For the Birds 3-12
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Finally, it sounded like a beautiful spring day outside this afternoon—Sunday, March 9. The robins were singing up a storm—I hope not literally. The Red, Red Robin is bopping along.
I am still seeing several winter birds at the feeders. Of course, a couple of starlings have arrived, trying to get all the suet they can eat. A starling can be mistaken for some kind of blackbird if you don’t know what to look for; it usually—or almost always—has a yellow beak.
I am always tempted to save drippings from hamburgers, etc. I have had good luck feeding this as long as they don’t know I’m doing it. This worked well last week until the weather warmed up. If they become a problem at your feeder, discontinue suet for a while. They also like cracked corn.
Another visitor I am seeing right now is the American goldfinch. They have come out of the thickets, along with the robins. In the winter, their plumage is subdued, which differs considerably from the bright yellow of the male in the summer. This time of year, they are almost a khaki color or dull green.
I also noticed a couple of house sparrows today. I have some Eurasian tree sparrows as well, which look much like house sparrows but have distinctive markings. Their brown is a little brighter, and they have a distinct brown dot on each side of their face.
I am still enjoying downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, flickers, a few cardinals, dark-eyed juncos, purple finches and more. Soon, it will be time to get those hummingbird feeders out and ready.
We still have quite a bit more winter or early spring to go, but time passes so quickly. Before we know it, it will be May 1. The last time I purchased bird feed, I bought only 25 pounds so I wouldn’t have to carry any of it over.
The last two weeks, many days have been so windy that it was hard to keep any food in my feeder. Most ended up on the ground. I know we are expecting warmer temperatures in the next few days. However, this time of year often brings the fear of stormy weather. I hope this doesn’t happen.
I know everyone is like me—anxious to get outside.
Until next time, happy birdwatching.
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