The Zen Birdfeeder

One Hour, One Window

Just an hour to watch the birds while eating breakfast and reading the paper before heading to the store.  It was a fairly quiet bird morning with the greatest activity from the Purple Finches.

Here's what I observed between 8:30-9:30am and will report to eBird:

1. 11 Purple Finches
2. 9 Mourning Doves
3. 4 Black-capped Chickadees
4. 3 Blue Jays
5. 2 Dark-eyed Juncos
6. 2 Hairy Woodpeckers
7. 2 American Goldfinches
8. 1 Tufted Titmouse
9. 1 Red breasted Nuthatch

Later in the day, the BIRDCAM caught images of jays, doves, and goldfinches at the birdbath.  Here's a jay bathing amongst the raindrops.

More on my BIRDCAM in a future post...stay tuned.

One Hour, One Window 6-30-07

I haven't had a One Hour, One Window post for awhile, so here goes.  I actually only had 1/2 hour this morning before heading out to the store.

White breasted Nuthatch on WBU Advanced Pole System®

I didn't have time for many pix but here's who visited in that short 30 minutes of time:

American Goldfinch
Blue Jay
Black-capped Chickadee
Red breasted Nuthatch
Downy Woodpecker (taking loads of suet back to the nest)
Hairy Woodpecker (with young!)
Purple Finch (also with young)
Rose breasted Grosbeak (male)
Northern Cardinal (male)
Mourning Dove
White breasted Nuthatch

White breasted Nuthatch at the suet log

And lots of chipmunks and Red Squirrels, one who was nice enough to pose for a picture!

What do you see in One Hour from One Window at your home?

One Hour, One Window 5-18-07

This is my 2nd edition of "One Hour, One Window", a recap of the birds I observed within just a One Hour period of time through One Window (alright, one side) of the house.

Another great One Hour report, 22 species in all, including one very large, special visitor:

• Mourning Dove
• Blue Jay
• Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (lots!)
• Gray Catbird
• Downy Woodpecker
• Black Capped Chickadee
• Purple Finch
• American Goldfinch
• Dark-eyed Junco
• White Crowned Sparrow
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Ruby Throated Hummingbird
• Chipping Sparrow
• Canada Goose (overhead)
• Hairy Woodpecker
• American Crow (overhead)
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Tufted Titmouse
• Yellow-rumped Warbler (heard)
• American Robin
• Red Winged Blackbird

And our special guest, a Northern Goshawk!

The goshawk showed up on the power pole twice within a 10 minute period of time.  Couldn't get the digiscope set up in time though.  This is one big bird!  Find out more at WBU's rightbird Online Field Guide.

Share your "One Hour, One Window" observations anytime on The Zen Birdfeeder!

One Hour, One Window 5-11-07

I only had an hour or so to watch the birds today before heading to the store. But things were active! It's amazing all you can observe in a short period of time over Starbucks Sumatra coffee and a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.

So today's post will be the first of a new recurring post that I'll call "One Hour, One Window". I'll share the birds and bird behavior observed during a One Hour time period from inside my house through just One Window.

From 7:30-8:30 this morning, I enjoyed 20 birds at my feeders and in my yard:

American Goldfinch
Chipping Sparrow
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Black capped Chickadee
Mourning Dove
Downy Woodpecker
Ruby throated Hummingbird
Nashville Warbler
Tree Swallow
Blue Jay
American Robin
Purple Finch
Tufted Titmouse
Red-winged Blackbird
Commom Grackle

First sighting of 2007:
Rose-breasted Grosbeak (male and female)
Grey Catbird

Heard, but not seen:
Pileated Woodpecker
Eastern Phoebe
Yellow-rumped Warbler

The Nashville Warbler has been here a couple days, and this morning was gleaning insects off the leaves of the rosa rugosa.  The Nashville is bright yellow underneath from throat to belly, greyish head, olive back, white eye ring, and no wing bars.  I did get a view of the chestnut cap which is described as sometimes hard to see.  Interesting factoid: despite its name, the Nashville Warbler does not breed in Tennessee. 

We welcomed the return of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  Both male and female fed from the tray feeders.

The characteristic "mew"-call alerted me to the presence of the catbird; sure enough, a pair were sighted in the corner of the yard.

Grey Catbird eating WBU Fruit Cakes Dough 2005

What a great morning! Its amazing all you can see in a short period of time when you just look and listen to the nature in your own yard.

Let me know what you see in "One Hour, One Window"!