Backyard Bonanza

Today was quite the day for visitors to the backyard, despite the fact that I refused to refill the six now empty feeders only one day after they were all bursting with seed. (For small birds, pine siskins are absolutely voracious.) Nonetheless, the bright but chilly day, the spilled seed on the ground, the dregs in the mesh nyger sock, and the heated birdbath attracted quite the menagerie:

• Cedar Waxwings
• Pine Siskins
• Lesser Goldfinches
• American Goldfinches
• American Robins
• Mourning Doves
• Eurasian Collared Doves
• House Finches
• Cassin's Finches

Despite the fact that the ducks did not come calling today, I don't believe I've had a birdier day in the backyard. And there are amazing observations that accompany such a flock...

• You never know when, nor for how long, a unique visitor will appear. I happened to be working at the dining table this morning, and while doing so I'd moved my chair to easily see the feeders and watch the fun. I was astonished to notice a small flock of cedar waxwings alight in the trees bordering our northern fence, and even more astonished when they came into the yard to visit the birdbath. They were only there for a few minutes, and if I'd been working in my office on the other side of the house I'd have been none the wiser.

• Water is an irresistible attractor. Every one of the bird species that visited today stopped for a sip from the concrete birdbath, but the cedar waxwings and American robins weren't the least bit interested in the available seed. If you truly want to attract the widest variety of species to your yard, you definitely need to have water available. And this was just from a still birdbath (and one that was none too clean at the time) - I can hardly wait to see what happens in a couple of weeks when the new fountain is installed.

• The smaller the bird, the bigger the attitude. The pine siskins are some of the smallest to visit my feeding areas, yet they are the most vicious and temperamental of the entire mixed flock. They will snap at other birds, including other siskins, as well as beat them with their wings and engage in spectacular aerial dogfights (birdfights?) complete with an unrelenting barrage of buzzes, chirps, and chatters. The result? A momentary monopoly on the feeder - almost invariably the nyger sock - until another siskin decides to take on the challenge for feeder dominance.

The most important thing to learn from so many visitors, however, is that there is always something new to observe and you can always care for every bird. Every day I'm amazed at the birds that will make eye contact with me, chirp at me, and even buzz me while I'm refilling the feeders or scrubbing the birdbath. While some may think they're simply being territorial and reacting to a perceived menace, I believe they do recognize me and our fondness is - at least at times - mutual.

That, or I simply need to refill the birdfeeders more often. Happy birding!

Life List Latecomer

After some meticulous observation and a lucky coincidence of visitors, I've added another bird to my life list. Initially, I believed I'd only seen lesser goldfinches, common in the west, at my feeders. In the past few weeks, however, I've been a regular stop for a flock of what I now know to be American goldfinches in their winter plumage.

At first, I'd assumed that the winter plumage of the lesser goldfinches was what made the American goldfinches more dull than the brilliant canary yellow they prominently display in spring and summer (first mistake, never make assumptions - lesser goldfinches do not molt so boldly). What should have clued me in are the white wing bars, which are far more prominent and clearly defined than any markings on the lesser goldfinches. Yet just recently, I spotted what is unmistakably a male lesser goldfinch, complete with his brighter plumage and scruffy black cap, feeding alongside the muted finches. As they were feeding beneath my niger feeders (and you wouldn't believe the mess I'm going to have to clean up in the spring), I noted a very discernible size difference between the two species. A bit of cross referencing later, including the note that American goldfinches are notoriously unfaithful to any particular feeding spot which would explain their sudden and sporadic appearances, I've concluded that my backyard has now been discovered by both species of goldfinches.

It pays to observe birds carefully. What you at first believe to be one type of bird may actually be something very different, or you may discover that what you've been assuming were two different types of birds are actually different genders or ages of the same species. While some birds do change appearance more obviously with the seasons, even small changes can be worthwhile to note and will lead to a richer birding experience. Happy feeding!

Golden Spring

Spring is golden, and so are the most recent visitors to the feeders: a pair of lesser goldfinches. While their spring coloring can be just as vibrant as the more familiar American goldfinch, their markings are a bit more blurred though no less distinctive. The surprise I've found is that they are happy to be guests at the platform feeder as well as the perching finch feeders.

When I blend seed, I typically use one part wild bird mix (the doves prefer most of those seeds), four parts black oil sunflower seeds, and one-half part niger or thistle seed, since the house finches are wildly attracted to the perching tube feeders despite the fact that they are just a shade too large for comfortable perching. Much to my astonishment, the lesser goldfinches have enjoyed probing on the platform feeder to find the niger seed that spills there.

You can see the size difference between the two species quite clearly, though both have voracious appetites and the feeders empty rapidly when they share the honors of dining at the backyard buffet. On the left is a female house finch, precariously balanced, and on the right is a male lesser goldfinch, eagerly enjoying the same treat. While the goldfinches can typically perch for long periods of time and nibble continuously, the house finches tend to perch briefly when they can maintain a few seconds of balance, snatch a bite or two, before fluttering to regain their position. They can be quite territorial and aggressive when feeding at the perches, particularly when larger numbers of birds vie for the same choice tidbits, though having added multiple tube feeders this year seems to have diminished the competition. Perhaps adding niger seed to the hopper mix has also helped foster cooperation between the species and bring everyone peacefully to the table.