, not bright, even the males. Within a few months time, the colors will become defined and their beaks will become the traditional bright orange. 

  The hummingbirds are fewer and less often seen. While there are no zinnia or melon blooms this year, there are lots of wild flowers that the hummers really enjoy. The morning glories are still glorious and for some reason, the desert willows bloomed very early this year. The willows have a most beautiful purple blossom.   

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05-26-02

  It was so good to hear from reader, Briklyn, about the birds she sees in her area. Those little finches could eat lots and lots of the tiny seed mix. It is very expensive and they waste most of it scratching around and tossing seeds everywhere. I will see what I can put together for this next year, a catch tray where the seeds can fall instead of going to the ground. 

  The chickadees and tufties are busy right now. The chickadees are particularly noisy sitting high up on a power line and singing happy loud tunes. The wrens rarely come up to be seen at the window, ignoring even the small seeds to search for the little bugs when they do visit. I had found a pair making their nest in a round plastic plant protector. The tube measures about 4 inches across and the entire length is probably 18 inches but it sits atop a fence post. I saw the little bird coming out one day and sure enough, the cutest little nest, so nice and neat. He fussed at me 'til I moved away. 

  There are still a lot of sparrows but few of the crowned sparrows and usually there are many at any time of the day. There are no birds that come up at night. The cardinals will come up to the seed trays until almost dark. The hummers can be seen in the almost complete dark coming up to sip but after dark, it's hard to say. The inside light shines on the window table so I know nothing comes up this close. Before Puppy, raccoons and opossums would visit at night drawn up by the seeds leftover. 

  I have started keeping a big pan of water and puppy's wading pool about 100 foot from the house in a very shaded area under lots of trees. The roadrunners that would come up from that direction are probably getting their water there instead of coming up to the yard where I can see them. Several years ago, there was a hawk that would come up and take a bath in the big water pan ever afternoon in the worst of the heat. Such a sight! Much bigger than even the blue jays. We seem to have several varieties but he was the only one to visit and give me a close up view from my window. It has been a long time since I've looked out to see a bobcat in the yard. That's a sight I don't miss. Beautiful as they are, I'd rather set up a camera and attract them to a spot distant to our living area. Then, I could take lots of pictures. 

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05-14-02

  It may just be that the little hummers are busy tending their nests but many fewer are at the feeders. There is still lots of frenzied activity with all the extra noises that are their talk. Lots of wrens this year. They go over absolutely everything looking for little bugs. While I was out in the garden planting seeds, I looked up to see a wren going into a cylinder that had been put on the top of a fence post. Sure enough, the little bird had the neatest little nest down inside. There would be no protection from the rain. I must get the birdhouse gourds ready and outside for them to use. They love them and will usually move in within moments of the gourds being put out.

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05-03-02

  The goldfinches have not been back but there have been more red winged blackbirds. Have seen no blue jays in about a week now. Saw a roadrunner about a week ago.

  Watching the hummingbirds, the little males will spar and flash their entire bib a bright red at each other. It seems more of a play than meanness or fight for territory.

  Still seeing lots of sparrows (all different kinds), the wrens, the chickadees, the tufties, the cardinals. These are all resident staying year round. We are looking forward to watching the parent cardinal bring the babies (brown beaks) up to the window table to learn where all good seeds come from. Many grasses grown in the wild where they will learn to forage. As the babies get bigger, they get a mottled orange/brown beak. They cry for mom or dad to feed them and at first get fed but then are expected to get their own. So cool!  

 The ants are invading everything especially the hummer feeders. They get in and cannot get out. I have to dump them outside so I don't stop up the kitchen drain. What a mess. 

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04-23-02

  The turkeys have been coming up trying to get to the water pans but puppy won't let them. He won't chase them but he won't share his yard with them. There are at least a dozen hummingbirds now. We've added one more feeder and put it far away from the other two. It had taken off the congestion and eased the fighting. The scene is so busy with bird activity that it is most difficult to concentrate on work. I have recently noticed that the hummingbirds have a red bib but it is not a red so much as it is a bright pink color. I would like to get pictures of different birds because it looks like they have different shades of pink to red colors. None of them look like anything I've ever seen in any bird book.  Haven't seen any goldfinches in two days now. For most of the winter, we had about a dozen. 

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04-04-02

  The blue jays are still here and it is warm enough for them to be bathing in the big water pan. Such a cool sight to see! I have continued to put out small seeds to keep some of the goldfinches around. Not as many but still about a dozen. The mix of small seeds is too expensive! Maybe someday! I’d like to see if they will stay year round.

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04-01-02

 The first hummingbird showed up begging for some sweet nectar. After I put out the feeder, it was only about an hour before he was back to sip. The next day, there were three and  many more every day.

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01-01-02

  Oh so very cold a start to this New Year. We were treated to an inch of snow that disappeared by afternoon. As usual when it does snow, the birds go into the feeding frenzy mode. They demand that I come tend their feeders and water pan which is frozen. Their needs are simple and they are easy to please.

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   I have made other references to the window behind my desk. It measures 4 foot by 8 foot and allows me a panoramic view of the yard from the seed table built up at window level off to the chicken coop and beyond. Many times I have looked to see a bobcat, neighbor’s dogs, and many wild birds. It is always distracting and that is a good thing. So often I read where a writer is stuck in a dark corner lit only by the glare of the monitor. I hate to use my sewing machine when it must be set up in one of those horrid dark corners.

   These notes will remain at the bottom of the page and update notes will be added above.