Winter Flocks

This is a Mourning Dove that photographed from my porch with my new GE Digital Camrea.
1-20-2011 

I took this hungry robin eating Red Tip Berries from the end my driveway 50ft away.
1-20-2011

For four days, Friday January 20, Saturday January 21, Sunday January 22 and Monday January 23 2012 flocks of American Robins, Cedar Waxwings, Blackbirds and Starlings visited our neighborhood and my backyard habitat. There were at least several thousand birds around the area that weekend. The flocks of birds were seeking late winter fruits from native and exotic plants like privet, red tip, holly, and persimmon as well as the last remaining dogwood or red bay berries. The flocks of birds also visited our water feature and marsh garden in flocks of ten to twenty. Among the flocks of robins, blackbirds and starlings were several species of warblers, Hermit Thrushes, Bluebirds, Baltimore Orioles and Eastern Phoebes. Our regular birds such as chickadees, titmice, native sparrows and cardinals visited both the birdfeeders and the natural food sources in the area. Our backyard looked like a scene from Hitchcock's film The Birds. I was hit by three chickadees on Sunday morning when they were fighting over some sunflower seeds or even the front yard nest box. Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice and Red Bellied and Pileated Woodpeckers are among the first birds to begin their courting behavior. The ethereal whistles of the Carolina Chickadee and the repetitive peter peter notes from Tufted Titmice are early signs of spring. Chickadees are among the first birds to breed in most regions, for example, Carolina Chickadees began to nest in February in some areas.

 

Watch the video by clicking on this link

https://picasaweb.google.com/105631164771623441362/January262012#5701989133596896178