Birds of a Feather

Today I would like to share five 

of my feathered friends that live here

 in the foothills of Western Washington State. 

This little beauty is a male

Black-Headed Grosbeak. 

Every year we have a nesting pair. 

They eat seeds, fruit and insects

and raise their single brood
 of 3-4 chicks in a cup nest. 

They are slightly smaller than a Robin

with a beautiful song, similar to the Robin.

The female is slightly smaller with a duller coloration. 

They migrate all the way to Mexico, 

Central America and South America!  

I love that they come all this way

every year to give me such joy! 

These are our resident Jays, 

called Steller's Jays. 

These three are juvenile and 

haven't fully developed their 

beautiful crests yet. 

They are large Jays - 11 inches, and 

communicate with many different 

vocalizations, including shrieks, clicks, 

 and chatters. 

One call they use is an imitation

of a Hawk's call whenever they 

see one in the vicinity. 

This serves to warn other birds of danger. 

I have also heard them imitate

the 'hollow reed' knocking call

of an Eagle when one is flying nearby.

These highly intelligent birds mate for life
and usually stay within 10 miles of where
they were hatched, living as year-round residents.

They also eat insects, seeds and berries,
and a favorite treat are carpenter ants
and termites which makes them
valuable for pest control.

These striking birds are the brave 'watchdogs'
of the forest and I have witnessed them
forming large flocks to drive away hawks,
owls, and crows.

They are very social and comical
with their squabbling, chattering and curiosity.

I love finding their beautiful, azure feathers.

   This striking fellow is called a
Red-Breasted Sapsucker.

Here, I have caught him eating
apples on my tree.

Or maybe he was eating the worms inside!

I had to use a zoom to capture these photos,
as he is very shy.
They are most common in higher elevations
and rare in residential areas or city parks.

These beautiful birds are about 8 and 1/2 inches
and are year round residents.
The female is similar to the male.

They are an important species because
their cavity nest sites are used
by many cavity-nesting birds
that don't excavate their own.

It drills a horizontal grid pattern of holes
in deciduous trees, from which
it drinks sap and eats the insects
attracted to the sap.

They will also eat berries and fruit.

This alert fellow is a Northern Flicker.
These are the only woodpecker to regularly
feed on the ground, preferring ants and beetles.

They produce antacid saliva to neutralize
the acidic defense of ants.

They are year-round residents
here in Washington State.

These large woodpeckers (12 inches)
undulate deeply during flight while
giving a loud "wacka-wacka" call.

They also have a loud one-note call
while perching, which makes them
easy to find.

They are cavity excavators,
and both male and female
raise one brood per year of
5-8 chicks.

The female is similar to the male
but lacks the red 'mustache'.

One of my very favorite little residents
is the Anna's Hummingbird.

This lovely male has the characteristic
iridescent green body with dark head
that shines a deep rose red in direct sunlight.

The female lacks the dark head.

These are common western hummingbirds
that range from Baja, California
to British Columbia and are partial
to non-migrators.

These tiny birds are 4 inches long
 and feed on nectar and insects.

The female builds the cup nest
and raises 2-3 broods per year
of 1-3 chicks.

These little birds are fierce and territorial
and chase each other around,
buzzing right by our heads!

They are also quite tame and are not
bothered by our presence as
they feed on nectar while we enjoy
ourselves on the deck.

It is quite a sensation to have one
buzz around your face out of
curiosity!

If their feeder is empty, they are sure
to let me know by darting
back and forth in front of me
until I notice!

I hope you have enjoyed seeing and
learning a bit about the birds
that live in my neck of the woods,
dear friends!

xoxo

Today I am linking with:

Love Made My Home - Five on Friday
and
Viewing Nature with Eileen - Saturday's Critters



Won't you join the fun?