Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Birds

We had a light snow today and the birds finally found my feeding station! I had not fed them much since spring and I wasn't sure if I would see very many of them this winter. Usually I have quite a few doves and dark eyed juncos but I have only seen one of each. I am sure they will find their way here when we get a heavier snow.

I hadn't seen many cardinals since last winter, but today I saw five females and two males, (at one time).

I'm so glad they came back! Not seeing cardinals during the winter would make me very sad indeed.

Once again this year I set up the swing frame as my feeding station. I wrapped it with fake greenery and also some branches from real Christmas trees.

It is next to the patio so the birds come right up to the house. From the warmth of my kitchen, I can stand at the sliding glass doors or sit at the table and take pictures and read. The pictures aren't as crisp since they are taken through the double pane glass door, but I'll take that trade off, especially on frigid days like today!

I only put a handful of peanuts out for the blue jays every day. I wait until they come to the house and start making a racket for their food, otherwise the sparrows eat them and I can't afford to feed peanuts to the house sparrows too.

It is pretty funny watching the blue jays when the peanuts are gone! They look so perplexed and they hang around all day hoping for more.

I am a little late but I wanted to wish you all a very....

12 comments:

Angie said...

Your photos are wonderful---those Cardinals are so VIVID! I would never know you were shooting through glass if you hadn't said so. They really are most excellent. Love the way you set up your feeding station...and the basket for the peanuts is a great idea. :) Wishing you a wonderful new year.

Penny from Enjoying The Simple Things said...

Your photos are so lovely! Happy New Year to you also.
Penny

Anonymous said...

Here in Colorado, we don't get cardinals. It's delightful to get to see yours.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Happy New Year to you too Robin. I could tell your pictures were taken through the window. I take lots of those. :) They are still very nicely composed and I so enjoy seeing birds at the feeder.

Ruth Hiebert said...

Your feeding set-ups perfect. I love all those pictures and seeing the Cardinals is such a treat.
Happy NEw Year to you.

Wendy@Once upon a rose haven said...

Happy New Year to you and yours! Very lovely photos. Thank you for sharing with us those beautiful birds. I especially love chickadees, my husband just carved his first one.
Blessings,
~Wendy

Unknown said...

There is nothing like the sight of a cardinal on a cold wintry day - we have a family that visits daily - outside my kitchen window like you - I sit and take pictures hoping to catch one of them at just the "right moment".

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Fabulous pictures, Robin... I knew that you had a similar set up to ours.. Our feeders are on the deck --and I can stand inside the glass doors and get pictures... I'll post some bird pictures next Friday (14th).

Hope you all had a fabulous Christmas and New Year's.. Loved reading your Christmas Miracle story... Made me cry-but I'm glad the family did 'connect'.... God Bless all of you.

Hugs,
Betsy

Cindy Garber Iverson said...

Oh what a visual treat! I just love your photos. It's so neat to see the cardinal and jay photos because we don't have them here. Our scrub jays are not nearly as fancy as yours. I always thought it would be wonderful to see cardinals in the garden in all their brilliant glory. Lucky you!

Cindy at Rosehaven Cottage

Indie said...

Such gorgeous pictures! I love watching the birds out my window. That's awesome that you have them trained to come ask for food!

Kerri Farley said...

These are wonderful! They make my heart sing!

Unknown said...

Its so delightful to have birds coming to your garden.