Purple Chickadee

Today was absolutely gorgeous, and there was no shortage of birds taking advantage of the weather and the food in the yard. They showed off for some pictures that can be seen below. Click on the photos for the entire album.

Well, really just a very hungry hawk! On November 7, 2010, this poor Pigeon bit the dust as an adult Cooper’s Hawk swooped down and had some lunch. Click photo to check out the slideshow, and make sure you are prepared. This gets graphic, from the hawk de-feathering the Pigeon to blood on the hawk’s beak as it eats. Enjoy!

On November 6, 2010, I was counting Juncos out the side window when I looked up on the little wooden fence and came face to face with a female Indigo Bunting. I was so shocked – she was only about 10 feet away! She was looking right at me, and I backed away slowly, so as not to startled her, to grab my camera. I saw a very slight hint of blue in her tail, but she didn’t turn again in the pictures, so I only got her from straight on. She is new yard bird species #72, and this is the Bergen County late departure record in eBird as of right now! Click the photo to go to album.

We have some unusual green visitors in the yard. Monk Parakeets have become quite the regulars at our feeders lately. The highest count has been 5 individuals, but usually there are 2 to 4 birds. Here are two photos: