Post your yard and pond visitors

[RobAmy]

As per request, lets have a dedicated thread for those creatures that visit our yards and ponds.

Here is another rare visitor to the stream, taken yesterday. It is a Hermit thrush

Hermit Thrush by A & R Photography, on Flickr

 

[RobAmy]

Eastern Bluebird

Eastern Bluebird by A & R Photography, on Flickr

 

[Somethin' Fishy]

Neat idea! And great pics @RobAmy.

 

[MitchM]

This is still my favorite.
I can't wait until I have my pond back up and running next year with natural plantings.

 

[RobAmy]

Neat idea! And great pics @RobAmy.

I have to give credit to @GBBUDD for the idea

 

[RobAmy]

This is still my favorite.
I can't wait until I have my pond back up and running next year with natural plantings.

View attachment 116800

This my favorite too, just awesome. I and looking forward to your pond also. Hopefully winter will clear out sooner then later for you.

 

[MitchM]

This my favorite too, just awesome. I and looking forward to your pond also. Hopefully winter will clear out sooner then later for you.

We haven't seen them in the yard since, so we must have reached an equilibrium here where we have our territory and they have theirs. Maybe some trail cams can catch them.

 

[Stephen T.]

Western bluebirds bathing.

And... How about one of the stranger ones, a female Red Crossbill!

 

[Lisak1]

I love all of these! And thanks for the reminder - I needed to fill my bird feeder!

 

[j.w]

Not the greatest camera but I think these are finches?

and this fine fellow:

Scoping out my pond:

 

[Stephen T.]

A sharp shinned hawk sometimes visits our bird feeder for a quick snack!

 

[RobAmy]

From yesterday

Pine Warbler by A & R Photography, on Flickr

 

[Lisak1]

For all you bird watching fans - do you have a favorite internet source for identifying the birds you see?

 

[Stephen T.]

I mostly depend on The Sibley Field Guide to Birds of Western North America, rather than the internet.

 

[addy1]

For all you bird watching fans - do you have a favorite internet source for identifying the birds you see?

I downloaded a app, have never used it yet, Merlin Bird Id by Cornell. Also there is ebird by Cornell. Again never yet used, but it is sitting there in case I want to.

 

[j.w]

I rely on all of you to tell me what I have bird-wise anyways

 

[RobAmy]

For all you bird watching fans - do you have a favorite internet source for identifying the birds you see?

I like ibird pro for my phone, it works well and has sounds of the birds also. I bought a book for the Costa Rica birds.

 

[Tara]

I have The Birds of America by John James Audubon. Its one of my favorite books. I look up what they sound like.

 

[Somethin' Fishy]

We always get a kick out of what shows up on the trail cam in our yard.

Melanistic coyote:

Bobcat:

Fox:

 

[Stephen T.]

How about a pair of California Quail.

We have hoards of them here, often on my morning walk around the neighborhood, I see groups of 25-75 and in the winter, we often have that many in our yard. When the powder snow is deep, they put on quite a show! They'll land on our fence, barely above the snow, then fly out near the feeder and disappear into the powder! Then the head will pop up like a periscope and they'll plow on over to the feeder.

When the snow crusts over, it is real bumpy. Then they run over the top, hurrying to the scattered seed. Many times, a hollow will get in the way and they'll face-plant, then get up and continue running. They're a riot to watch!