Birds of West Cobb

Introducing the Brown Thrasher: The Melodic Mimic of the Southeast The Brown Thrasher, known for its rich, melodious song and striking brown appearance, is a captivating bird found throughout the Southeastern United States. This sometimes elusive, yet enchanting bird offers birdwatchers and backyard enthusiasts a delightful experience. Brown Thrasher Identification and Appearance: Brown Thrashers are medium-sized birds with a distinctive reddish-brown upper body, head and tail with streaked breast. They have a very slightly curved bill and mature adults have piercing yellow eyes with black pupils that give them a somewhat fierce expression. Their long tails and strong legs are perfect for ground foraging, where they spend much of their time searching for insects and other small prey. They can often be heard in the brush flipping leaves around with their long beaks and legs. Where do Brown Thrashers Live? (Brown Thrasher Habitat) Preferring dense shrubs and thickets, Brown Thrashers are often found in gardens, woodlands, and hedges. They seem to prefer the thicker brush for foraging as well as nesting, although they make their way out of the brush from time to time, to grab a snack, or to fly to a low limb where they will sometimes sing for hours. Are Brown Thrashers good at mimicking other sounds? Thrashers are highly-skilled mimics, capable of imitating the calls of other bird species, making their songs a complex and varied composition. Not only are they excellent at mimicking other birds and sounds, but they have the largest vocabulary of any songbird in the United States! These birds are generally solitary and can be quite secretive, often heard more than seen. However, we often see 2 of them feeding in close proximity of each other, and sometimes one will even chase the other away! Brown Thrasher Feeding Habits: Brown Thrashers have a varied diet that includes insects, fruits, and nuts. To attract these birds to your backyard, consider setting up a bird feeder with a mix of seeds and suet, and plant native berry-producing shrubs. Providing a water source, like a bird bath, can also help entice them. Additionally, our resident Brown Thrashers seem to really enjoy Dried Mealworms as well as Peanut Suet Nuggets. ( We've added some helpful links below for you, for these products ). When do Brown Thrashers typically Breed and Nest? During the breeding season, which typically spans from April to July, Brown Thrashers build their nests in dense shrubs or low trees. They lay 3-5 eggs, which both parents take turns incubating. The young fledge after about two weeks, and the parents may raise two broods per season. Conservation Status: Brown Thrashers are currently not considered threatened, but their populations can be affected by habitat loss and fragmentation. Planting native shrubs and maintaining a bird-friendly backyard can help support these beautiful birds. Bird Watching Tips To maximize your chances of spotting Brown Thrashers, listen for their varied songs early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Keep an eye on dense shrubbery and ground-level foliage, where they are most likely to be foraging. Enhance Your Birding Experience Bird Feeder:   Composite Suet Feeder C&S Suet Cakes (we recommend these for Woodpeckers, Thrashers and more!) C&S Suet Nuggets (I've seen our resident Brown Thrashers feasting on these many times) Hatortempt Dried Mealworms ( Best value in the 10lb bag !) Field Guide:   National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America Brown Thrasher information / fact References Audubon Guide to North American Birds All About Birds - Brown Thrasher Bird Watching Academy - Brown Thrasher This blog post related to Brown Thrashers not only provides valuable information for bird enthusiasts but also includes affiliate links to products that enhance birding experiences. This approach ensures the blog is educational, engaging, and monetized effectively. Thanks for visiting!

