Backyard Birds for cats and people to enjoy! North American birds you and your cat will love, Blue Jays, Cardinals, rare Painted Buntings, rare closeups of the Brown Thrasher (State Bird of Georgia) and more.
This solitary Brown Thrasher has been hanging out in the wood behind the backyard all winter and is becoming my favorite bird. It is the State Bird of Georgia and considered common in some areas of the south, but here it is a rare bird that is typically only seen in the cooler months. The Thrasher has a very expressive face and eyes has become a bit of a Backyard personality, often sparing with the Blue Jays who think they rule the yard. Perhaps it will try and find a mate this spring. I'm slowly teaching it to eat out of my hand - may take awhile. It is seeing some of the Blue Jays eat from my hand and not liking it - but not trusting enough yet. In the meantime it is coming quite close, but staying safe just inside the heavy brush allowing for some great closeups! Stay tuned.
Extreme close-up of a Tufted Titmouse and Black Capped Chickadee taking turns at a bird seed bonanza provided high in the forest of the Great Smoky Mountains when a Dark Eyed Junco arrives and decides to stake its claim to the whole seed pile. A game of "King of the Mountain" ensues and in the process the greedy Junco spills more seeds than it can eat. Of course it will clean them up on the ground later.
This rough looking Painted Bunting arrived yesterday in central Florida about 5 to 6 weeks early. I have never seen one before about October 17th-24th. This appears to be a young male in the middle of molting. Typically we never see a molting bird as they do not depart their northern haunts until done molting. Believe it or not - this rough looking Bunting will become the most spectacular looking songbird in all of North America this fall. See: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v8-TUzAV4A4 for an example.
I finally created a channel trailer for the companion YouTube channel for this blog - Backyard Birding...and Beyond! It's sort of a greatest hits sampler to give people an idea of what the channel is all about and hopefully entice them to watch and subscribe. It is made up of short clips from 23 different videos. If nothing else I hope it is an entertaining three minutes of nature enjoyment.
This is the text that accompanies the video on YouTube -
The home of wild Eastern Screech Owls...this is Backyard Birding ....and Beyond! Sharing original HD videos of birds and Nature in general observed in our backyard and in our travels. Our goal is to capture the unique moments when creatures interact naturally or reveal something unusual. Sometimes funny and cute, beautiful, or surprising and shocking, but always real, wild, and original. New HD videos are uploaded each week and Eastern Screech Owls are live each spring. Also free bird-call ringtones! A companion blog - Screech Owls...and Nature is at: http://screech-owls.blogspot.com . Thanks for visiting - Adventure is as near as the Backyard! If you like what you see please subscribe, comment and share to help support our work.
Video: Eastern Towhee Fledglings Learning to Scratch For Food
Eastern Towhee Fledgling
Towhee's are on of my favorite backyard birds they display a unique personality and sing their hearts out all day long. Two young Eastern Towhees recently fledged are learning to scratch for their food just like their parents. You can hear one of the parents calling continuously nearby - they have one of the more distinctive calls of eastern U.S. birds. The fledgling were still being fed by the parents at this time.
Video of their Dad making the classic "Drink your tea..." call.
The companion YouTube site to this blog: Backyard Birding ....and Beyond ! has been updated with a new look and a new channel description -
The home of wild Eastern Screech Owls...this is Backyard Birding ....and Beyond! We love to share original HD videos of birds and Nature in general observed in our backyard and in our travels. Our goal is to capture the unique moments when creatures interact naturally or reveal something unusual. There is much going on in the backyard ecosystem and you'll find it covered here. Sometimes funny and cute, beautiful, or surprising and shocking, but always real, wild, and original. New HD videos are uploaded each week and Screech Owls are live each spring. Also free bird-call ringtones! If you find the channel entertaining please subscribe, comment and share to help support our work. A companion blog to Backyard Birding ...and Beyond is at: http://screech-owls.blogspot.com . Adventure is as near as your Backyard. Thanks so much for visiting!
"Any glimpse into the life of an animal quickens our own and makes it so much the larger and better in every way." John Muir
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The new YouTube format is easier to program and easier to navigate. Any comments are appreciated. Next up a channel trailer!
Young Red Shouldered Hawk Intimidated By A Mockingbird
I was treated to a rare sight the morning of March 28th when a young Red Shouldered Hawk was perched in the Chinese Tallow Tree overlooking the backyard looking to snag a bird for breakfast. A Mockingbird who along with the Blue Jays act as the security guards of the backyard quickly spotted the inexperienced young hawk out in the open and proceeded to attack it and chase it off. This is common behavior, but not easy to catch on video. Had to act fast and shoot through the window. A raptor at rest is at a distinct disadvantage when attacked in the roosting position or even in the air, in this case the fast and nimble Mockingbird is safe when on the offensive and in close quarters. Hawks take unsuspecting prey such as Mourning Doves where there is an open area and they have a chance to build up speed. Below are two photos of mature hawks that frequent the backyard. Blue Jays will often do a pretty good imitation of a hawk call and can be particularly nasty in small groups.
