Thursday, January 30, 2014

Snowbirds.......................

All these birds and more visited the cottage yesterday. All appeared ravenous, the snow covering their usual breakfast, lunch, and even dinner as not much melted in the day long below freezing temperatures.  
I went to my bird book and found that wrens, when their usual little insect delicacies are unavailable, love peanut butter, as do many other birds.  I mixed some with shortbread (Walker's of course - only the best for my feathered friends!) crumbs and scattered them about. 
My porch rail, and the old fountain, were soon a favorite place, not only for our pair of 'live-in' Carolina wrens, but for many of the smaller birds.
This morning I've just repeated the feast as they are already out there hunting around for food - it's such a great feeling knowing one can help these precious little creatures when the weather is harsh.

Carolina wren - one of the pair who sleep on the porch 
nightly in the hanging basket.

Male red-bellied woodpecker cleaning out the feeder.....Bob 
is out there refilling daily.

Sweet tiny chickadee.......year round they bring much joy 
to our garden.

The visiting pine siskin nibbling a sunflower seed -
very like a sparrow with touches of yellow.

The tufted titmouse, one of many who frequent the garden. 

Again, my sweet wren who, with its mate, will hopefully 
share a new family with us come Spring as they have 
for many years.....eat and be healthy little bird!

'Mr. Cardinal' as we always refer to the always cheery 
bright red male - there are about a dozen who bring 
their ladies to enjoy the feeder.

Another pic of my wren nibbling the peanut butter 
coated crumbs.

All these photos were taken through the dining room window....a lot of time spent standing very still as birds seem to see every move you make! No special lens used - and only my point and shoot cameras (the Olympus and Nikon) set on auto, I didn't even take time to get the DSLR out!

Next time...........the snowy visitors to the back garden!


15 comments:

  1. You are so kind to your feathered friends! I don't have any feeders here because our neighbors cats roam our property. If I could figure out how to put one up that would keep them safe, I would. I would so like to help them out.

    xo
    Claudia

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  2. Seriously? You captured those amazing photos with your point and shoot through a window? Wow, I am beyond impressed and inspired to try harder with my point and shoot. I am enjoying your photos immensely, Mary and do appreciate you sharing the method you use to capture such beauty.

    You (and Bob) are so sweet to care for our feathered friends so lovingly.

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  3. Wonderful photos ! I was just looking out the kitchen window at the bird feeders. Blue jays, wrens, sparrows and there was a red Cardinal the other day .. I love my bird viewing in the morning with my coffee :)

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  4. Fabulous captures! You have a very steady hand! I tried to be sweet to the little fellows with cookie and bread crumbs and peanut butter. It wasn't long before the squirrels took over and now come to my door (literally) to beg for food. I wish that I could afford to take care of them all.

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  5. I want to come and visit your porch Mar.

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  6. You got some great pictures of your sweet bird visitors. Those little wrens are so sweet. I love watching the birds at the back deck and feeders. I looked out yesterday and counted 5 red squirrels on our property!! We had one, then two and I guess they invited their friends as well. They sure like the bird seed that gets scattered on the ground.

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  7. Thank you so much for sharing these fabulous photos of your birds. I love birds and love feeding them but am missing the tufted titmice, the chickadee, and the nuthatch this year. They are so special, but alas, they are not around here now. Occasionally, but not in the winter, we have Carolina wrens.....I love to hear them sing!
    Might the "pine siskin" be a white-throated sparrow?
    I'm looking forward to your back yard birds.
    Farm Gal in VA

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  8. Mary, I was going to comment about the crisp color and quality on these amazing photos when I read that these were taken through glass with your point and shoot. Incredible! I'd never bother with another camera if this is the high quality form a point and shoot. Thanks for sharing these gorgeous images. These photos are worthy of a book on bird identification. Phenomenal detail!
    Hope you are staying warm, my friend.

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  9. Your birds are just beautiful. I think I would be sitting quietly by this window all day long just watching them.
    The only one I can capture closely from my window is the Ana Hummingbirds. The other birds go to feeders
    to far from the window. Yes, the hummers notice when we move inside the house too. Even Joey will stand
    very quietly to watch them. Aren't they just a delight to our souls?

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  10. Oh, my!

    Your bird photos are just beautiful. We are awakened every morning by a symphony of birds in our neighbor's tree, but we never see the birds.

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  11. Such adorable birds congregate at your place. The sweet chickadee is my favorite. So kind of you to care for them in the snow.

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  12. Your photos are beautiful! I always have a difficult time getting shots of birds. -Carla

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  13. What wonderful photos - great clarity Mary.
    I love the little wren and I can even see the markings on his delicate little legs.
    I hope he builds his nest here again and we can see the chicks come Spring!

    Shane xox

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  14. Oh they are all wonderful - wonderful - wonderful!

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  15. Aren't they precious?! Great photos!

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