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Led-belly

Led-belly is a beautiful male Red-bellied Woodpecker who has been a frequent yard visitor for the past couple years. He loves the suet feeder and the woodpecker blend in the tube feeder. His lovely bride is Mrs. Led-belly. 
 




Mrs. Led-belly

Mrs. Led-belly is the wife of Led-belly, and they are a lovely Red-bellied Woodpecker pair. Mrs. Led-belly is very vocal. She announces her arrival before she comes in for a landing on the suet feeder. She's also aggressive - she will fight off the Starlings and Downy Woodpeckers so she can dine in private!




Redbaby

You guessed it. Redbaby is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Led-belly. In 2007, they produced another Redbaby, and in 2008 they produced this new little male baby who LOVES suet! He was coming to the feeders regularly and doing great. We will miss you, little Redbaby! Come back and visit us.




Common Grackles

Common Grackles are frequent visitors and have also nested in the yard during the spring for 4 years in a row now. As of June 2009, we have one new baby. Grackles are some of my favorite birds with their gorgeous, shiny black iridescent feathers and their piercing eyes. I love their harsh calls too!




Red-winged Blackbirds

Beautiful Red-winged Blackbirds have nested near our yard for 3 years in a row. We had one or two babies last summer. Usually I see adult or juvenile males, but once the babies are hatched and fledged, the females become more frequent at the feeders.




Black-capped Chickadees

Black-capped Chickadees are frequent visitors to the yard in the fall and winter. Sometimes I see them in spring and summer as well, but mostly when it is colder. For the most part, they are quite tame. One even clung onto my hand as I was putting the refilled tube feeder back onto the hanger.




Blue Jays

We have many Blue Jays who come to the yard every morning to steal the peanuts I throw out for the squirrels. They always end up getting about half the stash each morning. Some take two or three at once. For the third year in a row, we had families nesting in or near the yard, and last summer we had SO many babies that there was a constant whining and begging for food from the parents outside. Blue Jays are my favorite birds.



Wrenifer

Wrenifer is a Carolina Wren who nested in the yard in the fall of 2008.






Starlings

OK, I know they are nonnative birds, but these babies are adorable! And what can you do? They come around no matter what, so I try to appreciate their beauty.






American Goldfinches

Almost year-round visitors, American Goldfinches are loving all the thistle seed available to them in the yard. I have two sock feeders and two upside down tube feeder that are designed specifically for Goldfinches. My high count for this past winter was more than 125. 
 
 



White-breasted Nuthatches

Each fall and winter, we usually have a few White-breasted Nuthatches visiting or nesting in the yard.





White-throated Sparrows

During each fall and winter, we always see cute little White-throated Sparrows, who usually hang out with some Juncos and the occasional Song or (rarer) Chipping Sparrow. They love to scratch around under the suet feeder over by the main three feeders.





China

China had been in the yard for 2 years or so. The only reason I knew her from all other squirrels was by her raccoon-like tail coloring. She had a ringed pattern on her tail that distinguished her from others. Unfortunately, the tail was somehow injured, and it simply hung on the ground from the middle of the tail to the end. But she seemed to do well even with the injury. We haven't seen China since about the summer of 2008, but we hope she is running around out there somewhere.



Other Squirrels

There are many squirrels who live in and near the yard. Some are easily distinguished by certain markings; others are not. Here are a few photos of some.






Mourning Doves

Mourning Doves love our yard. This spring's high count so far is 14 in one day. They are here year-round and enjoy feeding beneath the main feeders or just walking around and seeing what they can find. 
 




The Pigeons

The Pigeons live near the yard in a highway overpass. Also, a nearby resident used to breed them, and many still live in the old coops. The coop birds are pure solid white and very large. Some have interbred with the wild flock. Yes, they create a lot of chaos and eat much of the food, but they have come to be part of the yard family. We've learned to embrace the Pigeons and appreciate the many color and pattern varieties.



Downy Woodpeckers

Many Downy Woodpeckers frequent the yard. This past winter we had 4 or 5 that were regulars at the suet feeders, but this spring it looks we we are down to one pair.
 





Harry

Harry is the camera-shy male Hairy Woodpecker that has been coming to the yard for about two and a half years. I have never seen Harry with a mate, but if I were a female Hairy Woodpecker, Harry would be my #1 man.





Boyd and Betty


Boyd and Betty are a pair of American Robins that have nested near the yard for the past four springs. The first year they had a few babies that fledged, but last two years I did not see any young ones around the yard. Maybe the fourth time around will be the charm!



Nina

Nina is one of a few feral cats who frequents the yard. Being a cat lover and a bird lover, it is difficult to walk the line here. I leave a water bowl out for the cats, the squirrels, and small birds. Others use the main bird bath. Nina is fed by my neighbors. We have tried to trap and neuter her, but she is so smart that she cannot be caught. So she has had many litters, most of which we catch and neuter and find homes for. Nina is black and white with a black button nose.


Jeeju

Jeeju is a tabby cat with a lot of white patches on him. He was successfully trapped and neutered by my neighbors. He's a gentle boy who likes to sleep in the sun on the wood chips in the yard. He likes to play with the squirrels and chase them, but he never hurts them (and vice versa!). Although I've seen him scare the Pigeons and chase some birds occasionally, I've never seen him actually catch and kill one. He is also fed by my neighbors.


Tom
Tom is a big tabby cat who constantly looks like he's been roughed up. His head is HUGE. Mostly I see him just passing through the yard. He never really hangs out much.

Mr. Shrubs

I suspect Mr. Shrubs is one of Nina's sons. He's a gorgeous, small, dark tabby. Bob named him "Mr. Shrubs" because he is constantly hiding in the shrubs under the bird feeders, waiting to scare the birds. Mr. Shrubs is the only cat who appears to actually WANT to catch a bird, so I shoo him away whenever I see him. He is fed by my neighbors too.