Birds Around the House

ruby-throated hummingbird

   We live in southeastern Vermont, surrounded by deciduous trees, conifers and open fields, our elevation is just below 1000 ft. I leave feeders up year round (more on the perils of this later in the post).

chipping sparrow with nesting material

   As soon as Gerry got his new camera (Canon EOS 7D with 100 - 400mm zoom) and started reading the manual, he began shooting. We're lucky to have a great spot for a nice variety of birds.

eastern bluebird

   For the second year, bluebirds have nested in a house, I can hear the nestlings squawking when I walk by.

tree swallow

   We always have tree swallows nesting.

house wren

   House wrens always return to their usual house.

pine siskin

   Two pine siskins have been around for a while, they usually head further north to breed. Not sure if they nested here though.

male red-bellied woodpecker

  New this year is a pair of red-bellied woodpeckers coming to our suet feeders everyday.

evening grosbeak

 Also a pair of evening grosbeaks returned, hopefully to nest. We rarely have them here at all.

Blue Jay

purple finch

scarlet tanager

   This was a rare treat, I kept hearing the tanager singing and hoped he'd come closer so Gerry could get a picture. I looked out the window and he was right on the bird bath.

   I know it's recommended to take the feeders down in the spring because of bears. I take them in at night and put them back out in the mornings, so I thought I had the bears fooled. Bears have a sense of smell that's 4 times better than a dog, so there's no fooling them. This guy arrived at 7pm.