Wednesday, March 24, 2021

Kentucky Spring Time 2021 For The Birds Is Coming



Springtime is just around the corner here in Kentucky. The temps have moderated with the nights staying cool but the days going into the 60's - 70's. This is the time that birds love to sit high in the trees early in the morning and sing their songs. Some of them are in the process of choosing a mate and building a nest to raise a family. I have six Bluebird nest boxes up so I expect to have several pair nesting. I have had three pairs coming to the dried worm feeder for the past three months.The Goldfinches are slowly changing their drab winter feathers to a beautiful Gold. The Woodpeckers are still hanging around feeding on the suet at the feeders. The Downy, Hairy and the Red-bellied all raised families last year so I expect they will soon start their rituals soon. The Purple Finches, the White-throated Sparrows, Pine Siskins and the Slate-colored dark-eyed Juncos are heading to their breeding grounds up north. The Cardinal Red has not been this bright for many months.The Eastern Towhee that normally feeds alone is now feeding alongside his mate. As of this date the Hummingbirds(according to the migration report) have made it just south of Nashville and are around Huntsville, AL. They should be here in a couple of weeks so I'll be getting the feeders ready to put up. The Orioles should be right behind them so I'll put their feeders up right after. the House Finches have not been around lately so I assume that they are off building nests and getting ready to raise a family. The Wild Turkey males are doing their puffed-up strut and gobble call to try to attract a female. The females just walk past them and don't seem to even care. 



                                            Eastern Bluebird - Female 

                                                   Eastern Bluebird - Male 

Eastern Bluebird - Female 

                                            Eastern Bluebird - Female 

                                                 Eastern Bluebird - Male 



                                                     Cardinal - Female 


                                                        Cardinal - Female 


                                               Downy Woodpecker - Female


                                                               Pine Siskin 
    


                                                     Wild Turkey - Female


                                                              Song Sparrow 
                                                 Eastern Towhee - Female 

                                                       Wild Turkey - Male 


                                             American Goldfinch - Male


Cardinal - Male 

                                                  Carolina Chickadee 


                                              American Goldfinch - Male


                                                  American Goldfinch - Female


                                              Pileated Woodpecker - Male


                                                  Eastern Towhee - Male 


                                                   Eastern Towhee - Female 


                                                       Wild Turkey - Male


                                            Red-bellied Woodpecker - Female 


                                                           Purple Finch - Male 
                                                             White-throated Sparrow 
                                                                House Finch - Male 
                                                             Yellow-bellied Sapsucker 
                                                             House Finch - Male 
                                                                  Carolina Wren 
                                                       Slate-colored Dark-eyed Junco 
                                                                  Tufted Titmouse 
                                                             Purple Finch - Female 
                                                         Downy Woodpecker - Male
                                                              Red-shouldered Hawk 
                                                       Pileated Woodpecker - Female 
                                                          Hairy Woodpecker - Male
                                                                       Fox Sparrow 
                                                        Hairy Woodpecker - Female 

  
 

Monday, January 18, 2021

 Kentucky Winter Birds 2021


This has been an unusual winter with a lot of rain, cold and snowy days. We have had four days in a row of snow and accumulations of one to two inches. The snow has really encouraged the birds to come into the feeder area. There were flocks of 30 to 40 Goldfinch and 30 to 40 Pine Siskin at times early in the morning. The tray feeder was so full of birds that there was no room to fit another bird. I included dry worms on the platform feeder and it encouraged the Bluebirds to come in. There are six of them at times on the feeders. The weather outlook is for more of the same into February. 


Wild Turkey 

Cardinal - Female

House Finch

Cardinal - Female

Dark eyed Junco

Eastern Bluebird - Male

Dark eyed Junco

Cardinal 

Platform Feeder 

Purple Finch 

Purple Finch 

Cardinal - Female

Eastern Bluebird

Purple Finch 

 

Cardinal - Male

House Finch - Male