American Tree Sparrow: First Regina Backyard Migrating Bird

We've had a very mild winter, and I've been watching and waiting for the birds, wondering whether migration would start earlier this year because of our snow-free weather. And this afternoon, an American Tree Sparrow answered that question. For me, at least. At least with respect to the limited sample size of birds that land in my Regina, Saskatchewan backyard.

The first migratory bird of the year... 
An American Tree Sparrow stops off to feed on its flight back north.  © SB

This American Tree Sparrow blended well with the other backyard birds (the regular crew of House Sparrows and House Finches), but then the white feathers on its wings caught my eye, and when I looked closer, I noticed its rusty crown and eye stripe. 

And yes, it's early — if not in its arriving, then in my noticing of it. Checking back in this blog, I see that they usually pass by my yard anywhere from the beginning of April to the end of that month. 

Welcome, to a sign of Spring! 

And... Because I'm back to French classes, I'm happy to say that in French this is a Bruant hudsonien, and also that I'm delighted to have found Sibley's guide to North American bird names in French today!  

What is this? American Tree Sparrow .

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: March 14, 2016.

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Autumn and the Pine Siskins are back

I've been enjoying seeing little Pine Siskins at the feeders this week — but strangely, with less excitement than I feel when they are on the other end of their migration, and their arrival is a sign of oncoming summer, not snow.

Pine Siskin stopping to feed on its way south. 

What is this? A Pine Siskin, stopping during the migration south.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.   

Photo date: October 22, 2015   

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Yellow Warblers in my Regina backyard - my August surprise

Yellow Warbler. She popped up out of the lilac leaves
when I was photographing another bird with its young.
What a lovely surprise!  © SB 

I have mixed feelings about the warblers that have started visiting my backyard in Regina, Saskatchewan.

Yes, Yellow Warblers are particularly stunning!

Bright flashes of light through the tomato garden and lilac trees!

And yet...

Where were the Yellow Warblers all summer? Way up north?

I wonder, are they stopping in to visit now because they are migrating south?

Is there something these Yellow Warblers know that I'm trying to ignore? Something, perhaps, like the coming onset of fall, and what falls after that... Winter?

This Yellow Warbler was checking out the green tomatoes - great camouflage for her.  ©SB

What are these? Yellow Warblers. Female, from the lack of red breast streaks. And so beautiful! 

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan. 

Photo dates: August 17 and 16, 2015.

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Juvenile Brown Thrashers in Regina SK backyard

A few years ago, when a Brown Thrasher nested near our backyard and brought fledglings here to feed, I noticed the hazy blue of the young Brown Thrashers' eyes.

This week, two juvenile Brown Thrashers have been visiting. These adult-sized birds have typical Thrasher markings, along with slightly downy feathers and cloudy baby eyes that are now shifting to gray on the way to adult Brown Thrasher gold.

Juvenile Brown Thrasher - note the blueish eyes. So Thrashers must have nested nearby again.  © SB

I've read that Brown Thrashers are "usually hidden in dense brush," "uncommon, solitary, and inconspicuous" (Sibley), and yes my backyard is a little overgrown, with a heavy vines on latticework and a robust tomato patch.

But when Brown Thrashers visit, they hop along in the open grass, or perch high in plain sight in the neighbour's tree to recite their loud, long catalogue of songs.


What is this? A Juvenine Brown Thrasher.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: July 12, 2015.

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A Pair of Mourning Doves Arrive to Feed: Regina SK

Male Mourning Dove, with blue-gray head and nape
and rosy iridescence on his neck.
Regina,  SK, backyard.  ©SB

Home after a two-week visit, I've been hoping for new backyard, Regina, SK, birds — and today I was delighted to see a pair of Mourning Doves pecking at seeds below the bird feeders.

These Mourning Doves appeared to be mates — banding studies suggest they mate for life, however long that may be — and they had slightly different markings.

The male (as indicated by notes in Stokes) had a more pinkish chest and blueish-gray feathers on its crown and nape. He also had bright patches of rosy iridescence on either side of his neck.

The female was a softer tan overall.

Male Mourning Dove, with more rosy/apricot chest shading, neck iridescence and blue head feathers. 
(love those red legs and feet!) ©SB

Pair of Mourning Doves below my Regina, SK, birdfeeder. (Female in front, male at back.) ©SB

This is the second time I've seen these large (compared to most others in spring) graceful birds in our yard.