In this blog, we'll take a closer look at the Top 10 Myths about Hummingbirds. Some of these are simply false and would mean no harm to our tiny feathered friends. However, some could pose a threat to the health and safety of these amazing creatures. We hope you find it educational and informative! Myth one:  Hummingbirds migrate on the backs of larger birds. Let's face it, Hummingbirds are very tiny creatures. They have a maximum flight speed of around 25 miles per hour. Couple these facts with the idea that they have to travel hundreds, and sometimes THOUSANDS of miles and it's no wonder someone came up with this MYTH . It is false, however. To answer your question, "Do Hummingbirds migrate on the backs of larger birds?" The answer is a very clear "No.". Hummingbirds drink flower nectar eat tiny insects throughout Spring and Summer, and gain as much as 30% of their body weight in preparation for their multiple day journey South in Fall, and North-bound again in Springtime. (Bonus fact: They also migrate alone, not in flocks!) Myth two: Hummingbirds Will Die if They Stop Flying . Contrary to popular belief, hummingbirds do NOT die if they stop flying. They often perch to rest, and at night, they enter a state called torpor to conserve energy, typically this occurs when it's colder outside, see Myth 8 below for more details on this! (Reference: Audubon Society ) Myth three: Red Dye in Nectar Attracts More Hummingbirds. Red dye is actually completely unnecessary and studies have been shown it to be harmful to hummingbirds. They are attracted to the color of the feeder itself, not the nectar. Stick to a simple sugar-water mixture (1 part sugar to 4 parts water (link to prior blog post) (Reference: Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center ) Myth Four: Feeding Hummingbirds in Fall Prevents Them from Migrating. Providing man-made nectar or natural flower-based nutrition for these Hummers in Fall will NOT stop hummingbirds from migrating. Migration is triggered by changes in daylight, not food availability, so keep your feeders out as long as hummingbirds visit and we even recommend leaving them out several weeks after you think they have moved on, just in case there are any stragglers or birds that were re-routed due to major storms, or released by a rehabber! (Reference: Audubon Society ) Myth five: Hummingbirds Only Feed on Nectar. While hummingbirds do certainly love their nectar, they also eat small insects like gnats, fruit flies, tiny aphids and even small spiders, which provide protein and other essential nutrients. (Reference: National Geographic ) Myth six: Hummingbirds Are Aggressive and Fight Constantly. Hummingbirds are definitely territorial, but they aren’t inherently aggressive. What does this mean exactly? Their "fighting" is usually about defending food sources, which is crucial for their survival, and this is largely due to their high energy needs. Additionally, some species are very social and gather in huge groups around food sources (Western United States and Canada), while the Eastern Ruby-throated hummingbirds are far more territorial and do seem to give chase to one another constantly. (Reference: Audubon Society ) Myth seven: Hummingbirds Are Attracted to Scented Flowers or Sugar Water. This is a pretty big Myth, folks! Did you know that Hummingbirds have NO sense of smell . They rely on their eyesight, and navigate toward bright colors, like red, to locate flowers and hummingbird feeders! (Reference: Georgia Department of Natural Resources ) Myth eight: Hummingbirds Can’t Survive Cold Weather. While hummingbirds prefer warmer climates, some species, like the Anna’s Hummingbird, can actually survive cold temperatures by slowing down their metabolism during torpor (a deep restful state.) (Reference: Birds & Blooms ) Myth nine: Just before hummingbirds migrate, you should add some additional sugar to their nectar to give them a "boost". This one has potential to harm our hummingbird friends. Multiple publications and universities have studied the man-made nectar equivalent and found that it is the closest formula to the level of sugars naturally occurring in flowering plants. Hummingbirds have been around for millions of years, and they have been drinking nectar all along. Who are we to mess with their proven methodology of feeding? In fact, too much sugar can harm the hummingbird's kidneys, not to mention a ration of more than 1 part sugar to 4 parts water will also be much more likely to attract bees and wasps to your feeders! Myth ten: Hummingbirds Only Live for a Year or Two. Look, hummingbirds certainly do have rapid metabolisms, and while that might suggest that they have short lifespans, hummingbirds can live much longer than that. Some species, like the Ruby-throated Hummingbird which we have in Georgia as well as along the whole East Coast, have been recorded living over 9 years! (Reference: A stellar list by hummingbird species, brought to you by the American Bird Conservancy ) We hope this list has been educational and has helped you dispel some common myths that you may have spotted on social media or heard about from a friend or family member. Our goal is to educate our birding friends and to protect our sweet hummingbird buddies at the same time! If you enjoyed this post, we would appreciate a comment, a like, or if you took the time to share it with a friend! -Birds of West Cobb (Lisa & Dan)

