I do love those Red-shouldered Hawks. I've gotten some great close-up photos right in my own backyard. They don't scare off easily, so I find them easy to photograph! Nice natural shot, Becky!
I work 5 days a week, so I am not able to watch the feeders during the morning/day most of the week. I had been noticing the small seeds in the finch/bunting feeder was all but completely gone by the time I got home in the late afternoons. (I fill it each morning before going to work.) I assumed that the Grackles or squirrels were getting into that feeder and raiding it. Well, today I have been watching and it is in fact the small birds actually on a feeding frenzy! They must be fattening up for the northward journey to their breeding grounds. I was amazed at how many Indigo Buntings, Painted Buntings, Goldfinches, and even a few Cardinals were constantly at that feeder. I am sure there are at LEAST 20 birds constantly coming back and forth to this feeder. I did see an occasional Grackle and Blue Jay and also a Pine Warbler, but the majority of the birds were the very birds I wanted to attract! I video-taped much of the action, too. (But haven't had the time yet to create a YouTube video to upload.) Here are just a few photos of some of those birds. Most of the Painted Buntings were banded. (Probably from my yard earlier this Winter.)
I also saw 2 immature male Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and at least 1 adult male. One was color-marked, so I know it was "My Buddy". The other 2 were not color marked, so they are birds that were not around when the bander was here or have been around and are seen more often using my sugar water feeders. Most of the birds I am seeing are males. So they have not yet left to head north, but many have almost completed their feather molt into their beautiful new breeding feathers! The males typically head north first, which has not happened here yet from what I can tell.
Not sure what this bird is in the following two photos. Anyone know? A female Indigo Bunting or something else entirely?
