Date: 6/4/25 9:13 am From: <bruni...> <bruni...> Subject: Yard Birds
One advantage to all the rain we've had is that the birds are finding lots of bugs and worms on the lawn. Yesterday I was watching a female cardinal pull on an earthworm. I'm used to Robins doing that so I was curious. I happened to have my binoculars on the table so I watched. Since she was facing me I could see her pinch off 1" sections of the worm and eat it. Her beak moved just like it does when shelling a sunflower seed. While walking this morning we saw a Bluebird in the road dealing with a wriggling earthworm. We stopped until it had gone down the hatch and then continued on our journey.
The first bird this morning was a male RT Hummingbird at the edge of the pedestal birdbath, getting a drink. Cool. Did that a couple of times. The other day there was a Brown Thrasher in the pedestal bath while an Indigo Bunting was in the ground bath right next to it. All of a sudden the Thrasher dropped down and knocked the Indigo out of the bowl. The ground bath is the one that the Indigo prefers. A lovely Great Crested also came by as did Baltimore Orioles later in the afternoon.
I've not seen two Red-headed woodpeckers at the same time but was quite sure there was a nesting pair since I've seen it carrying suet away. Yesterday one was on the tray facing me and I could see a smudge like marking on the throat where the feathers had rubbed off. The one that has been here several times this morning does not have that. It is a safe guess that there is indeed a pair. They are not shy and hold their own at the suet cake, even running off Bluejays.
The Gray Catbirds nesting in the quince shrub are selective as to which birds they tolerate nearby. The occasional Grackle or cowbird gets chased.
The RS Hawks nest next door is really looking crowded.