In this Blog Post, we are pleased to introduce you to one of our backyard favorites: the Tufted Titmouse! We’ve included photos and information about these energetic little birds for you! Everyone, we’d like you to meet Mickey. He’s our Tufted Titmouse friend from the Marietta, GA area. He wakes us up in the morning with a couple of high-pitch calls and tells us that we need to refill the Safflower seed and the C&S suet nugget s (aka Scoob balls). Mickey is not much for hanging around and conversing with the other birds, but when it’s hot enough outside he has been known to dive into a birdbath and play around like a puppy in a kiddie pool! We are lucky in Marietta to see these birds year-round. They are very quick and their aim (for grabbing a single safflower or sunflower seed, or a C&S suet nugget ) is definitely something to witness firsthand. The tufted titmouse has the ability to fly in from a ridiculous angle, perch for a moment, and grab a seed from a tube feeder and fly away again in only a matter of seconds. You have to be patient to capture it, and hopeful that you grabbed a frame or two of them while they are paused and trying to find that perfect seed. Tufted titmice (plural form of Titmouse) often nest in bluebird nest boxes or boxes with similar size and shape. You can hear their call all over the Southeast United States whistling for their mates. What does the Tufted Titmouse eat? Well, we already mentioned Safflower seed and black-oil sunflower seeds, but we’ve seen them eat small chunks of peanuts, Suet Nuggets from C&S , and in the coldest months during Winter they can even be seen eating dried mealworms. Do you love Mickey and the Titmice as much as we do? Feel free to drop a comment below, we’d love to hear from you! Thanks for reading @birdsofwestcobb Don’t forget to share this with your friends and neighbors that love wild birds as much as we do! (-Lisa & Dan)

In this blog " How to attract Eastern Bluebirds to Your Yard " we'll share our recommendations for food, water and housing for these beautiful birds! The Male Eastern Bluebird is truly an amazing sight to behold. With the bright orange breast and nearly-neon Blue head, wings, and tail, not many other species stand out this significantly. Bluebirds are very beneficial creatures to have around your garden, eating tons of insects, spiders, and grubs each day. It’s pretty incredible that this species of birds were nearly wiped out of existence. They have made a strong comeback in many regions though thanks to volunteer efforts and backyard “birders” feeding them and putting out houses for them. Some of the reasons why they were almost wiped out are included below, so keep reading! What caused the decline in these incredible birds to begin with? Eastern Bluebirds are somewhat unique in that they will not create a new hole in a tree or a cavity in the side of a barn. Naturally, they would seek out vacant woodpecker holes near the edge of a field or pasture. However, the more people clear out old, dead trees on their properties, the fewer trees are available for the birds to move into. Another more serious issue was that over the years, thousands of people’s pet cats were released into the wild or left to be “outdoor cats”. This was very unfortunate for the bluebirds which often perch only 5-10ft from the ground on fences and low limbs, Eastern Bluebirds were (and still are) easy targets for the average cat which loves to climb and stalk prey near the ground. You can certainly take part in the efforts to bring them back! Our top 3 requirements for attracting the Eastern Bluebird to your yard are included below: To attract Eastern Bluebirds, you need to provide the right type of food : While Eastern Bluebirds have been spotted eating suet from a hanging suet cake feeder or from small suet chunks/balls, however, they are most likely to be spotted at your feeder if you put out dried mealworms or live mealworms. A fresh water source is another requirement for attracting Eastern Bluebirds : You do NOT need to go wild and buy a giant water fountain with multiple tiers and a filtration system. You could, but just imagine how many mealworms you could purchase with the money you save! A simple terracotta plate, 10″ or 12″ in diameter will do nicely. They are fairly inexpensive and can be placed on a wide deck or porch handrail, on a small table, or even on the ground. However, there are some very nice (decent enough) bird baths to be had for under 200.00 also. Another way to attract Eastern Bluebirds is providing the perfect Bluebird house : The National Audubon Society has a number of downloadable designs so you can print them and go down to your wood shop and build your own house for Bobby and Bella. However, we have done the work for you and also provided a few popular models that are already assembled and ready for hanging. See below! Also, we will add several posts in the future for Birdhouse design requirements. We hope you will view them, build them and share the results with us as also! Where should I put my new birdhouse though? Relax, we have a lot of insight about this topic as well. We’ll be sure to add another post with these specifics. Our best tip for now though: Bluebirds love to have lots of open space around their nest boxes. Here are some additional photos of Eastern Bluebirds we have captured in our yard for your viewing pleasure!

