If you sit quietly they will come...
When I look out the windows of my home I see a flurry of activity in my garden as the birds flutter around at all the feeders. But as soon as I step outside they retreat to the trees at the perimeter of the garden. Watching and waiting...
Cardinal (female) and Hairy Woodpecker (female)
Cardinal (female)
Cardinal (male)
Downy Woodpecker (female)
But if I sit quietly they soon decide that the intruder (me) won't cause them any harm and they soon return to foraging.
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
Downy Woodpecker (male)
American Goldfinch (female)
An unusual sighting was this yellow-bellied sapsucker (male). The photo isn't sharp as I was a good 40 feet away but I wanted to show it since it is highly migratory and not one of the birds I see regularly.
The Great Backyard Bird Count is next weekend, February 17-20. Click here to get your tally sheet with a list of birds you are most likely to see in your garden in February. You can observe birds at any location for as little as 15 minutes for one day. Or all day, each day. Be sure to submit your findings on line at the GBBC website.
Lovely photos and I definitely don't get that many birds. Hopefully in a couple years as my shrubs all grow up.
ReplyDeleteCher Sunray Gardens
Providing places for them to perch, nest and take cover definitely brings in more birds. I hope you will get more visiting your garden soon!
DeleteI took pictures of just about the same birds this morning. Happy bird count.
ReplyDeleteI will be at my in-laws that weekend so I will do the count in south Mississippi. It will be fund to see if I can spot some different birds than in my garden.
DeleteWe have the same birds! I'm hoping to attract a Baltimore Oriole this spring. :o) I've seen chickadees band together to drive away larger birds. Tough little birds!
ReplyDeleteA Baltimore Oriole is a rare sighting in North Georgia. They are such pretty birds. I hope you get them to come to your garden. My mother puts out jelly and they love it!
DeleteYour bird photos are lovely! I enjoy watching the birds forage at the feeders as well. They make me smile with their antics. I printed out my tally sheet a couple of days ago and am looking forward to counting away...
ReplyDeleteThe birds are really comical. I especially like watching the mourning dove. They just waddle around chasing each other from one end of the garden to the other. And they often try their best to eat from the feeders but they are too big and don't realize it.
DeleteNice pictures. We share the same birds in our respective yards. I'm excited to see you mention the GBBC. It's one of my favorite citizen science projects. I can hardly wait until next weekend!
ReplyDeleteI hope to see more birds this year with our mild winter...great shots!
ReplyDeleteHow wonderful to have so many different birds - and to be able to see the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. I hope he sticks around for your bird count!
ReplyDeleteWow, you have so many bird visitors. The downy woodpecker has a great expression on his face and seeing cardinal photos always makes me gasp. Not sure why.
ReplyDeleteThe male Cardinals just pop against the winter landscape. I think they look stunning!
DeleteThanks for posting the link...I hope to participate. Interesting, how we have so many of the same birds!
ReplyDeleteSame birds up in our neck of the woods. You have some beautiful photos and waiting is really the way to go. Nice poses too.
ReplyDeleteI'd been debating whether to wait until spring or not to set up some bird feeders but this made up my mind. Too bad it is dark outside or I'd do it this very minute!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting us know about the Bird Count! I have had so much fun watching the birds at my feeders! You have some beautiful shots, especially of the cardinals. When I take pictures of cardinals, they always look really grumpy!
ReplyDeleteWow, you got some excellent shots! That was so entertaining. I'd love to participate, but for some reason the birds have been scarce in our backyard lately. I think we must have a big owl or some other predator back there. I love this post!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a plan!
ReplyDeleteI'd really love to do the bird count this year. Sometimes I hear them here, but they can be difficult to spot with all our trees! I love the photo of the little Tufted Titmouse, they're such adorable little birds!
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