I'll take it, Claire - works for me, too. I've associated robins with Spring like most people, I guess, but I shot this photo this afternoon and by George, it sure looks like Autumn is his proper camouflage.

Jane

Autumn camouflage is a good point, Jane. Robins blend in with the fall leaf litter, but they stand out against the green grass of spring....maybe that's why people usually just see robins in the springtime....

Claire (kidding, mostly)

RWB - just the two this morning, I think young males. They were fine until they weren't.

Despite the stomach kick, they flew into the chokeberry together.

Jane

Ouch! ...just practicing for the next breeding season.

I've been occasionally seeing red-wings - one a few days ago - but I think they're procrastinators heading south for the winter (at least I hope so; winters here aren't kind for them).

Claire

Forgot to mention: I saw my first junco on Monday, the first day of my PFW count (haven't been able to get a decent picture). I think I heard it muttering "I'm late, I'm late, I'm late...."

Claire

Hopefully NOT for a very important date! May you have a kind season.

The ornamental pear tree fruit is close. Robins and a Cedar Waxwing this afternoon.

Jane

I love the blur of fleeing sparrows along the fringes of the rwb spat.

Cedar waxwing, Jane! Jealous...and hope that my abundant crabapples draw them in like they did 2 years ago in December.

Well, they came again today and almost nothing else got done, but hey, they're Cedar Waxwings! I took too many pictures, but have tried to be selective. Without boring anybody, there's a link below if you want to see them in the ornamental pear tree. Next chance could be tomorrow, otherwise in February when the Prairie Fire crabapples and the chokeberries are done.

Jane

Cedar Waxwings in Ornamental Pear

Far from boring, Jane. Beautiful album.

Absolutely gorgeous pictures, Jane - such elegant birds methodically devouring the fruit. It's interesting that one of them has red spots on its wing. The robin is definitely outclassed by the waxwings.

Claire

Thanks, glad you both like them. I think there are two juveniles with a parent. The plumage isn't full or marked and the body appears smaller. My PC is off, otherwise I'd point out the difference that I think exists. They are special and they squeak.

I just checked All About Birds and they describe "brilliant-red wax droplets on the wing feathers." So those red spots are why they're called waxwings - I didn't know that.

Claire

Neat! I didn't know it either. Glad you posted that. :)

Just found this page from Minnesota Birdnerd

about the waxwings.

Claire

Very special! Birds never cease to amaze me. Love the close-up. Good find, Claire.

I absolutely love all the photos from various photographers on this thread of birds and fruit; the colors are just gorgeous! It has made me realize that I need to remedy our current lack of fruiting trees and shrubs visible from the house. If the Kousa (which has fruit too large for the birds) visible from the ell doesn't recover from last winter, I think I will replace with a crab, and I'll also add a few winterberries. Our last house had a crab readily visible from a window, and when the fruits thawed in March, it always attracted CWWs and grouse, both quite entertaining to watch.

I was going around closing the curtains as the light dimmed (view to the east so no glorious sunset), and I noticed that with the leaves down the squirrel nests are now visible in the oaks. I saw a squirrel bustling around, maybe doing whatever squirrels do to prepare for the night, so I went for the camera and went outside so as not to have to deal with not-too-clean windows.

There are at least five squirrel nests visible here.

This one is nicely tucked into the crotch of the tree and if you look up to the right you can see a squirrel gazing out before settling into the nest for the night.

(The vines have been cut off at the base so they're no longer afflicting the tree.)

Claire

Winter does afford a better view of wildlife. Okay,. . . that's one benefit, lol.

Saw this and thought of you, Claire. In your 'backyard'.

17 North Atlantic Right Whales- Cape Cod

Thanks, Jane. Last May the Cape Cod Canal was closed for 45 minutes because of a right whale sailing through the canal. They didn't say whether the whale went all the way through or just came partway and turned around. That would have been around the time of the annual herring run so the whale might have been following food (just guessing).

I've never seen one but a neighbor reported seeing plumes on the bay from his house. This is a major shipping route so there's serious danger for the whales.