The first was a Mourning Dove that stopped by in Fall 2013, perhaps on her migration south. She found a spot near the trellis, close to seeds, spent the morning resting, then flew away. (She, I'm guessing, because of her tan-coloured chest and lack of blueish head feathers — but I'm just as likely wrong.)

Visiting Mourning Dove  ©SB

What are these?  Mourning Doves 

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.   

Photo dates: Top three images: May 17, 2015; lower image: September 29, 2013.  

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Pine Siskin Arrives: A new bird in my Regina, SK, backyard

This morning before the sun rose high enough to fully light our backyard, a Pine Siskin arrived at the feeder. Its size first caught my attention. It was feeding beside a female Purple Finch, and by contrast, the Pine Siskin looked very tiny.

First Pine Siskin of 2015 in my Regina, SK, backyard.
aka early morning bird -- just another little brown bird at the feeder...
Until you note the yellow flash along the edge of its wing. ©SB

I'm hoping that the Pine Siskin will be back with the rest of the flock. I even drove up to the store to find fresh oily nyjer seeds to fill the conical feeder. That's what drew them here a few years ago. And oh, so lovely they were! And fierce, in their displays and fights for the seeds!

Pine Siskin in flight - and good light. Oh, so lovely!  ©SB

Nyjer feeder full of Pine Siskins, with yellow feathers
both hidden and visible  ©SB

Close-up of Pine Siskins disputing their territory on my feeder - and displaying their soft yellows.  ©SB

Beautiful wing displays of the Pine Siskin. ©SB

What are these? Pine Siskins, stopping during their migration north.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.   

Photo dates: Dull top photo: April 27, 2015; more vibrant pictures: May 17-24, 2013.   

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White-throated Sparrows Arrive for Spring in Regina

White-throated Sparrows sing and peck for seeds in my Regina, SK, backyard today. Another cheer for Spring! These oh-sweet-Canada! songbirds are such a delight to listen to!

Here's looking at you, White-throated Sparrow! ©SB

What a handsome bird! White-throated Sparrow in the new backyard grass.  ©SB

What are these? White-throated Sparrow, stopping during its migration north.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.   

Photo dates: April 25, 2015  

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Lincoln's Sparrows: Regina's April Backyard Birds

Lincoln's Sparrow stopping by for a snack.  ©SB

Lincoln's Sparrows are visiting my Regina, SK, backyard today.

Yeah for migration!

These little "drab but handsome" birds usually stop here in April through early May on their way to their more northern summer breeding grounds.

I enjoy watching Lincoln's Sparrows' perky bobbing movements through the grass and seeds under our feeders.

And I can understand why the Cornell Lab of Ornithology/All About Birds calls them drab but handsome... At a quick glance, I usually can't even see them — even when I know they're there! These dainty little birds blend very well with dirt, dried grass and seeds.

But look closer and they are truly beautiful, with dark, light, gray and coppery feathers.

Lincoln's Sparrow in our Regina, SK, backyard today.  ©SB

Lincoln's Sparrow  ©SB

What are these? Lincoln's Sparrows 

Location: Backyard, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: April 25, 2015 and (image at top) May 20, 2014.

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American Tree Sparrow Flying Through at Dusk

Waiting for migratory sparrows to arrive in my backyard, I remembered that one has already visited — an American Tree Sparrow that flew through at dusk a few weeks ago. It checked out the scattered bird seed on the grass in our Regina, SK, backyard in the late light of the day, but by morning, our early visitor — notable for its bright rusty crown and eye streak — was gone.

American Tree Sparrow  © SB

American Tree Sparrow    ©SB

What is this? American Tree Sparrow.

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: April 9, 2015.

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Purple Finches vs Red House Finches in Regina, SK

After waiting and hoping for a Purple Finch to join the House Finches in my Regina, SK, backyard, I was lucky and caught some great pix of a stunning pink male Purple Finch this morning.

I'll confess: My red House Finches are so red that I kept hoping maybe they were really Purple Finches, just because that sounded more glamourous... But every time I wondered, searches online — and in my bird books — would soon dissuade me. And once you see both, they are clearly different, and the Purple Finches are stunners!

First, the male Purple Finch: The raspberry pink colour is very noticeable, even when he's hiding behind our lilac branches. At closer range, the pink wash across its wing and back feathers becomes evident, as do the sometimes-slightly-erect head feathers and the raspberry pink — but not brown — streaks on its chest.