Birds of West Cobb has assembled some tips for attracting Winter Bluebirds to your Bird Feeders! It's no secret that we absolutely love our Eastern Bluebirds. From the very beginning of our bird-feeding adventures and posting our photos for the world to enjoy on Instagram , we hoped that we would see a Bluebird. Within a few weeks or a month, we were lucky enough to have one visit. And then another... and another. Of course it helps significantly that we are very near " The Green Meadows Preserve " (which is located approximately 1 mile from our home.) However, some of our neighbors came to us and asked how we are able to attract so many Eastern Bluebirds when they have tried just about everything, and they have rarely, if ever, seen one in their yard. So we've put some tips together for attracting Winter Bluebirds to your feeders! We hope you find this information helpful! Tip Number 1 for attracting Eastern Bluebirds: Bluebirds prefer open meadows/fields considerably over forested areas. If you live in a heavily forested area you will simply not be as likely to see these birds (typically). In the Eastern United States, the (aptly-named) Eastern Bluebird can be found from Canada on the North, throughout the Eastern United States, all the way into Florida to the South. In the Spring and Summer months, Bluebirds can be seen along fence posts, wires or pickets, perched on the roof tops of bird nesting boxes, flying quickly down to grab insects, spiders or worms, and then right back up to feed their young. So if you live near a pasture, farm, or have a large lot with grassy fields nearby, these areas would be your best bet in spotting them during the warmer months. Tip Number 2 for attracting Eastern Bluebirds: Bluebirds depend on insects, worms, caterpillars and spiders for their high-protein and fat diets. Once the temperature starts dropping however, the insects that these amazing Eastern Bluebirds depend on for such a large part of their diet start to move much more slowly, eventually not moving at all. These incredible birds hunt primarily by sight, so without the motion, there is much less food obtainable for them. As temperatures approach freezing (or plummet well-below freezing), most birds foraging for insects (especially those in the Thrush family like the Eastern Bluebird) will toss leaves around looking for anything tasty, but there are far fewer morsels to be found. If they cannot find anything appealing, they move on to the next leaf (or next area.) For those of us that like to feed wild backyard birds this is an excellent opportunity to attract Bluebirds. Adding a high-protein option to your bird feeding offerings such as dried (or live) mealworms , will provide these gorgeous Bluebirds with the nutrition they are lacking and they will come back again and again. Additionally, there are some Suet cakes we can recommend (further down) which also have a large content percentage of mealworms or other insects which woodpeckers and warblers will also enjoy thoroughly. Here are a few photos of Male and Female Eastern Bluebirds captured recently (January 2024) enjoying their mealworms that we put out for them. Tip Number 3 for attracting Eastern Bluebirds: Eastern Bluebirds will eat from multiple types of feeders including platforms, tube feeders, and suet feeders. However, ours seem to enjoy eating from a plate the most! Now the next most important thing to keep in mind besides their food requirements for protein and fats, is their need for fresh water. Colder air is typically more dry, and birds certainly use a TON of energy trying to stay warm, foraging for food, avoiding predators and even chasing other birds away. So while the food is great (and greatly appreciated we promise), they need to drink water quite often! In the past we only had one water source but found that in the winter months larger birds like Robins, Grackles and Blue Jays will essentially take ownership of the larger bowl/bird bath and so we needed to provide them with at least one more option. We now have a couple of small hanging iron/glass water bowls (photo below) placed on our front porch, and one Large and one medium Terracotta plate that we use for bird baths on the deck behind our house. Lastly, Lisa thought it was cute to put a tiny 3" water plate out as well and this one turned out to be one of the ABSOLUTE FAVORITES for the Bluebirds as well as smaller birds like Wrens, Chickadees, Waxwings, Titmice, Warblers and even Ruby-Crowned Kinglets. Product Links have been included below to help you attract Eastern Bluebirds: Dried Mealworms ( Please Note: We have found that some brands of "mealworms" are actually marketed more as Chicken feed. Some of these brands will include black soldier fly larvae. We have found through EXTENSIVE testing, that soldier fly larvae is not nearly as popular with the wild birds, so try to avoid those if you want more birds at your feeders! These options below are only dried mealworms, which come from a beetle species and it is very popular with the bluebirds!) 5lb Bag 10lb Bag (Our preference AND a deal when compared with the 5lb bag!) Hanging Glass water bowl C&S Suet Cakes with Mealworms (for Bluebirds) 3" Terracotta Plate (tiny birdbath) 10" Terracotta plate (used for excellent food presentation) Additionally, we captured a couple of video clips for you of the Winter Bluebirds eating and drinking at our feeders. We hope you enjoy! In the video above, a male Eastern Bluebird chooses a specific mealworm to snack on. In this video (above) multiple Eastern Bluebirds visit West Cobb including fledglings!