Claire

Nothing like putting up the first suet feeders of the season to rally the troops!

Male bluebird in the Pieris

Pine Siskin

Male Cardinal

Chickadee

Female bluebird checking out the action below

Susan

Looks like gourmet suet, Susan! Lovely customers you have.

I chopped up fresh suet to jam it into the little feeder. Most of our customers really like the supermarket bulk stuff best. We also use the cakes, especially in warmer weather because they are less apt to spoil. It was just a joy to get some closeups...it's been a while! Haven't put seed out yet. Soon.

Pretty vignettes there, Susan! I particularly like the one of the female bluebird peering down. My eyes are drawn to her feet gripping the finial so securely.

Claire

And a Happy Thanksgiving back at you, Jane, and to everybody else.

Claire

Happy Thanksgiving to all; I think these turkeys are especially happy to be out enjoying the farmers' cover crop!

When it comes to little brown birds, this guy wins the singing contest. Outside my window this morning. Makes me smile. What a virtuoso. So happy there is still a pair here. (Credit goes to Canon for getting through all those branches!)

Jane :)

Lovely! I really miss the C wrens.

Claire

Claire, I have forgotten if you've mentioned their disappearance. Do you know why or, are they not Cape dwellers?

Jane: The harsh winter of 2014/2015 decimated the northern population.

From my August 15, 2015 post:

I found the reference on 2015 Spring Banding By the Numbers which says

“Our numbers this season were somewhat above average, compared with the
last ten years, which is pleasantly surprising considering the winter
we had,” said Landbird Banding Director Trevor Lloyd-Evans. “However,
some of our resident birds, like Carolina Wren, were noticeably absent.
This was probably due to the harsh weather they had to endure in January
and February.”

The Carolina Wren is relatively new in New England - the Cornell Lab of Ornithology says

"The Carolina Wren is sensitive to cold weather, with the northern
populations decreasing markedly after severe winters. The gradually
increasing winter temperatures over the last century may have been
responsible for the northward range expansion seen in the mid-1900s."

I just hope the southern population will move north again.

Claire

The banding program I noted above is run by Manomet.org, previously known as Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences, and takes place about seven miles north of me, also on the coast.

Claire

Thanks, Claire, I had missed that post of Aug. 15th. I hope some do return to your area. Perhaps a warmer winter this year (?) will spur on the population.

This morning at sunrise I noticed a squirrel moving around in the trees near one of the nests. It looked like it was checking nests to see if any other squirrels were awake and up.

Claire

Lovely colors. And, yes, he does appear to be the town crier or reveler. You do good videos.

Another year of photographing the crowd for PFW because they won't stand still. I doubt being off by a few would be critical, but when the whole crowd shifts at once, ay yi yi.

It's about a dozen fewer than the last crowd.

Jane

Lots of happy doves!

That's another bird I miss - I only see a few doves at a time now, and often none. I think the hawks are getting them. I haven't often seen hawks this year but there's the daily bird silence with a few birds frozen in place - it's not often that you see a blue jay frozen in place, so the hawk(s) are around. The one I did see recently was an adult Cooper's hawk and probably a very efficient hunter since it survived to adulthood.

I was outside yesterday with some friends and a hawk buzzed us, flying low right by. I'm glad hawks are much smaller than humans.

Claire

Snowy owls migrating from arctic to beaches, salt marshes

The report is from Newburyport, MA (The Daily News of Newburyport 11.29.15).

I like the quote:

‘‘The best way to find them is to go to Parker River Refuge or Salisbury
Beach or Plum Island and look for a whole lot of cars parked all over.
That means there’s probably a bunch of photographers taking pictures of
snowy owls.’’

Claire

Yes, that quote is true and they are on Facebook Birders often - especially Plum Island.

Why this never occurred to me is just one more mystery, but after decades of feeding the crows every meat/fowl scrap, I think this must be why I keep finding the odd bit and piece on the blacktop driveway. Not trap rock style, but stones with a striking marking, small stones not from our yard. Bottle caps from drinks we do not buy, colorful plastic bits, just like in this article.