Male Purple Finch, washed in pink.  © SB

Male Purple Finch - strong reddish pink colour
on back  and wings ©SB

The male House Finch, on the other hand, though equally delightfully bright, has a more limited area of reddish colouring: Its head, chest and lower back. And, House Finches all seem to have strong brown speckling across their chests. For most in our backyard, the red is more of a scarlet shade, although we've also had some that are yellow, and a few, orange.    

The back of the House Finch is much more brown
- as is the back of its head. ©SB

Lots of scarlet on this House Finch,
though its head and belly are brown. ©SB

The female Purple Finch also has very distinctive facial markings, with clear whitish stripes on its face.  

Lovely female Purple Finch with white facial stripes  ©SB

The female House Finch, in comparison, has a softer-toned, all-over brownish face, with delicate brown chest streaks. (Personally, I love the female House Finches; they're one of those birds that looks drab at first, but whose subtle contrast can be quite delightful.) 

Pretty -- and subltely marked -- female House Finch © SB

What are these? Purple and House Finches 

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 
Photo dates: Male Purple Finch, April 15, 2015; female Purple Finch, April 10, 2015. Male House Finch, April 7 & 15, 2014; female House Finch, April 15, 2015.  

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Raspberry-washed Purple Finch in Regina backyard

A female Purple Finch came to our bird feeders last week, and I've been waiting for a male to show up. Yeah! I looked out the window mid-morning, and there he was. And yes, he was resplendently pink, like "a sparrow dipped in raspberry juice," as Roger Tory Peterson is quoted as saying!

 Male Purple Finch on Regina, SK, backyard bird feeder  
And that "shadow" behind him isn't a camera trick, but another finch in the shadows that's eating. ©SB 

Female Purple Finch on Regina, SK, backyard bird feeder  ©SB 

Neighbourhood Red-Breasted Nuthatch with female Purple Finch.  © SB  

What are these? Purple Finches (with Nuthatch) 
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 
Photo dates: April 10, 2015 (female) and April 15, 2015 (male) 

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Juncos Return to Regina, SK

Juncos have been flocking in our Regina, SK, backyard for the past two weeks — although perhaps flock is an overstatement for groups on three, five or seven birds! We're on the migratory path for Dark-eyed (Slate-coloured) Juncos, and look forward to these clean-cut birds stopping in to feed in spring and fall.

Sharp contrast Junco - dark gray and white with pink bill.
The under colouring blends well with snow © SB

This year, there was still snow when they arrived, so I had a chance to enjoy the Dark-eyed Juncos pretty protective colouring with both light and neutral contrast. Seen in snow, what struck me was how perfectly their white chest feathers blended with that background; in early grass and dirt, their back and wing feathers blended oh so well.

The lighter gray famale Junco has softer brownish feathers on her back.
The upper feathers blend well with the grass and scattered seeds ©SB

What are these? Juncos (Dark-eyed, Slate-coloured group) 
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 
Photo dates: April 8 and 10, 2015

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Red and Orange House Finches in Regina Backyard

We've enjoyed seeing both red and yellow-orange House Finches in our Regina, SK, backyard this spring. Although the red ones are the brightest, they are also the most frequent visitors.  I love seeing these lovely birds flaunting other colours!

One of the yellow-orange House Finches that's visited our lilac bushes  ©SB

A scarlet House Finch and one that's more peachy, feeding during late snow.  ©SB

The male House Finches get the flashy shades; females have softer plain brown streaks.  ©SB

House Finch in April snow.  ©SB

And, one last orange House Finch at the black sunflower feeder.  ©SB

What are these? House Finches
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada 
Photo dates: April 4-8, 2015. 

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A Pair of Downy Woodpeckers: Regina Backyard Birds

This morning, both the male and female Downy Woodpeckers dropped by to savour the suet in my Regina, Saskatchewan, backyard. (And it was, in fact, called Woodpecker Suet, or Suet for Woodpeckers, which would be somewhat better...)

The female perhaps saw me through the lit dining room window. She took off. The male stayed long enough to pose on the nearby lilac tree — and then show off his suet-tackling skills.

Downy Woodpecker, waiting to launch onto my backyard bird feeder. © SB 

These little birds — barely bigger than our ever-present sparrows — a) are extremely wary; b) have excellent eyesight; or c) dislike me and/or my camera. Whenever I show up at the window when they're feeding, the Downy Woodpeckers track my movements for several seconds, and then take off. (My co-resident, however, claims he can tramp around the back porch snow without disturbing them, so he's opting for c), in spite of my claims that either a) or b) are clearly more likely to be true.)