For any amateur photographer or backyard birder, it seems like a pretty daunting task. The speed at which the timid Ruby-Crowned Kinglets fly in, grab a bite to eat and then disappear into the brush is absolutely astounding. For weeks I struggled to snap a few photos that were even remotely shareable to the general public! I am of the opinion that these Ruby-Crowned Kinglets are actually just teasing me and other photographers. The funny thing is that while we carry bird food and mealworms out to the feeders in the morning, the Kinglet will often fly right next to us and perch on the deck railing... As if to say "thanks for the food, human!". However, as soon as the camera comes out... Poof, they are gone! We have found that these birds enjoy eating dried mealworm crumbles, (leftovers, or broken pieces of dried mealworms that the other birds didn't bother with) or little chunks of C&S Suet nuggets , but they won't eat any of the seeds that we put out. This includes Safflower, hulled Sunflower, peanut mix and more. Another thing we have noticed, they will drink water but they are intimidated easily by all of the larger birds so we have to put out smaller water plates for them. The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet is a tiny bird, about the same size as a Carolina Chickadee. We don't see them on or near the feeders in Spring or Summer, but when the weather is chilly and insects are scarce, we see one or two of these charming little birds every morning and sometimes in the evenings as well. The Ruby-Crowned Kinglet could be confused with a dull winter Pine Warbler from a distance, but once you see their "crown" which is typically bright red/orange, you'll know that it is something more special! They are generally a dull brownish/grey or greyish-yellow color with a bit of brighter yellow accents on the wings and tail. If you are familiar with a Carolina Wren, and they way they move around, Kinglets move in a similar fashion. They flap quickly, bounce from branch to branch with easy, and small flits of their feathers is all it takes to propel them out of sight. Have you ever seen a Ruby-Crowned Kinglet in person? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below! -Birds of West Cobb (Lisa & Dan) Thanks for reading!

In this blog, we attempt to answer the question "What is that red bird on my bird feeder?" Please keep in mind this blog is based in the Southeastern United States (Birds of West Cobb is located in Marietta, Georgia) What are the most common Red Birds to see at your bird feeder in the Southeast? Here in the Southeastern United States, you are most likely to see one of these 7 birds which are very red, or somewhat red. There are a few species here that you might not expect! In the order of "most red" to "least red" here they are: Northern Cardinal House Finch Purple Finch Red-headed Woodpecker Scarlet Tanager Red-bellied Woodpecker Rose-breasted Grosbeak The Male Northern Cardinal is very likely to be the most common Red Bird visiting your bird feeders in the South. Probably the most popular as well, Northern Cardinals are usually the answer to the question "What is that red bird on my bird feeder?" They are gorgeous birds without a question, but only the Male's feathers are bright red, and they will be brightest in Spring and Summer months! Did you know that Cardinals generally do NOT migrate? They will stay in the same area year-round and don't seem to mind the seasons changing! Here is another interesting fact for you: Cardinals are the official state bird of 7 different states! (Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia). While the male is typically bright red with a bit of black around the beak and eyes, the female is usually brown with an orange/red beak. Here are some photos for you of the male and female Northern Cardinal to help you identify them on your feeders! The Male House Finch will likely be your second most common Red Bird to see at your bird feeders House Finches are extremely common on feeders in the Southeast, but they were actually native to the Western United States originally and spread throughout the country. They often build nests inside of hanging plants, or in retail store sign lettering. You may even here them singing a a happy "Cheap cheap cheap" call when they are nearby in trees or shrubbery. While they are generally not a species that migrates in the Winter, you may see more than usual in Winter as some of the Northern Birds will migrate. Similar to the Northern Cardinal, the House Finch male is typically the red bird of the pair, and the female is usually quite plain in appearance. Here are some photos for you of the House Finches: The Male Purple Finch is another Red Bird that you can expect to see at your Bird Feeders in the Southeast. Most typically they will pass through, or spend the Winter in the South, so you'll be most likely to spot them in Fall or Early Spring Migratory periods. It looks similar to the House finch but does appear more Purple than red in some lighting! I've heard from several people that they were pretty confident they'd seen Purple Finches on their feeders here in the Metro-Atlanta area. For us though, it's really not very common. We usually see the House Finches (above) far more often and only see the Purple Finches (shown below) in early Spring when they are likely migrating back to their Summer homes. They appear slightly larger than House Finches and the