Thursday, April 08, 2010

Our Ghost and Someone's Been Scalped!

For the past few years we have a had at least one Gray Catbird hang around until late in the season. Some years there are more than one and I would like to think they are breeding somewhere in the back brush but I have never been able to confirm it.

Just when I thought this year's version had flown off it appeared on the back deck all quiet-like.

Gray Catbird

Seems to be the new routine. Stay out of sight all day and then pop out to grab a few snacks, a drink of water, and then back into the shadows.

Gray Catbird

It always gives me a little glance and hops around before disappearing.

Gray Catbird

Meanwhile, back at the kitchen feeders, a Red-winged Blackbird showed up. My oldest boy spotted him first and remarked that it had white on its head. I grabbed the camera to check and it turns out not to be white but feathers on the top of its head are missing!

Red-winged Blackbird

Seems like our little friend got scalped somehow.

Red-winged Blackbird

Appears to be healthy otherwise. We wish him a speedy recovery.

1 comment:

Chantal Larochelle said...

Aw. Poor thing. Hope he gets better soon. Lovely shots by the way.