Hobbit Backyard Birds

I realized that I hadn't done a post about the birds in the backyard other than to say there was a feeder and mice, squirrels, a hawk, and a raccoon.

So here is a post about the birds I have seen so far in the backyard...

Blue Jay
Stellar's Jay
Western Scrub Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
American Robin
Western Tanager
Spotted Towhee
Song Sparrow
Oregon Junco
Cooper's Hawk
American Goldfinch
House Finch

It is hard to get pics of the birds while they are at the feeder because they are so quick and it isn't close enough to the door to get close up shots, but today, there was an entire herd of Oregon Juncos (about 15 of them) at the feeder for about 15 mins, so word must be getting out.

Predator At The Hobbit House

As you know from this post...the birdfeeder seems to attact more than just birds. It seems that those new residents must have now attracted even more visitors.

I was walking through my office (the room with a view of the backyard) to the kitchen and I saw something big on the fence out of the corner of my eye...I backed up to take a better look and much to my surprise (because I was expecting the large thing to be a squirrel), I found this guy hanging out.

I am pretty sure he is a juvenile Cooper's Hawk because he is bigger than the juvenile Sharp-Skinned Hawk. According to my two reference books, Nat Geo's Field Guide to the Birds of North America (5th Ed) and Peterson's Field Guide to Birds of North America (2008) the Cooper's Hawk is bigger than the Sharp-Skinned Hawk. As juveniles, both of these birds are very similar in coloring so it mostly the size that is helping me to figure out which one my visitor is.

Note that my thoughts about the field mice being the attaction might also be wrong because according to both of these books, these two predators eat small song birds as well and since I have many small birds that visit my feeder, it could be a two for one deal...

Nighttime Bliss

They are gone. Have been for the last 10 days and I haven't slept better in 6 months than I have these last 10 days. I don't have to wear earplugs and I have not been awaken by any loud fights, laughs, wood being chopped, or bottles being thrown towards a recycle bin!! It has been awesome.

It also looks like no one has started to do anything at the house to prepare it for new renters...there is still trash all over the yard and furniture that was left. Hopefully that means it won't be rented for a while!!

New Birdfeeder Residents

I was working on the computer the other day and heard a bit of a ruckus outside...birds squawking and tapping around on the patio cover. I looked outside, and there were a ton of birds flying in and out of the birdfeeder. Then I saw something on the ground. I looked closer and I saw these little guys.

They, of course, disappeared as soon as I went outside. I went back in and grabbed the camera and then found a spot near the wall and stood still for a while...and it took a bit for the birds to come back and even longer for the little guys to be brave enough to come out for some photos. But my patience paid off and I was able to grab a few shots of new wildlife at the Hobbit House...aren't they cute???