Wednesday, November 22, 2017

New Garden Visitors

It's always exciting to see new birds at the feeder.  This year I was lucky enough to have three varieties that I had rarely even seen before here in the garden!

male Rose-breasted Grosbeak
I had only seen a Rose-breasted Grosbeak once before this year, stopping by the bird feeder one autumn on its way down to Central or South America for the winter.  This beautiful fellow, however, spent all summer here this year.


A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak also frequented my bird-feeder this summer, so I assume they were nesting nearby.

female Rose-breasted Grosbeak
I didn't spot any babies, but young Grosbeaks look so much like their mother that it is often hard to tell the difference.


In September, I had another new visitor to my bird-feeder: a Baltimore Oriole.  I believe this was a female, though immature males oftentimes look similar.  Isn't she gorgeous?

Baltimore Oriole
Orioles have always lived and nested nearby, but I rarely see them down from the tree tops.  My previous attempts to tempt them with jelly and fruit all failed, and this is the first time one has ever checked out my bird-feeder... 


...though since I never saw her there again, it might also have been the last.  I might try the jelly feeder again sometime, as they are such stunning birds.


The last new visitor to the garden stopped by my porch one rainy October day.

Eastern Phoebe
Probably sheltering from the rain, this Eastern Phoebe hung out here for a bit.  Even though I knew they were in the area, I had never seen one in my garden before.  It didn't go for the bird-feeder, but it did find something it liked!


Eastern Phoebes aren't known for visiting feeders, but they often nest near humans, building their nests under eaves or porches.  Maybe I'll spot more next summer?


It was so great to see some new feathered friends in the garden this year.  Here's hoping that some of them come back!

As always, happy gardening.
And for those of you in the States,
may you and your families have a wonderful Thanksgiving!


19 comments:

  1. What a beautiful assortment of visiting birds! They are all gorgeous, but yes, the plumage of the oriole is phenomenal. You've captured so many wonderful photos. Now you've inspired me to put my bird feeders up. :-)

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    1. In the past sometimes I've taken the feeders down for the summer, but I realized I missed seeing all the baby birds and left them up this year. I'm glad I did!

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  2. Happy Thanksgiving!

    As Karen said, you're inspiring me to put up a birdfeeder.

    I saw a rose-breasted grosbeak for the first time here too this past spring, but I don't think I've ever seen the oriole or the phoebe. I'll keep my eyes peeled and hope to see them someday...

    Happy Thanksgiving!!

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    1. I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving, Aaron! And happy bird watching!

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  3. They are all wonderful birds, especially the Rose-breasted Grosbeak. The Baltimore Oriole is hard to miss with its vibrant color. I hope for you that they will become frequent visitors to your garden.

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    1. I do hope they come back! Next summer I'll have to try the jelly feeder again for the orioles.

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  4. We only get orioles passing through in the spring when they visit the quince blossoms. It is always a special treat to see (and hear) them!

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    1. I didn't know they liked quince blossoms! I just added one to the garden last year, though it is on the far side of the house where I am unlikely to see them enjoying them. They do come down to eat the aphids that my birch gets every year, but other than that they seem to stick to the tree tops.

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  5. Wonderful photos! The oriole is beautiful. I'm looking forward to doing more bird-watching this winter. Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving!

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    1. We did! I hope you and your family had a wonderful Thanksgiving as well!

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  6. We see the Rose Breasted Grosbeaks most years, but only for a short period in May. The Orioles show up in May and stay through the summer. They love jelly and oranges. Unfortunately other birds also learn to like jelly, so our house is a midwestern hotspot for grape jelly consumption.

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    1. Ha! When I put out my jelly feeder, it did attract the catbirds, which were fun to watch. Unfortunately it also attracted the ants, so I need to figure that problem out if I want to put them up again. Hopefully if I put it up again, it will attract the orioles!

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  7. The only time we see Rose-breasted grosbeaks is occasionally when they come through in May. The phoebe looks frickin adorable.

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    1. I didn't know phoebes could crane their neck back like that before this one showed up. It is a cute little bird!

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  8. So encouraging to see the birds appreciate YOUR garden. You have completely adjusted to the different climate by now?

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  9. Hi, Indie!
    I've not seen your blog for a long time and I'm here again. I see you know so many species of birds. Lovely photos!
    Nadezda
    http://northern-garden.blogspot.ru/

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  10. So nice to see Red House photos of birds. It has been a long time...

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  11. Hi Indie, loved the photos of your birds, especially the Rose-breasted Grosbeak and the Oriole. I have never seen those birds in my garden, but we do have Eastern Phoebes, who nest each year in the crook of a gutter downspout attached to our house. I enjoy their chirping outside my bedroom window.

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  12. Very exciting to see new and very handsome/beautiful feathered visitors in your garden.

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