Interesting Birds

[Steven B in PV]

The Harris's Sparrow that arrived 30 days ago continues to feed around the yard.  Chances are that this bird will remain until late March or early April when it heads to it's breeding grounds in northern Canada.  If so, it will begin singing it's territorial song here, one that few people have an opportunity to hear.

Other recent yard birds include an American Tree Sparrow, and small flocks of Pygmy Nuthatches, Red Crossbills and Pine Grosbeaks.  Pine Grosbeaks are a favorite bird partly because of their cheerful "wheat-wheat" call, and because they are so approachable.  They usually come to feed on the ground when there is fresh snow, typically in groups of 8 to 40 birds.  My neighbor gets many more, sometimes 200-400 at a time.  It probably helps that she feeds sunflower by the ton.

Here, Pine Grosbeaks typically nest in the higher elevation spruce-fir forest from 8500 ft. to timberline.  It happens to be this week's Bird of the Week, featured by the American Bird Conservancy.  A great write up can be found at: https://abcbirds.org/pine-grosbeak  

I support the American Bird Conservancy for the great work they do including the Cats Indoors program.  https://abcbirds.org/program/cats-indoors/

Here are pics of male and female Pine Grosbeaks taken at my neighbor's home yesterday using my cell phone through a spotting scope.