coloration spreads to their wings and down their bellies to their tales as well. it is also, as the name suggests, purple instead of red. (although it is fairly close to red!) Red-headed Woodpeckers (Male & Female) is another bird with lots of Red coloration that you can expect to see on your bird feeders. This photo was captured in Duluth, Georgia at my parent's home. They've had a nesting couple nearby for years and there is almost always one at the feeder visiting while I am spending time with my parents. The male and female BOTH have the completely red head, it is truly wonderful to see with the bright contrasting white and black on the wings, breast and head. Red-bellied Woodpeckers (Male & Female) are very common birds with Red head and belly feathers, which you can expect to see at your bird feeders. The Red-Bellied woodpeckers are favorites of ours. The male has a full-red patch extending from his shoulders all the way to just before the beak. The female has red in the same area, but it is broken up with a patch of warm grey between the back of the head and the beak. In the right lighting (and viewing angles) you can also see the hint of red on the bellies that they are so well known for! The Male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks have an incredibly contrasting Red, black and white pattern. These are also migratory birds for most of the South, but always a treat to spot on the feeders! The coloration differences between the male and female are basically completely opposite sides of the spectrum. The male (shown below in most photos) is bright red, black and white while the female is brown (multiple shades) and white. You may not even recognize her until you see a male along with her. The colors on the male sure are impressive to witness! Scarlet Tanager (Spring/Summer Plumage = Red, Winter Plumage - Not red!) The Scarlet Tanager will typically be seen in Georgia and around the Southeast during migration, where the majority of the red has turned to Yellow for Winter months. In this photo (below) you can still see the hints of red on the chin as well as on the belly! In Spring they will be entirely red and black with white accents on the wings and tail! What are the best bird seed options for attracting these types of Red birds to my feeder? Black Oil Sunflower Seed This is one of our top picks for a large variety of backyard birds. You'll find anything from House Finches and Cardinals to the migratory Grosbeaks feasting on this seed type. It's readily available in many stores and you can buy it in bulk to save money as well! We've found that the shell-removed or "hulled" sunflower cuts way down on the mess below the feeders though, and strongly recommend this over the complete sunflower seed options. Here is a link to some on Amazon so you can give it a try! Hulled Sunflower Seed 10lb bag Safflower Seed This is probably our favorite seed type for attracting Red Birds or any other seed-eating birds. The seeds themselves are slightly smaller than Sunflower or Black-oil Sunflower seeds, and typically squirrels do not find them as appetizing. (Over time they will change their mind though if food is scarce). The seed is an off-white color and it makes for some great photographic captures! Here is a link so you can purchase a 10lb bag of Safflower Seed Seed mixtures Seed mixtures can be purchased and as long as they cover the types above you will do very well to attract a large variety of birds, including red birds, to your backyard bird feeders. Some seed mixtures will contain a large percentage of filler or "millet" seed, which is largely going to fall out of the feeders and onto the ground which attracts rodents. For that reason, we try to avoid the millet and go with something like this " Special Feeder Mix " from Cole's Bird Seed. We have had incredible results with it in the past few years!

The Pileated Woodpecker visits Birds of West Cobb Just the other day Lisa asked me to take some fresh photos for Instagram. Usually she doesn't have to ask, but in the last few weeks with us both being sick, Christmas shopping for family, a crazy work schedule, there has hardly been any time to sit outside with my camera. A couple of days after Christmas though, and I was able to make some time for the birds. As I focused on the smallest Woodpeckers in North America (the Downy Woodpecker), I also noticed a pair of Hairy Woodpeckers, a pair of Northern Flickers, several Carolina Chickadees and our usual white-breasted Nuthatches. Looking away from the camera for a moment and I saw something BIG move in the far back corner of the yard, just beyond our fence. It called out briefly before flying away and for a moment I thought I was caught in the recording of a jungle soundtrack! Once you've heard the call of the Pileated Woodpecker, you won't soon forget it. How can you tell a Male Pileated Woodpecker from a Female Pileated Woodpecker? While both the female and the male Pileated Woodpecker adults have a very bright read mohawk on top of their head, only the male will have red behind and under the beak along the jaw line. While watching the tiny female Downy Woodpecker, which had just come from behind the trunk, and recently came back into focus, (image above) something large flew right across the yard and I didn't even have to guess what it was. That size, that flash of red, black and white. I knew right away that the massive Pileated Woodpecker was back! I zoomed