Painted Buntings are uncommon this far inland, and a little research indicates that they're somewhat in decline these days, too. My dad used to see them regularly when he was a boy living on the coast in Murrell's Inlet, South Carolina and I knew he'd be excited to hear about our visitor. I've taken a bunch of pictures over the last few days, and this is the best one I was able to get considering I'm sitting several feet away, behind the screen on the porch, and all I had was my camera phone. The focus isn't great, but you can really see this male's coloring at least.
We've also seen a yellowish-green female but not as often. The little male is at the feeder all day long.
Yesterday morning we got more surprise visitors at the feeder: two male and three female Rose Breasted Grosbeaks! That was a first for us. They also spent all day yesterday flying to and from the feeder, feasting on seeds. I think they're probably just migrants passing through and getting refueled as they journey North for the summer. Here's a photo of one of the males:
Isn't he dashing, with his sharp black and white coloring and then that blood-red splash of color on his breast?
And finally, I was able to film some of these feeder visitors in the clip I'm sharing below. You have the Painted Bunting who's joined by a Carolina Wren, a female Rose Breasted Grosbeak (sadly, neither of the males showed up during these few minutes....the girl is the dull colored bird with a streaky breast), and finally, a Red Bellied Woodpecker made an appearance!
I would love to see these colorful birds at my diner!!!! I had un expected visitor myself Friday night!!!!!! I will post if the picture come out.
ReplyDeletePost it!!! These pictures I posted suck but I didn't let it stop me! Hahaha! When there's a screen between you, and you have a camera phone reeeeaaaalllly zoomed in, you just can't get any quality.
DeleteI have several Red-Bellied woodpeckers here. Do they ever peck on your gutters and drain pipes? Boy is that loud!!! They always manage to do it very early like 5 or 6 in the morning. I think the whole neighborhood can hear it. I will!
DeleteI have never seen those birdies before; such colors! do you have a hummingbird feeder also?
ReplyDeleteWe do! And we've been seeing a hummingbird for a week or so, too. I forgot to mention that!
DeleteWhat a lovely video! We have had an occasional Painted Bunting show up but it's so very rare. They are truly gorgeous, aren't they? And isn't it always a surprise when a woodpecker shows up at the feeder?
ReplyDeleteWe are having quite a few hummingbirds at our place but have quit feeding the other birds for the moment because the chickens kept flapping up to the feeder and even toppling it over! They want the good seeds too.
Anyway, thank you for sharing this. What a treat!
You certainly have some exotic birds at your feeder.
ReplyDeleteBack when I fed the birds the arrival of a 'special one' seemed to make it all worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI have lots of sparrows up here and cardinals and a boat load of doves... oh, my gosh to I have doves.
ReplyDeleteHave you considered you might have nesting pair feeding babies. And if so, keep feeding them, and possibly calcium enriched seed. You can try watching them for their destination; if they go the same place over and over, there's a nest in those trees.
ReplyDeleteYou have a beautiful variety of birds visiting your feeder. I love to watch birds too and we get quite a few but I am not good with the names of some of them. I am hoping the freezing nights are about behind us so I can put our hummingbird feeder out. They are such fun to watch. We get a lot and they look like they are having sword fights with their beaks sometimes. I enjoyed your video and also hearing the birds in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteThat's great! I love the woodpecker, but of course all of the birds are beautiful and welcome visitors to your feeder.
ReplyDeleteIs it Marco I hear shouting every now and then? How does he generally react to the visitors?
Of course we never see such birds in England. Quite wonderful and thanks for sharing Jennifer.
ReplyDeleteOh, these are the birds we had at our feeders in Connecticut. How I miss that... not enough to move back... but how I miss that. We've noticed there are many less gulls around us. No litterers leaving them anything to scavenge.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful Bunting. A pair of rose-breasted grosbeaks showed up at our feeders this weekend, along with our first hummingbird who just about sucked its feeder dry in one go. Thirsty little guy. Grosbeaks usually only hang around a day or two before migrating--though with temps below normal, maybe they'll hang around a bit. North of you by several hundred miles very near Chesapeake Bay.
ReplyDeleteThey really are beautiful birds. With being forced with staying home we have doing a lot more bird watching.
ReplyDeleteWhat amazing colourful birds you have....as Mr Pud said......we don't get anything like them here in UK !
ReplyDeleteLOVE the video! I don't think I've ever seen a painted bunting in real life. That grosbeak seems HUGE compared to the other birds. Clearly your feeder is considered the prime place to be -- they're all competing for it!
ReplyDeleteI was surprised to hear an airplane (I think?) at the beginning. Our skies have gone almost entirely quiet here. I think I've heard about three planes since our lockdown began.