Crow gifts

Jane

Jane, it's fun that the crows leave you gifts also. I recall reading that article before, so perhaps someone linked it here previously. Worth a second read, and I love the photo of the sorted treasures.

Claire, I've heard in the past from a friend who is an avid birder that Plum Island is a great place to see snowy owls at this time of year, and though I've always intended to go since I love the big predatory birds, I never have. Perhaps this year. Thanks for the reminder.

I can't help but wonder, Jane, if those are gifts or tips. I suppose it's a question of attitude (and crows certainly have attitude) - I can see them leaving something for the wait staff.... Of course, they may actually be heart-felt gifts and I'm just being too cynical. Even if it's a tip at least they like the service.

Pushing the envelope again, I observed the migratory passage today of a mobile feature in my extended back yard - very very extended. The Mayflower II passed by my house today during its migration to the wintering area of Mystic Seaport. Mayflower II Restoration Ship Shape Update: Return to Mystic!

With my trusty camera zoom I saw this:

Mayflower II being towed by Jaguar. There's a nice website where you can track the tow vessel as a proxy for the Mayflower.

My father worked in the shipbuilding industry, and when we were kids we would watch ships pass by on the way to the Cape Cod Canal. My father would often drive us to the canal to beep and wave at the ships, particularly if it was one he had history with. The ships would often beep back.

In the same vein I drove to the Canal to see it go through. I just barely made it to Scusset Beach in time to catch the rear end passing by.

Claire

Wow! Is there no end to the mobile things in your backyard? That was wonderful! Glad you tucked on down to the beach. The Mayflower looked like it was speeding. That was neat!

Tips or gifts, I'm grateful for the acknowledgment, lol.

Now that the leaves are down and my view is greatly improved, I see more mobile features in my extended backyard. Today I noticed a bunch of seals (probably harbor seals) lounging on the rocks exposed at low tide. They'll float off later as the tide rises.

There were at least eight seals out there. It's hard to see from a distance but after a while you get to recognize the inverted-banana-on-top-of-the-rock appearance.

Two seals sharing a rock.

This one doesn't look all that comfortable.

Time is short before the rocks are submerged.

They were quiet today - sometimes you can hear them grunting and growling, maybe arguing over who gets the best rock.

Claire

Yesterday the Mayflower, today harbor seals? Really? OMG. You are SO lucky!

Today I got turkey vultures drying themselves, she said with a quiet chuckle.

No matter the price of a house, the exclusivity of a neighborhood ( not mine), if birds pick YOUR roof, well, good luck. There are newer houses two miles away built near a pond but also following fields right in the middle of the turkey vultures' airway. On the roof of at least 6 houses, there must have been 80 big birds congregated for gossip and drying. Not one harbor seal :( .

Jane

Turkey vultures are great birds! Living weather vanes! I wonder if they line up according to the wind direction. And can't you see one as an ornament on the hood of your car? Much more distinguished than the Mack truck dog.

Claire

Big mobile features this week: seals, ships, and turkey vultures! I know we no longer have TVs here - they have all headed south. I wonder if the ones in CT are also headed south now, and will be gone in a short time. I love the photos of them soaking up the sun.

Claire - I enjoy seeing how your view changes according to how leafy your trees are.

Will there be hibernation this year? Last year he came out of hiberland (aka under the deck) on March 27th. Could this be a short nap year?He's still just a clever mouse in a better suit. How can two tiny hands do so much damage?

Jane

We had a male cardinal in the Major Wheeler honeysuckle this morning, but I wasn't fast enough to capture a photo. It was quite striking since the cardinal's color echoed the flower color and was a nice combo with the yellow and green leaves.

That sounds like a lovely picture, NHBabs - maybe next time you'll be able to capture it.

This thread is getting long and the turkeys obliged with an appearance this morning, so I'll post a new thread very soon (probably the last of 2015).

Claire