I love the wheezy, breathless calls of the titmice, like chickadees with pack a day habits. Their sound is so compelling to me that I have to force myself not to go to the window to watch them whenever I hear them. (They hang around all day so I wouldn't get much done if I did.)
Yesterday I was trying for some good pictures of them. They are much wilder than the chickadees, thus harder to photograph. As I was standing under the big Colorado blue spruce, freezing my hands and hoping I blended in a bit, the most beautiful blue jay call I had ever heard rang out behind me. It was so clear and sweet and melodious, it just filled me with delight. I marveled that a bird could sound so harmonious. I didn't turn around because I didn't want to spook the titmice, but I did wonder that it came so close. Jays leave the minute I go outside as a general rule.
Then the singer flew right over my head and obligingly perched right over my head.
What a lovely blue jay!
Not.
Later, as I stood on the porch waiting for the dogs to do their thing, another set of calls rang out. Maybe fifteen red winged blackbirds flew right past the porch, chinking to beat the band. I was so excited I sang out, "Blackbirds!" and startled them so badly they turned around and headed back the way they came. We had just been remarking that morning that we hadn't seen any yet ...and there they were. We take our signs of pending spring any way we can get them.
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10 comments:
That is so funny. Not to long ago, my man said, "You know, I haven't seen a red winged black bird in a long, long time. I used to see them all the time. Not so much anymore."
Well, not being from this area, I had never seen one, to my knowledge.
The very next day we saw 3 of them while driving out of town. 3 of them in one spot. The only thing that alerted us to them, was one was flapping it's wings, and you could see the red underneath. We stop and just sat and watched them until they decided to fly away. He said he saw two more the next day on the way to work.
Beautiful birds, and your pics are great!
J.W.
I'm amazed with people that know different kinds of birds. I am such a dope when it comes to that along with MANY other things!
I love your pictures and the Titmice. We have them here and I so enjoy watching them. The bluejays are hogs at the feeders and the little birds have to compete with them. We have a new flock at the feeders this winter - they are similar to a black bird but not the same color - not pretty looking birds and they scarf the feed up in a hurry. I've looked them up on the net but haven't had any luck identifying them. Can't seem to get a good photo of them either. They sure do drive the other birds away. They hang in the big oak by the barn when they aren't in the feeders and they have a funny squawk(?) Any thoughts what they might be?
I just saw my first titmouse ever over the weekend! Such a cutie.
Great pictures of birds we never get to see!
Stunning and I just love our winter singers! The titmouse is prob one of my fave feeder birds!
JW, sounds just like here. I felt bad about scaring them. In a few weeks they will be so common their calls will be a din, but now it is a treat to see them. Thanks for your kind words
The wife, you are certainly not a dope at all. I grew up in a house full of birders so it couldn't help but rub off...and I am not so good at the hard IDs
Deb, I don't know unless they are starlings or cow birds. Starlings change their feathers often and can look quite strange sometimes.
Dani, they are the cutest little things with their big, buggy eyes and little tufts!
JB, they are both becoming quite common these days, but I enjoy them, especially the songs of the mocker
mon@rch, they are irresistible!
Will you please identify the "jay" for us?
Judith, sorry about that. It is a Northern Mockingbird. They have remarkable powers of mimicry and can fool the best of us. He sounded much better as a blue jay than the blue jays do and does cardinals to perfection. Right now his song is formed of simple copies of individual bird songs, but by summer I suspect he will have quite a medley. I simply love having mockers.
When I visit my mom in Tennessee we have 8 birdfeeders in the front yard and I happily sit on the front porch with my camera and tripod and shoot for hours. Great pics.
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