Ubiquitous Birds: Downy Woodpecker

Yeah--Finally a Downy appears on the feeder!
Much to my surprise, and after many days of there being no activity around the cylindrical suet feeder other than the North American Gery Squirrels (NAGS) trying to get at the goodies, I was thrilled to observe (and ultimately photograph) an adult female Downy Woodpecker this morning.

It was during the early morning, so unfortunately the lightening left a little to be desired and the photographs don't capture the striking colors as much as I would have liked. It is, at least, a start!

Eat up, little lady!
While those greedy, silly NAGS did eventually startle the Downy away from the feeder, she did return briefly before flitting over the fence and then into the bare branches of the tree. I certainly hope to get the opportunity to see her again as the season progresses.

Ubiquitous Birds: Mourning Doves

After loadng up our backyard bird feeders last week during the initial spring thaw (that was promptly followed by another freeze) I have been anxiously awaiting the return of any aviary activity. Upon arriving home from work today, I noticed that my wife had brought out the binoculars, a positive sign that could only mean that something was going on in the backyard.

It helps to listen for the song of the Mourning Dove as they blend into the bleak spring dusk.
Looking outside into the yard, I noticed a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) picking away at the seed that had fallen to the ground beneath the hanging cylindrical feeder. After retrieving my camera, I made my way outside and observed that the Mourning Dove had moved to the low hanging wires running along our back fence and had been joined by a friend.

Clearly used to city livin', it proved little challenge even for a lumbering
oaf like me, to "sneak" up for a closer shot.
Hopefully this welcome return of the ubiquitous Mourning Doe is a precursor of exciting things to come!

Ouch!

Without much luck attracting birds to my backyard feeders,
I've resorted to viewing oddly shaped animal crackers...
While getting to the bottom of a small bag of vending machine animal crackers during work yesterday, I came across this melded cracker--stinks to be the owl (and probably not too many laughs for the elephant)!

Early Spring?

While I was finally raking up the leaves left untouched beneath inches (and inches) of snow this past winter, the distinctive "cheer, cheer, cheer" song of the Northern Cardinal echoed about the yard. It took a few minutes of careful listening, but I eventually found him hiding in the bare ranches of neighbor's tree.


Each year a different family of birds moves into the nest under the soffet of our home, an area visible by the patio. For today, at least, it appears as though a black-capped chickadee was scouting some new digs.

Getting Ready!

One of the surest signs of Spring's return to upstate New York is the re-emergence of fully stocked bird feeders to neighborhood backyards. This is not to suggest that folks don't offer up feed to bird in the winter months, but rather that the increased viewing potential of the Spring and Summer months means a more concerted effort to attract some of the seasonal locals.

For me, this also meant that I had to clean up our feeders before restocking them, especially our large cylindrical wild-bird feeder, pictured to the right and left. Over the course of the winter, while we had occasionally filled it up, the moist, wet or frozen seed had become caked deep inside--Yuck!

With the beautiful weather last weekend, I had hoped that by cleaning and refilling all three of our bird feeders (two cylindrical--one for Nyjer and one (pictured) for traditional wild bird seed, and suet ball dispenser)the yard would see the return of our aviary visitors.

The first few days things were slow to pick, but by Friday, despite a temperature shift of minus 20+ degrees, it was clear that seed had been being eaten, only I was not around to see it. While I could auditory pick-up the occasional early morning chatter, leaving when it was dark out for work, precluded my ability to actually "see" anything.

I remain confident of better fortunes his weekend!

Checking in with the Lake Riley Heron

The Lake Riley Heron's empire as it appears from the bank.
Note him, surveying the area from atop the small bouy in the center
of the lake (and photo).
For the second consecutive week, I stopped by Lake Riley at nearby Cobbs Hill Park on my way home from getting coffee to see if the Heron was home. It was a little later in the morning this weekend and there was already a fair degree of activity in the park, with the baseball diamond adjacent to the "lake" beginning to fill with teenagers for what appeared to be a summer league game. This did not seem to bother the Lake Riley Heron, who by this time is likely used to all the hubbub that comes with hanging around a popular tanning-playing-hanging body of artificial water.

Eventually the sun breaks through the momentarily overcast
skies to reveal our subject in a bright light.

A Lake Riley Heron Returns!

He's ba-a-a-ack!
After an absence of nearly a year , my last post regarding the original Lake Riley Heron was posted in July 2009!), a THE NEW Lake Riley Heron made a triumphant return this morning. At around 5:15 a.m. when I ran by the darkened lake I thought I saw something, but was unsure until returning nearly 90 minutes later with my camera and spotted him at the center of the lake.

There had been an observed absence of ANY herons from the lake's waters for quite a while as a result (I think) of a spring fish kill which left the bird's food supply (uh... fish) dead. Following what I can only assume was a re-stocking of the small artificial "lake" it would appear there are enough to warrant at the very least a spot for the lake on the heron's travel itinerary.

When I first returned to the parking lot, the heron had found a perch
at the center of the lake.
Patience is rewarded as, after waiting 10 minutes, the heron sets off
for the near (to the parking lot, and therefore, my location) bank.
The heron, up close an personal--with "friends" who unwittingly
provide some scale for his (her?) size.