First, a quick pass through Allen Brothers Marsh yielded a calling
sora, but no visuals on it.
When I got home this evening, the feeders were a bit busy.
After yesterday's Eastern Towhee, the surprises continued. Under the
feeders this morning was a Brown Thrasher. It showed up again when I
got home and I was able to get a photo of it.
There was also a FOY ruby-throated hummingbird at our feeders today.
Got photos of that as well. Also included were gorgeous looks at a
rose-breasted grosbeak and a tufted titmouse.
A real treat for me this afternoon was an American Redstart which
just showed up and started bobbing about in the brush near the
feeders while I was waiting for hummingbirds. I can not tell you how
much work I've put into getting not very good photos of redstarts, so
to be presented with such a solid look at one was a real treat.
Finally, the orioles have been coming in a bit over the last few
days, but never while I've been in a position to take photos. So I
tried something that a friend of mine said has worked for her. I
tried calling one in by whistling out my own mimicry of its call. I
didn't think it was working but about 90 seconds after I'd stopped,
one showed up and presented itself in the tree. Then it landed on
the feeder pole. I expected it to go for the suet, which is what
they ate a lot of last year.
That's not where it was headed.
Several years ago, we had an oriole feeder that the orioles never
touched. Hummingbirds were at it a lot, but never an oriole. We
eventually replaced it with a hummingbird feeder that worked
perfectly well.
Today, the oriole landed on the hummingbird feeder.
These birds just don't know how they're supposed to behave.
Photos at http://juliesmagiclightshow.com/_2008-05-08.php
--julie
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