Birding While Doing Yardwork

Spring is here and finally time to do a little yard work We are fortunate enough to be a bit of a more native plant people so we don't have to waste water on lawns and we can often make it for about 6 month before doing real maintenance. Once the rains return, however, everything erupts before your eyes. Most of these shots are not great but just observations as I was busy out back and watching the birds flow in as I cleared the front and back yards.

I took down the growth in the front yard first as that is the first to get strong sunlight and then moved to the back. Once I mowed down the random weeds, I filled the bird baths and filled the feeders for the first time in quiet a while. I also tossed out a few raw peanuts for our Blue Jays and it didn't take long for them to take advantage of the spoils.



So ya know, I have the camera out there in the back just in case I can capture something as I work after the dust settles. Comes in handy when a secretive Carolina Wren sneaks out to grab some new food from a feeder.



As I took a break to down some water, a Mourning Dove hurried in for a bite.



When I first filled the ground bird bath, a Brown Thrashers quickly flew in to take a bath. I missed that photo op but soon a Gray Catbird decided to take its place and then spend some time picking at things from the newly mowed yard.



One of the other birds that take advantage of when I fill the peanut feeder is the Red-bellied Woodpecker that is, for the second year, nesting just outside our bedroom window. There are several holes now in the tree but it was quite busy with one particular one.



It was taking peanuts from the feeders a flying back to deposit them one at a time. Again, not a great shot, but I love seeing the Red-bellied Woodpeckers dropping in throughout the days.



Still trying to see if the Barred Owls are successful in raising a new brood this year but I have yet to see them. Always checking.