I was so surprised to see this Pine Siskin at our bird bath the other day. I checked with our Bird Checklist for Cape Cod and saw that they are rare but regular in this area at this time and usually hard to find. That was pretty cool. We used to see a lot of them in Colorado, but not here on Cape Cod.
A Pine Siskin is a small finch which has a brown-streaked body with yellow patches and two white wing-bars on its wings. Its tail also has small yellow patches.
Have you ever seen a Pink Siskin? Pretty little bird…
This little Tufted Titmouse has been a regular at our feeders and bird bath this winter. It’s been so much much getting some great photographs as they sit there. We have had our share of bird species in our yard. Maybe the cold weather and warm bird bath has enticed them to visit and stay. They love to sit by the bath and relax or get a drink. Once in a while we might even see a Dove or a Robin dip infor a little bath! Brrrr….
A few days ago when the temps were hovering around 7 degrees, we had seven Northern Flickers in our yard. Two were on feeding the suet, three were on the ground scrounging around for some seed and two were pecking at the tree. It was quite a beautiful sight! I’ve never seen that many in any one place before so it was such a treat that they were in our yard!
This was one of the Flickers who was trying to get warm in the sun. I love how you can see the spectacular coloring on his body. Gorgeous bird, don’t you think?
I was taking a walk around my neighborhood last week, the only day when the temperatures were above 20 degrees, and saw these three Snow Geese on someone’s lawn. At first I thought they were the fake ones that blow in the breeze. But as I got closer, they were eating from the ground and preening. Hmmm… It looked like two parents and one juvenile. I didn’t have my camera (duh!) so I couldn’t take any photographs and I was too far away to use my iPhone. I didn’t go back because I thought they would be long gone.
Yesterday was the first day out of the teens for temperatures so I decided to walk back and see if those Snow Geese were still there… almost a week later. They were! What a surprise. I clicked away! And then went home to do some research.
I had never seen a Snow Goose before, so I was quite delighted when I read that they are very rare and irregular this time of year and not seen every year. What a treat! And it looks like two parents and one juvenile.
It was such a treat to look outside on this frigid, single-digit temperature day and see six Bluebirds at our birdbath! Wow!
We noticed a few days ago that our birdbath was not as de-iced as it had been last year. We thought it was just the freezing temps. And then yesterday, it was a solid chunk of ice. Oh no! How were the birds going to get a drink of water that is so crucial to their well-being? Everything was frozen everywhere. So, we picked up the frozen birdbath and carried it into the garage and put a little portable heater next to it. Within a couple of hours it was melted enough around the edges to get the chunk of ice out and then the heater.
We took the birdbath heater back to the store because it was still under warranty and we got a newer, better one. Within an hour, the birds were back drinking away. And then this huge family of Bluebirds came by for a drink a few times this afternoon. They also love the berries on our new Eastern White Cedar trees.
All is good in the Tulin backyard again. The birds are happy and so are we!
Cape Cod daily articles on the wonderful Cape Cod places to hike, experience and photograph. A Cape Cod Outdoor Adventure Series.