Downy Woodpecker clasping suet holder. © SB

What is this? Downy Woodpecker 
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada  
Photo date: December 2, 2014.

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Downy Woodpecker: Backyard Regina Birds

A Downy Woodpecker landed today on the new package of suet hanging from the lilac trees in our Regina, Saskatchewan, backyard. After a taste and many seeds, the Downy flew to a metal lantern hanging nearby.

A female, I think. (The Downy Woodpecker, that is... I have no ideas about the lantern's potential gender.) This small bird was totally black and white, without the characteristic back red neck spot that males sport.

Female Downy Woodpecker, backyard Regina, SK  © SB

What is this? Female Downy Woodpecker 

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada

Photo date: Nov. 8, 2014.

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Tennessee Warbler in the Impossible Apple Tree

After the rain, a Tennessee Warbler landed high in the impossible apple tree in our Regina, Saskatchewan, back yard.

Tennessee Warbler, checking for bugs in the new apple shoots.   © SB

At least, that's what I think this tiny migrating songbird must be, based on its colours: its back, a vivid bright green; belly, white; and head, soft gray with white eye arcs.

Warblers are fairly rare visitors for us. I think more visit the trees and houses in the parts of Regina near Wascana Lake and along Wascana Creek. But we live on the dryer high ground, to the north. (Odd for such a small city to have such clearly distinctive zones...)

And about that apple tree? Impossible, because we live so far out of normal apple range... And because its fruit, though reasonably plentiful, is bitter-sweet, not great for either eating raw or cooking — although these apples can be delightful if mixed with firmer fruit in pies.

Tennessee Warbler - view of back feathers. © SB

What is this? A Tennessee Warbler, as far I can figure from my bird books. 
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: May 20, 2014

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White-crowned Sparrow - with a very white head

Mystery bird - looks like a White-crowned Sparrow © SB

An unusual bird visited our Regina, SK, backyard feeder many times this spring — one like nothing I've seen in bird books, but which we think is likely a White-crowned Sparrow with partial albinism.

Its head and neck are white, except for a few fine, lingering black traces on its crown.

Its markings were so striking that I started calling it a Ghost-crowned Sparrow.

At first, it was very timid — as all of the newly arrived migrating sparrows seem to be.

But it quickly realised that this was a fairly safe food source (our cats stay indoors, though others wander through... And a Sharp-shinned Hawk has landed here, too.)

In any case, it settled in for several weeks, then flew on.

White-crowned Sparrow - if that's what it really is - posing in the backyard.  © SB

A beautiful White-crowned Sparrow - with a difference!  © SB

For reference, here is a White-crowned Sparrow with typical markings. Others that arrived this spring are shown a few posts down: White-crowned Sparrows in my Regina backyard - Spring!

A typically coloured (and curious) White-crowned Sparrow   © SB

What are these? White-crowned Sparrows (the one at top seems to have partial albinism).  

Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo dates: Top photo, May 6, 2014; others, May 9, 2014.

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Chipping Sparrows - Micro Migratory Birds

Chipping Sparrow with full red crown   © SB

The spring migratory birds in our Regina, Saskatchewan, backyard include Chipping Sparrows.

I call Chipping Sparrows micro birds. Not only are they tiny, but they look far less than half the size of the resident House Sparrows.

Most of our Chipping visitors have bright rust-red crowns, while a few have a more mottled ruffous appearance.

And their song? It's a sweet, high "chip-chippp!"

Chipping Sparrow with slightly more mottled head.    © SB

What are these? Chipping Sparrows.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: May 27 and 22, 2014.

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Brown Thrasher at the Backyard Feeder

Brown Thrasher on the lilac tree   © SB

There are Brown Thrashers in our
Regina, SK, neighbourhood again this year — shy, beautiful singers that perch high on tree-tops and chatter, chant, whistle and generally carry on.

The Brown Thrashers are also attracted to the suet that was put out to draw in the woodpeckers that never arrived.

(The robins also like this suet, so it's not going to waste... Still, it would be great to see a woodpecker here...)

The Brown Thrashers are fairly regular visitors — we see them flit through the yard several times a week — so are likely nesting somewhere nearby. (I hope they bring their fledgling thrashers to visit, too.)

Brown Thrasher at the suet feeder.    © SB

What is this? A Brown Thrasher.
Location: Backyard, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada.  

Photo date: May 22, 2014.

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