by Larry Jordan
on February 1, 2009
White-breasted Nuthatch photo by Larry Jordan
The White-breasted Nuthatch is the most widespread nuthatch in the Northern Hemisphere. You will find these busy little birds scurrying down tree trunks and around branches looking for insects anywhere there are deciduous forests. They are year round residents from southern Canada to northern Florida to southern Mexico.
My favorite thing about the White-breasted Nuthatch is that they visit bird feeders! These guys love sunflower seed, suet and nuts fed in a nut feeder like this one.
You can hear them anytime they come into your yard by their loud calls that sound like a “tin horn.”
If you have deciduous trees near you, chances are you can attract these energetic little birds to your yard and enjoy their abundant energy! Enjoy some other great Camera Critters photos too!
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by Larry Jordan
on January 29, 2009
Snow Geese In Flight Over Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
It is so amazing to watch the Snow Geese as they arrive in the California Sacramento Valley as they have for thousands of years. The Sacramento National Wildlfie Refuge Complex are islands in a sea of agriculture that represent the single most important wintering area for waterfowl along the Pacific Flyway.
The Snow Goose as well as ducks and swans migrate here by the millions from as far away as the Arctic regions of Alaska, Canada and Siberia, where they breed on the arctic tundra. They travel in high-flying flocks that may number in the hundreds. You can hear them from far away as their voices fill the air until you can actually see them in their typical V formations flying high overhead.
Their courtship displays and pairing, however, take place right here at the refuges during the goose’s second spring migration. There are many areas in the U.S. this behavior can be witnessed as the waterfowl travel all four major flyways, the Pacific, Central, Missippi, and Atlantic Flyways.
I hope that every single one of you has the opportunity to witness this amazing yearly event during your lifetime. It is truly a beauty to behold.
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by Larry Jordan
on January 26, 2009
Oak Titmouse In A Photinia Bush photo by Larry Jordan
The Oak Titmouse is a very cute little bird belonging to the tit family Paridae. They are found in the Oak and Oak-Pine forests from southern Oregon, through California , to Baja California. One of their most endearing qualities for me is there many calls and chatter. My favorite call sounds something like; snibit, snibit, snibit, usually in three consecutive notes. But they have many other calls you can hear, here.
Oak Titmouses pair up usually in their first year and mate for life. They are the first cavity nesters here in Northern California, finishing their season, usually before the Western Bluebirds begin. You can see some of my photos of their chicks in the nest here.
The favorite food of the Oak Titmouse are spiders and insects captured from the bark of the tree or hawked in mid air. They also take readily to suet feeders and they love sunflower seeds which they take one at a time from the feeder, up to a tree branch, and pound them open to extract the meat.
I am curious to know how my favorite little tit compares to the Tufted Titmouse of the east. If you have any experiences with the Tufted Titmouse, feel free to share.
If you love bird photographs, go see some more great captures at Bird Photography Weekly.
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by Larry Jordan
on January 24, 2009
Western Bluebird and House Finch Atop a Nest Box
I had the opportunity to do some birdwatching in my Mom’s backyard last weekend while we were in the Sacramento area. I caught this interesting pair of birds atop this bluebird nest box I built for my Mom last year.
The male Western Bluebird is most likely staking claim to, or at least, investigating this site for breeding this season. A pair of Western Bluebirds fledged at least five young from this very nest box last year. (I’m not exactly sure how many birds fledged because I was unable to be down there when they took flight, and my 90 plus, year old Mom was afraid to harm the birds by opening the box. She’s a sweety).
The House Finch, on the other hand, is most likely simply looking for food and thought this location gave him a good bird’s eye view of the yard. House Finches will usually build their nests in cavity openings in buildings, trees, or bushes, or one of their favorite places, hanging potted plants! See the nest in my neighbors hanging planter here. They will build nests in nestboxes but, living out in the country, I have not had any House Finches build nests in my nest boxes.
Enjoy the birds where you live and to see some more great critter photos, go visit Camera Critters!
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