learn to identify 25 local birds by sight and song

For now. I just don’t have the energy or desire to work actively on this.

I learned the red-wing blackbird today. The male at least. The females look like every other bird around.

Well, these guys were not here last year, but are now. And welcome welcome, I say to you.

Quite friendly. They’ve been perching by the chum’s swing and decorating it.

Kew kew chirpa!

One of the benefits of the pond and its watercourse is bird bathing. Today one of these hard to identify, mostly brown birds took a nice long bath so I could look back and forth at him and the birding guides and feel sure.

Chip chip

A refresher

The Rufous Hummingbirds never left apparently. Neither did the Turkey Vultures. And the Canadian Geese have ben much in evidence all winter – less now.

The Red Tailed Hawks are back and nesting again and engaged in a turf war with the Scrub Jays.

I’ve seen the American Crows other places, but not here. I think they don’t want to get into the turf war.

In the walnut tree, I’ve been seeing the Juniper Titmouse, the Northern Flicker, and another woodpecker who I thought I had identified last year, but see I haven’t.

The Barn Swallows are back as are the Northern Mockingbird (the dear musical nutjobs!) and the House Finches.

So who are all these lbbs and medium bbs everywhere? And what’s that other woodpecker?

Back to work, I guess.

I’m having trouble getting myself to activly work on this goal.

I think I”m going to start a bird journal and write down all the dates, times and activities of the birds that visit my yard. Hopefully that will get me motivated as I have to look them up each time.

By site and song:
1. Crow
2. Humming bird
3. Malard
4. Canada Goose
5. Seagull

• Robin
• Stellar Jay
• Great Blue Heron
• Bald Eagle
• Red Tale Hawk (only from the back while perched)

I want to do this again.

It’s not like I’ve figured out all of the birds out there. Mainly I’ve got the big birds and a few of those who stay still in the garden.

But yay! Part one of the giant life goal of Know the natural world where I live or whatever I’ve poorly phrased it as, is complete for now.

Thanks for rainy days and the birds moving slowly as they pick up seeds! For once I’m positive about an identification.

The difference between these guys and the House Sparrow is the eye stripe – White Crowned have the black, white, and black stripes above the eye – while the House just has a brownish eye stripe.

Also the White Crowned has a lot more mottling on the wing.

The song goes – do-dicky do do Kind of. Well, doesn’t it?

Finally definitely identified these guys this morning. Black legs and yellow beak.

I love watching them fly by. When will it rain again so we can get a lake and all those waterbirds in our view? Hmmm?

Their sound is terrifying and also like the sound you make when you brush your tongue.