Birdy!
Had some nice birds today.
No this is not a bird, but it is evidence that the Loggerhead Shrike was hunting in the area late yesterday or early this morning. I saw the shrike yesterday, but there were no field crickets cached then. Today there was. Must have been a cricket day for the shrike. No new grasshoppers were on the barbs.
This was exciting for me to see the male Purple Finch in our woods. Such a pretty color! The Purple Finch has a wine cream colored streaks on its breast. The Purple Finch is winter only visitor. The House Finch (all year resident) is a similar looking fellow that color ranges from red to orange depending on its diet. The Dark-eyed Junco is the one on the left.
Then I could not believe it…a Hermit Thrush came to the water! I got to see it again on the afternoon walk over in a brushy area.
A cardinal came too! Other birds I saw today: Ruby-crowned Kinglets, Blue Jays, Turkey Vultures, phoebe, Song sparrows, Chipping Sparrows, robins, Cedar Waxwings, Red-bellied Woodpecker, kestrel, crows, and maybe a Fox Sparrow.
And one more bird….the stump owl…LOL
I love shrikes. So interesting. And i dont think ive ever seen a hermit thrush. Great finds for you today.
We saw a female Purple Finch and wondered where its flock was, looks like you had it!!
Judy, Look in the brushy underbrush for Hermit Thrushes. They like to scratch around in the leaf litter.