We’re back because a few readers have sent in some photos, but I can always use more. Today we have Doug Hayes of Richmond, Virginia, of “Breakfast Crew” fame, giving us a view of the latest crew. Doug’s notes and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge his photos by clicking on them.
The Breakfast Crew is becoming more active now that warmer weather has arrived. My neighbor and I also took trips out to the Chamberlane Swamp and to the Richmond Flood Wall to check on some of our favorite birds.
The dark-eyed juncos (Junco hyemalis) are still hanging around the yard. We only got a dusting of snow a few months ago, but the snowbirds are still here:
Lots of male Northern Cardinals (Cardinalis cardinalis) are zipping around the neighborhood, squabbling with each other and staking out territory as mating season draws near. This guy was hanging out in our front yard, keeping watch for rivals:
This American Robin (Turdus migratorius) decided to check out the suet:
A male House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus) enjoying a hearty breakfast:
I’m seeing more Eastern bluebirds (Sialia sialis) this year than previously. They have also turned up earlier than usual:
A juvenile European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) waiting his turn at the suet feeder:
Carolina wrens (Thryothorus ludovicianus) are the most numerous birds in the yard after sparrows. They seem to have an endless curiosity about everything, going inside boxes, under tarps and poking around objects left on the patio table:
There has been a population explosion among Chipping Sparrows (Spizella passerina). Huge flocks of these little birds have shown up in the past few weeks:
A few Brown Thrashers (Toxostoma rufum) have been living on the edges of the yard for some time, usually keeping close to the bushes and trees. This one finally figured out how to get to the suet feeder:
Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) usually keep to the yards across the street and it is unusual to see them in my back yard. This one decided to go for the suet:
Downy woodpeckers (Picoides pubescens) are quite common throughout the neighborhood. Several are regulars at the feeders:
This striking-looking Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) showed up a couple of weeks ago. A change from the usual gray:
My neighbor and I took a quick trip to the Chamberlane Swamp a few days ago, but it was something of a disappointment. Only a handful of great egrets (Ardea alba) were around, but I got a nice shot of this one taking flight:
The James River was very high thanks to recent heavy rains. The swift current didn’t stop the Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) from diving and fishing:
Large numbers of Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) were out along the James River, but fishing was poor due to the high, fast-moving water. This bird perched on the flood wall, keeping a watch for fish and rival ospreys:
Camera info: Sony A7RV mirrorless body, Sony FE 200-600 zoom lens and 1.4X teleconverter, all shots hand-held. Photos processed with Adobe Photoshop 2024 and Topaz Photo AI for noise reduction in high ISO shots.
Our urban cardinal couple has returned for a third consecutive year. We have a tiny back yard, half of which is our car’s parking spot. The male cardinal, watched intently by his enamorata (seated on the hood), is viciously attacking its own reflection in the side-view mirror of our car, intermittently releasing a white squirt of guano down the side of the passenger door. (I have no camera anymore, so a description is all you get.) This is when we know spring is truly here.
Cardinals nest in a Camellia next to our front porch…silly birds-all of the feeders are in the backyard. For a period each year it seems the female pecks at our thermopane dining room window that is about ten feet to the side of her nesting place. Her reflection?
Thanks, as always Doug. We are getting pretty much the same mix of species just downriver in Newport News this year. We, too, have noticed an apparent new presence of sweet little bluebirds this season; they showed up early and have really settled in.
Btw, do you have a remedy for squirrels commandeering your cylindrical feeders?
Nothing stops a determined squirrel. I have a Super Soaker water gun that will drive them away when I see them. Usually, the sound of opening the window will send them scattering.
Nice collection! These are the birds I grew up with on the east coast. (Well, not the actual birds, but members of the species of birds I grew up with.)
Thanks for updating us on the composition and activities of the Breakfast Crew. It’s always a pleasure to see these old and new friends.
Lovely shots. Thank you.
Great photos as always! You should show the bald eagle pictures you got near the house, too.
A lovely set, once again! Thank you for sharing.
Looks like you may have added a couple to the Crew. That mourning dove is striking, I’ve never seen any color morphs- very cool. I have had suet up for years and I’ve yet to see a Robin partake from the feeder. Sometimes they peck beneath it, but never the suet cake itself. You must have an advanced copy. 🙂
That robin is one of the regulars and is the only one who eats suet. The other robins eat seeds that have been scattered on the ground.
Advanced copy indeed!
The mourning dove with that rusty coloring is interesting. I’ve seen a couple out here (SE AZ) tending towards brown but nothing like that. I love the juncos.
A few years ago, someone had some bronze-and cream-colored pigeons that escaped and mixed with the regular gray pigeons. For several years we had some gorgeous pigeons around the city in all shades of bronze and cream, solid white, and gray and bronze. I wonder if something similar happened with this dove. It is fairly common at some weddings to release doves as the bride and groom leave the venue.
What great photos – in each one, the bird is practically popping out of my screen with the vivid color and detail. And seeing eastern US birds like these always gives me an enjoyable familiar-but-not-familiar sensation.
Love your bird pictures, many thanks. We also have Red Cardinal and family now, been with us now for four years all year round.