Birds to brighten your day: May 4

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A palm warbler rests on a wire fence in a backyard in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XIV

I spent most of the weekend working in the garden and putting a fence around a new plot I had dug a few weeks earlier. Having never put in a fence before, I was fairly happy with the results. Apparently, a palm warbler agreed as it perched on the fence less than an hour after I had completed the task. Gotta love warbler season.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

For the Birds: Romance with mealworms

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Photo by Chris Bosak A male eastern bluebird feeds his mate mealworms in a backyard in Danbury, Connecticut, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

Is there anything more romantic than shoving a few dried mealworms into your mate’s mouth? Not if you’re a bluebird.

“My” bluebirds are still coming around daily. For the past few days, I’ve watched the male feeding the female, even though she could easily get her own mealworms a few feet away. What fun would that be? Where’s the romance in that? How would she really know if he was the one?

It’s part of the courtship, of course, but it’s also fun to watch. Every time I saw them land on the deck railing together I’d wait a few seconds and, sure enough, the male would jump down to grab a few worms and go right back up to feed his mate.

I feel fortunate that the bluebirds are still visiting daily, but they won’t be using the bluebird box I purchased and set up in the backyard. They have checked it out a few times but don’t seem that interested in it. It’s not proper bluebird habitat, I admit. They prefer flat, Continue reading →

Birds to brighten your day: May 2

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Photo by Chris Bosak A rose-breasted grosbeak visits a feeder in New England, May 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XXIII

On the first day of May, “my” rose-breasted grosbeaks showed up. First, it was one male at my bedroom window feeder. Later, it was two males — both at my backyard feeding station. Welcome back! I look forward to seeing more of their relatives in the coming weeks.

Remember, always feel free to let me know via email or comment what you’re seeing.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Bonus post: Great article in Darien Times — Animals help get us through

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Susan Shultz of the Darien Times wrote a great piece about how animals (including birds) are helping people get through this difficult time in our history. I appreciate that she included me in the article. Ms. Shultz is a great writer and passionate editor for that paper.

Click here for the story. (I’m in the birdwatching part, obviously.)

Birds to brighten your day: May 1

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Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XXII

Here’s a stately photo of a female red-bellied woodpecker. Males have red extending mullet-style from behind the bill all of the way down the lower neck area. Females have less red, such as this one. A photo of a male is included at the bottom of this post for comparison.

Many people call these red-headed woodpeckers, but that name is taken by another woodpecker that truly has an all red head. Red-headed woodpeckers are not seen often in New England. Red-bellied woodpeckers are now common in southern New England and working their way up north.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.
Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker grabs a peanut from a feeder, March 2018.
Photo by Chris Bosak A red-bellied woodpecker grabs a peanut from a feeder, March 2018.

Birds to brighten your day: April 30

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Photo by Chris Bosak A yellow-rumped warbler hovers to get a treat from a feeder in Danbury, CT, April 2020. (Merganser Lake)

A Day on Merganser Lake XXI

The pine warblers swoop in and land on this apple-shaped feeder like it’s no problem. The yellow-rumped warblers, however, have difficulty and sometimes hover underneath it instead of landing on it. So I jacked up my ISO to freeze the action (at the cost of image quality) and got this shot of the yellow-rumped grabbing a suet nugget. The image at the bottom shows why it’s called a yellow-rumped warbler.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Photo by Chris Bosak A yellow-rumped warbler hovers to get a treat from a feeder in Danbury, CT, April 2020. (Merganser Lake)

Birds to brighten your day: April 29

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Photo by Chris Bosak A male northern cardinal feeds its mate in a backyard in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XX

I like this shot because it reminds me of shy teenagers kissing behind the bushes. I remember those days, even though they were many moons ago. Last week, you may recall, I posted a photo of bluebirds feeding each other. Now, it’s the cardinals’ turn. My latest For the Birds column looks at this behavior. I’ll post the column on this site on Sunday, as usual.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Birds to brighten your day: April 28

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A blue jay sits on a nest in a rhododendron bush in a yard in Danbury, CT, April 2020. (Merganser Lake)

A Day on Merganser Lake XIX

With the front door not being used as often as usual, a blue jay pair took advantage of the situation to build a nest in the large rhododendron bush right outside the door. I never even noticed the nest until it was completely built and the female was sitting on eggs. The birds don’t seem to mind when the front door is used, thankfully. Two years ago, a mourning dove pair built a nest in the bush but soon abandoned it. The blue jays seem to be seeing this one through.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Birds to brighten your day: April 27

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A yellow-rumped warbler perches on a clothesline in Danbury, CT, April 2020. (Merganser Lake)

A Day on Merganser Lake XVIII

Here’s a solo shot of the yellow-rumped warbler. Warblers aren’t known as feeder birds, but I’ve had three yellow-rumpeds and at least two pine warblers all over my suet feeders the last few days. Warblers are small, often colorful birds that winter in parts south and migrate north each spring. Some nest in New England and some pass through New England on their way farther north.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Birds to brighten your day: April 26

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Photo by Chris Bosak
A yellow-rumped warbler and pine warbler share a suet feeder in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.

A Day on Merganser Lake XVII

Here’s a bonus posting since I’ve already posted my latest For the Birds column today. I couldn’t resist posting this as soon as possible. I’ve said on this site before that warblers rarely visit feeders. That is still true considering there are dozens of types of warblers in New England and only two or three species will somewhat regularly visit feeders. Well, since making the statement, I’ve had pine warbler every day, and today, I had a pine warbler and yellow-rumped warbler on the same feeder at the same time. A warming scene on yet another unseasonably cold late April day.

(Repeat text for context:  I’m running out of COVID-19 lockdown themes so from now until things get back to some semblance of normalcy, I will simply post my best photo from the previous day. You could say it fits because of its uncertainty and challenge. I’ll call the series “A Day on Merganser Lake,” even though that’s not the real name of the lake I live near in southwestern Connecticut, it’s just a nod to my favorite duck family.)

Photo by Chris Bosak
A yellow-rumped warbler and pine warbler share a suet feeder in New England, April 2020. Merganser Lake.