Bird Watching - The Self-Sufficient, No Entitlements Necessary

Watching the visiting birds to my yard is aways so rewarding and enjoyable.  I feel like I am receiving a bonus for the day with each bird, whether common or rare, that I see.

Some birds like to supplement their dining at the feeders.  I provide the food.  But,  some birds prefer to eat what nature has provided.  They do the choosing, whether it be seeds, nectar  or bugs; no entitlements necessary.  I call these birds the 'self-sufficient'.  I am not required to refill.

Hummingbirds like to extract the nectar from the most colorful flowers.  They are quick, their wings a blurr. We have a hummingbird that likes to buzz my most colorful light bulbs (marketed as Party Lights) that are strung across the back deck. The yellow and orange bulbs are enticing to the little hummers, unfortunately, they provide no nutritional value.  Occassionally, I observe a hummingbird resting - sitting quietly, no motion except for maybe a twist of the head.  Their minute bodies are so beautiful feathered in green iridescence.  Once, while I was weeding under a leafy shrub, I observed a hummingbird feeding within inches of my face.  I was well hidden, the hummingbird unaware of my presence.  I had the bird's eye view for a change.  But, most of the time, I just hear the buzz of this bird as it whizzes past me searching for its next sweet find.

The American Goldfinches, the males, are fading; their feather color, that is. Their fluorescent yellow hue of summer dims to a much more muted, somewhat greyed gold as the summer progresses into fall. These birds are beautiful either way. The American Goldfinches do stop at my thistle feeder, but they seem to prefer to feed on the dried flower heads throughout my garden - the Rudbeckia (Black-eyed Susan), the Echinacea (Coneflower) are their favorites.

 

An Eastern  Phoebe, (yes, I am finally able to identity this species with confidence) just lighted on the fence right outside my office window as I type this blog.  It sits on the board fence, flies off to grab an insect, and flies back to the fence.  I grabbed the binoculars to get a in-my-face view. The Eastern Phoebe seems to be a nervous bird - its head does not stop moving as it sits on the fence - up, down, left, right...another bird not needing any of my handouts.

I can't forget to mention  Sam and Omie, my mockingbirds.  They like to feed themselves - insects, mostly; but I do believe they sample my yellow delicious apples regularly. Siting their nest in one of the apple trees was just a bit too convenient.

Lastly, the bluebirds...ohhhh, the bluebirds.  The nearest nesting box is within feet of my living room window, so I get quite a performance when the bluebirds are in residence.  No ticket price is charged - they, too, feed on insects - a secondary advantage to their display.

Do you watch birds?  If not, try it sometime. I highly recommend the activity to any one.  I think you will be captivated.

I know I am!