Pine Warblers

I unfortunately started out the new year with a respiratory bug but have pretty much gotten over it now.  The first part of the week I really felt terrible but have been taking vitamin C and Echinacea and did a heavy wrap up to sweat out the bug.

Over the past couple of days I have been noticing quite an influx of Pine Warblers.  Being stuck in the house I decided to make up a large batch of homemade suet.  The birds really prefer it over the store bought and with cold weather coming next week, it seemed like an ideal indoor project.

Today while I was doing some work out in the yard (cleaning out bluebird boxes), I counted five Pine Warblers in the yard at one time.  With grey skies rolling back in today, they are certainly like a little spot of sunshine.

The Bluebirds have really been flocking to the homemade suet.  They would not feed in the caged suet feeder so I finally hung one of the free hanging access feeders back up.  It has been a battle with the squirrels but I think the new baffle I added today will help to keep them away.

Pine Warbler

After a couple of days of spring like weather, when the cold front came through late yesterday afternoon, old man winter definitely let us know he was not done yet.  I don't think it the temperature rose above freezing today.  Fortunately the "big snow" was a bust.










Birds have been steadily visiting the suet feeder today.  I have noticed that for whatever reason, the arrival of the Pine Warbler brings on aggressive behavior from the other birds.  The aggressive behavior seems to only apply to the male and not the female PW so I can only assume it has something to do with the bright color.








The male house finches are beginning to get a little deeper in color.  I have also noticed that quite a few of the Yellow-rumped Warblers are begging to change a bit to their breeding colors.

Pine Warbler

With a case of painters neck setting in, I took a break to get a bite to eat just in time to see a Pine Warbler arriving at the bird bath.  I have noticed over the last couple of weeks they are becoming more vocal and now hunting lower in the trees.










The warbler was at first timid just easing in at the edge of the water.  By the time it left it was oblivious to the other birds that had arrived waiting their turn.

Pine Warbler

 







The flash of bright yellow is conspicuous when seen out in the open.  However..............































when hunting in its namesake tree, easily blends in and is camouflaged.