Exploring the Backyard (Easter Week)

Pip watching the birds Easter morning

On Easter morning, Pip and I were sitting at the kitchen table and our attention was drawn to the multiple birds flocking around our feeders outside our windows. With our stay at home orders, explorations must occur closer to home. Over the course of the week, I kept track of the birds in the backyard, counting seventeen species. 

A male house finch

House Finch – By far the most common bird at our feeders is the house finch, a social bird that congregates as small groups just outside our kitchen window. I watched a male pluck a sunflower seed from the feeder and place it in a female’s mouth, which is one of the mating rituals among house finches. The cats, especially Pip and Coco, like to sit on the windowsill or dining room table and watch these small active birds. While they do not stir as much excitement as some of the larger birds, such as the mockingbirds, Coco, in particular, intently watches the coming and goings of the house finches. Originally from the western North America, the house finches were introduced to Long Island, New York in the 1940s. It was estimated that approximately 100,000 house finches were captured in California and shipped to pet shops along the east coast in contravention of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act. When word got out that a major raid by federal government agents was about to happen, set the birds known as Hollywood Finches free. Since that time, the bird has spread throughout the east coast of the United States.

Northern Cardinal – I always enjoy seeing cardinals in the winter, with their bright colors standing out against the snow and dun-colored foliage. Last week, we found a dead female cardinal on our front porch. She was a beautiful specimen. It looked like she had died midflight, perhaps flying into our sidelight windows.

White-throated sparrow

White-throated Sparrow – These are cute little birds, with a small bright yellow spot on either side of their beak. These sparrows are usually only in our part of Pennsylvania during the winter month, but with cooler weather several have stuck around. There are two variations of the white-throated sparrow, either white or tan stripes on their head. Studies indicate that the birds primarily mate within their variation. Although the white-striped version is more prevalent in our backyard, I have seen at least one pair of tan-striped sparrows around our feeders. 

Northern Mockingbird

American Crows – I hear several crows high above when I am filling the bird feeders, but they mainly inhabit the trees that a fair distance from our house. On Saturday morning I watched a blue jay and crow battle it out between the trees that line the railroad tracks in the back.

Carolina Wren – Watching a specific wren, I noticed he would fly to the bottom of the bushes and then would hop from hop from branch to branch to make his way to feeders. I suspect that this feels safer than exposing itself to potential predators.

Other species observed this week: White-breasted Nuthatch, American Robin, Common Grackle, Mourning Dove, Northern Mockingbird, European Starling, American Goldfinch, Black-capped Chickadee, Blue Jay, House Sparrow, Downy Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker.  

Coco watching a female house finch, up close and personal