G is for Grosbeak and Gorgeous Groupies

I was going to start G is for Grove Plantation today, but another G got in the way. Look at this magnificent Blue Grosbeak that is visiting the feeder! Please click to enlarge.

From the front one sees only tiny hints of his pretty chestnut colored wings.

There, now those lovely wings show. Sorry about the chain.
I never realized how white the lower mandible is! Or that they had a barred area underneath.

LOL--the sun caught the lower mandible just right as I took this shot. He's eating a millet seed--you can see it to the right and the discarded husk to the left.

From the sublime to the ridiculous--a Cowbird! But I'll have to admit that he doesn't look half bad here.

Our state bird, the Carolina Wren, stopped by too. She has three young fledglings following her around today.

Mrs. Painted Bunting waiting her turn at the millet. She was banded last summer by the painted bunting study guy from the PBOT of the DNR.

And of course, the piece de resistance, Mr. Painted Bunting. You can see why his old name was Non Pareil--no equal.

It was a good day at the new feeder!

Comments and suggestions most welcome.

bwkrucke@gmail.com

Thanks

This post is my contribution to I and the Bird # 75 hosted by Gallicissa

Birds of the day

Poor Mr. Bluebird--sitting on a house that has the nest ruined in it again. It was sideways as if a wren were taking it over and the heavy, but now cold eggs were on the floor of the house under the nest. This is the second brood they've lost. I hope they try again.

At least he got a big bug for himself.

This was the reddest cardinal I've ever seen. Of course he didn't want to show his front to the camera.

A picture just doesn't show how red he was!

Then she joined him. It was so hard trying to get them both looking up and nice.

Mustn't forget the painted buntings. She looking rather inscrutable and he looking a bit curious about her.


I was ready when Mr. white-breasted nuthatch appeared again!




I saw a tiny bird at a distance in the wisteria. I had the camera rather than the binoculars so I used it to identify a blue-gray gnatcatcher. He proceeded to groom himself. I never knew they had that prominent eyebrow before.




It was quite exciting to have the blue grosbeack on the upstairs feeders!

He and the painted bunting glared at each other for a bit.

But then ignored each other and went back to eating.


It really is a gross, in the size sense, beak!

>
Now three crummy pictures of the indigo bunting who insists on staying far away in poor light where he can only be seen through a tinted thermal window. But he's so pretty!

For size--he's tiny.

Oh, how I wish this shot had been good! Indogo buning on top of feeder, painted bunting to the right, cardinal to the left, and female blue grosbeak at the bottom. Oh well.

I've had no email access for three days while my server supposedly was upgrading. It was only supposed to take half a day. So I posted too many pictures today to make up for it.

Please email any questions or comments to:
bwkrucke@gmail.com

Thanks.