So far this year I’ve had Baltimore and Orchard Orioles at my grape jelly feeder. There is also a pair of Grey Catbirds nesting near the feeder and they also like the jelly. The occasional Rose-breasted Grosbeaks also stop at the jelly feeder. The Orioles are not happy when other birds are feeding at “their” feeder.
Baltimore Orioles
Orchard Oriole
Grey Catbird
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
A few weeks ago the first of the summer birds returned. More summer birds have returned. Normally these birds return withing a day or two of one another. This year the grosbeaks returned first. The hummingbirds followed a couple of weeks later and then the orioles a week after that. Right now there are eight orioles at my feeder.
Baltimore Oriole
Ruby-throated Hummingbird
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
The Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are eating most of my sunflower seeds.
Helping the Grosbeaks are the American Goldfinches. They are also eating most of the thistle seeds.
At the start of summer the Baltimore Orioles were absent from the feeders while they raised their young. They have now returned with their young.
Red-bellied Woodpeckers have been at the feeders all summer eating suet, sunflower seeds and grape jelly.
Downy woodpeckers have also been at the feeders.
The Grey Catbirds have a nest near the feeders and spend a lot of time eating grape jelly.
Mourning Doves spend a lot of time under the feeders cleaning up the mess.
Northern Cardinals are around year around.
This spring two birds have turned up at my feeders that I have never seen on the farm before. The firs photo is of an Eastern Toehee. When it first turned up I thought the Baltimore Orioles had returned but I was wrong. A pair of Toehees spend their time feeding on the ground and running from under the feeder to a bush that provides shelter. The second bird is the Yellow-rumped Warbler which also turned up a few weeks ago. There are a number of them and they seem to like to feed on the suet.
A bird that I have not seen for several years also turned up at the feeder last week. The Red-breasted Nuthatch used to frequent my feeders and finally returned after an absence.
I still have lots of White-throated Sparrows around. Fortunately they are ground feeders and seem to do a good job cleaning up under the feeders.
Last week the male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks returned. I have not yet seen the females. The only spring birds that have not returned are the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and the Baltimore Orioles.
Rose-breasted Grosebeak
We had several storms move through yesterday. After the storms moved through I enjoyed watching the birds. The Baltimore Orioles seemed to have problems staying dry ad did the female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks.
Last week I saw my first Chipping Sparrow at my feeder.
Chipping Sparrow
Yesterday the first of the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks returned.
Rose-breasted Grosebeak
I have a number of birds at my feeders. They Grey Catbirds have been around and are raising their young in a pine tree near the feeders. They have been battling the Blue Jays most of the summer. Apparently the jays go after the eggs and young of other birds.
Grey Catbird
The goldfinches have been absent for much of the spring. I have no idea why but they have returned recently to feed on the thistle seeds.
American Goldfinch
The Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have been around most of the summer and have recently returned to the feeders with their young.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
The Baltimore Orioles were absent while they were raising their young. They have recently returned to the feeders in large numbers with their young.
Baltimore Oriole
I have a few Chipping Sparrows around the feeders from time to time.
Chipping Sparrow
It is not just the orioles that like grape jelly. I continue to find a variety of birds at the jelly feeder.
Grey Catbird
Rose-breasted Grosbeak
Baltimore Oriole
A couple of Grey Catbirds have been hanging around the feeders. They generally don’t feed except they do have a sweet tooth for the grape jelly I have out for the orioles. I’ve noticed they also have a problem with the occasional Blue Jays that come to the feeder. I can always tell if there is a Blue Jay around because of the posture of the Grey Catbirds.
Grey Catbird
Blue Jay
Large numbers of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are currently at the feeders.
Rose Breasted Grosbeak
There are a fair number of American Goldfinches around. This is a change from the spring when they all but disappeared from my feeders.
American Goldfinch
The House Sparrows continue to appear at my feeders. The past few weeks they had their young with them and now the young seem to be feeding on their own.
House Sparrows
The orioles have started to return to the feeders. They were here in large numbers and then left to raise their young. Now that the young are getting ready to fledge they have started to return. I would expect that they will return with their young with the next couple of weeks.
Baltimore Oriole
The Downy Woodpeckers are around feeding on my suet. I have regular suet out that I got from the butcher shop but they much prefer the more expensive peanut butter suet.
Downy Woodpecker
On May 5th I saw my first Grey Catbirds of the season. They have been hanging out near my bird feeders and evergreens in front of the house.
Grey Catbird
On the 6th of May I noticed that the Baltimore Orioles and the Humming birds had returned.
Baltimore Oriole
Ruby-throated Hummingbird female
Today I noticed that the female Rose-breasted Grosbeaks had returned. The male grosbeaks returned last week. I also saw an Indigo Bunting at the feeder this afternoon.
Rose-breasted Grosbeak female
Indigo Bunting
