“Oh missus! Do you know how many wing strokes it is between here and Mexico?”
“Is a long way!”
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Male Ruby-throated Hummingbird
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Our first Hummingbird arrived on Sunday.
Later, this year than last.
Usually I wait for the first sighting before putting out the feeder. But I made up a batch of sugar water and finally hung one out.
In case they came when we were out!
Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird
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Also recently, another friend was back.
“Thank you for the sunflower seeds!”
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No sign yet of Mrs Grosbeak.
The little bird here is a lady Cowbird.
Lady Grosbeaks are brown and white with a tinge of orange. It’s the shape of the beak that distinguishes them from many similar birds.
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Mr and Mrs Grosbeak in 2020
Unless she is facing you, and if you don’t have your glasses on (Grant!) it is easy to confuse her with a female Red-winged Blackbird.
With so many brown and white birds at the feeder, it can be a challenge.
“I’m a Chipping Sparrow!”
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Male (below) and female Red-breasted Woodpeckers.
Every day now I hear a woodpecker drilling out a morse-code message on the garage gutter:
“Suet re-fill!! Please.”
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When it comes to woodpeckers, things can be quite confusing.
I think these are female (left) and male (right) Downy Woodpeckers.
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But….
There’s a Hairy Woodpecker which is larger and has a longer beak.
The outer tail feathers are unmarked whereas the Downy variety have spots.
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My one and only photograph of a Pileated Woodpecker. This was in Washington State.
Why did I not take pictures of birds in those days? There were so many!
The Pileated is BIG! And gorgeous.
We have them in New York. Just not near me.
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And there’s the Flicker. Also a woodpecker, though they eat mainly ants and beetles.
This is the Northern Flicker which stops by occasionally, but not often.
No point in saying it’s a favourite because I say that about all birds.
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Yesterday the Canada Geese were hanging out at the turf farm…
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…across the road from the Hudson.
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On our way to Clifton Park again.
Arriving at the appointed hour, I was processed immediately into my cubicle where I then waited 90 minutes to have an injection which took less than 3.
Methinks something untoward had occurred.
It happens.
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This morning, another appointment.
Afterwards I realised something amazing.
The appointment had not turned me into a quivering wreck.
Prolonged experience with previous physicians had led me to believe this was no longer possible.
Thank you, Carolyn, for the beautiful post!
Joanna
Wow, the Hummingbirds are beautiful! But of course that doesn’t mean the other birds aren’t (just in case they feel left out now – I’m not sure if they hang around to read comments on your blog) 😉.
Oh hummingbirds are way too busy!
😍
Good to hear that you are not a wreck! 🤗😻
I am jealous of hummingbirds, because we don’t have them here.
I wish we did, I would happily feed them.
Best wishes, Pete.