Linda: I think I saw one of your photo's in the past of the Goldedn-fronted Woodpecker ... that's one not seen here in Florida and it's a beauty!

J: I think spring is just around the corner for those of you farther north. I saw a few Robins here last month.

Newyorkrita said:Your new home does sound like it is in a beautiful setting.

Lin,

Do the Robins love the tree that one is in?

I have squirrel proof feeders, with the exception of the suet feeder. The squirrel proof / resistant feeders help the cost of feeding the birds. I know we were going through a lot of peanuts and sunflower seeds before. Worth every penny.

Wish a suet feeder would be made that was squirrel proof.

Lin,

Love all your pics! Keep sharing!

Those catfish looked pretty big!

Miss being in FL and all the water and birds! (even if it was a few weeks for vacation)

When the Robins were here I didn't notice them partaking of the seeds of the Bottlebrush tree but many birds do indeed seem to like those seeds!

Yesterday was absolutely beautiful here ... mid 80's with low humidity and a pleasant breeze. The college where my husband teaches is closed for spring break this week so we decided to take the boat out for the afternoon. I didn't take my camera but we had his little point and shoot so I did get a couple of pic's.
Just for you Marilyn, a few photo's to remind you of sunny Florida.

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse and a beach along the intracoastal waterway:


A mama and baby Dolphin were swimming right near the bridge where we launch the boat:


Pelican's flying about and in the water:


A few folks were out fishing and this guy was hoping for a free meal:


And, Egrets ... one atop a piling and another on some rocks beneath the bridge where we launch the boat:

First day of spring ha-ha. Still some snow on the ground here so spring has not arrived to my neighborhood. The garden still looks very bare, not growing. Looks like the birds ( and butterflies and bees) are going to have to wait for a late spring this year.

It looks like we have another cold front coming through Florida ... cooler today and the temp's are falling. It's 68º outside right now and is predicted to be upper 40's tonight. We can't complain though because we know it won't get real cold this time of year.

Gee ... I'm not sure I could ever get used to snow on the ground in mid March!

Lin,

Excellent pics!

Our high temp today was 37 and the average high for this time of the years is 55. Going to be the same tomorrow. No snow here, but just cold and very windy out of the north.

For the next seven days, the avg. temp high is going to be below the avg. temps.

Cold because the Jet Steam has dipped way down south with all that cold air for most of us on the east coast.

Lots of traffic at the suet feeder today. Besides the usual woodpeckers the smaller sparrows like the song sparrows have learned to go actually eat from the suet block instead of just picking up crumbs underneath.

I cleaned both my 35 gallon ponds today. The birds use both of those for fresh water. But leaves blow in all winter and by spring they are a rotting mess. So bail those ponds out and totally clean them. Usually I refill them right away but I couldn't today as the hose is still frozen and I can't stretch it out. Will have to wait for some warmer weather. Or maybe the rain will fill it.

My husband and I took a motorcycle ride @35 miles south of here today, to the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge. I got a couple of photo's of birds.

Great Blue Heron ..... I guess he had an itch.


Gray Catbird:


Painted Bunting, male. I couldn't get any good photo's of this one because there were too many blackbirds, cowbirds and grackles and the little buntings kept flying back into the brush:


A Pelican and a White Ibis in flight:

Beautiful Birds. Catbirds are a favorite of mine especially here in my garden Of course, they are only here in the summertime! I have never seen a Painted Bunting, at least not in person.

We only see the Gray Catbird sporadically during the winter here. At our other house I used to see Painted Buntings at the feeders during fall, winter and spring. I haven't seen those little birds in awhile. The female is greenish yellow and a bit drab but the male is absolutely gorgeous ... I call them the tiny rainbow birds. These pic's are from 2011.

Female & Male Painted Bunting:

Beautiful!

Yep, they ARE beauties! I can't wait until they come back this summer!

I wish I could attract them to my feeders again ... seems we have a LOT of Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds and Cowbirds this year, and some Crows too. All the commotion from those big birds seems to keep some of the smaller ones at bay. Here are a few that visited my yard today.

A big Grackle raiding the suet feeder and a Red-winged Blackbird waiting to get to that same feeder:


A greedy Blue Jay filling his crop with peanuts and a female Brown-headed Cowbird in the tree:


A Mockingbird grabbing a raisin:


Downy Woodpecker came to visit this morning and another this afternoon:


And, a tiny Palm Warbler blending in:

Lin

Loved all your pics!

What do you have in that red hanging tub besides peanuts and raisins?

Don't you have squirrels raiding the tub with the peanuts and the peanut suet feeder?

Lin, I love your pictures. There are some birds I have never seen. They don't live in Argentina. I like all of them but the Male Painted Bunting is awesome !!!!

Marilyn: That empty hanging basket is where I put peanuts and raisins. Yep, the squirrels raid every seed feeder and suet feeder!

Ceci: Thank you. I sure love those hummingbirds that you showed in your photo's on the other thread. We get the Ruby-throated Hummingbird here in my area but I've only been able to get pictures of the females so far. I hope this summer to see a few males and be able to get some photo's! These pictures are from last summer and are all of the female Ruby-throated Hummingbird:

The only hummingbirds I see during the summer are female Ruby Throats or maybe they are juveniles. The only time I ever saw males was during spring migration. I have tried to get pictures but ha, those things never stay still. Lin, your pictures are wonderful as always.