in with my Nikon and quickly noticed that this was a male, as there is some red near the beak, instead of just the giant red mohawk on the top of his head. I walked a dozen or so steps towards him, careful to stay behind another tree while moving in that direction. Then I would very slowly peak around the tree in front of me to make sure it was still there, and start snapping photos (as well as videos). What do Pileated Woodpeckers Typically Eat? Pileated Woodpeckers will naturally enjoy a diet of insects, grubs or other insect larvae including ants, carpenter bees, cockroaches, nuts, berries and even tree sap in the early Springtime. How Can I Attract Pileated Woodpeckers to my Bird Feeders? While we have had some success with C&S Suet Cakes (Woodpecker Treat), we have read other posts where people use "Bark Butter" and spread on a hanging limb or section of open tree trunk. Here is a link to the C&S Suet Cakes for Woodpeckers that we use consistently: C&S Woodpecker Treat Suet If you are interested in Bark Butter , here is a link for this as well: Bark Butter for Woodpeckers (Our only warning for you on this, would be to avoid using bark butter if Squirrels are already an issue for you.) How did you Attract Pileated Woodpeckers to Your Yard? Woodpeckers are naturally attracted to dead trees, which will act as housing for many insect species, including ants, spiders, carpenter bees, beetles and beetle larvae (and more!) which are great natural foods for these incredible birds! In our case, we noticed that we had a tulip poplar tree with a large hollow spot in the base. The tree was slowly dying but at the time still had leaves in the Spring and so we decided to leave it. While the tree is probably at least 40 feet tall, it is placed at least 30-35' from the nearest fence and any damage would be minimal if it fell during a storm. Luckily that hasn't happened so far, and since then it has died, some branches have fallen and the very top of the tree broke off at some point as well. There is still at least 30' of tree remaining though, and between the hollow opening at the bottom and the bark being peeled away from the top, this tree gives us lots of bird-watching enjoyment. Red-bellied woodpeckers love to peck near the top, while white-breasted nuthatches like to fly to the bare hard wood and crack seeds open on it. I was hopeful that this dead tree would eventually attract a Pileated and it finally did! (more than once!) How Tall are Pileated Woodpeckers? The enormous Pileated Woodpecker (standing over 18" tall) first perched on a neighboring tree, but quickly spotted this dead hardwood with a crack and some fungus appearing on the surface. He was ted no time at all pecking and prying and before a minute had passed, many large pieces of bark were flying off to the sides exposing many tasty morsels below the surface. For a moment I visualized this Pileated Woodpecker as a cartoon woodpecker and held back the urge to call out like Woody the Woodpecker (which probably would have terrified the poor bird anyway!). What is the Wingspan of a Pileated Woodpecker? A typical Pileated Woodpecker has a wingspan of approximately 30 inches, or 2.5 feet! To put this in perspective, it is very similar to that of an American Crow! In new subdivisions or young forests you are much less likely to see a Pileated Woodpecker. You may get lucky with Suet feeders but we have not had one visit ours, nor eat the C&S Suet Nuggets that we prefer to feed the other species of Woodpeckers in nearly 8 years. These are such large birds, that you will most likely spot them in forested areas with large, mature trees. They bore holes in the trees for nesting so the limbs and trunk would have to be quite large in order to support nesting requirements for these enormous birds. I have spotted them in the Brushy Mountain Wilderness near the Silver Comet Trail (close to Raccoon Creek), we spotted a female Pileated at Leone Hall Price Park , and we also saw one while hiking the Iron Hill Trail near Red Top Mountain State Park . Lisa watched from inside the house as I stood there at the edge of our deck, taking dozens of photos and a few short video clips of this enormous bird. I'm happy it wasn't startled and it seemed to get a full meal out of this tree. I hope you enjoy the blog post and please feel free to share with your friends and fellow bird enthusiasts! More details about the Massive Pileated Woodpeckers can be found at the following pages: All About Birds (Cornell) - Pileated Woodpecker National Audubon Society - Pileated Woodpecker American Bird Conservancy - Pileated Woodpecker Camera information: We currently shoot our wild backyard bird photography with a Nikon P1000 , which is the largest "point-and-shoot" camera of it's kind (currently). It is also referred to as the Nikon Superzoom camera because it has a zoom of up to 3,000mm effective focal range. For our purposes, this giant 2.2lb camera does a pretty good job and takes great photos, videos and audio. I wonder what the cost (as well as the weight) would be if I had instead purchased a comparable digital SLR body, and enough lenses to cover the same range that this camera covers? The P1000 allows for remote shutter control via the Nikon Snapbridge App, although we don't use it often. I prefer to sit behind the camera and have the freedom of moving around and capturing things as quickly as possible.

In this blog post, we share our story about a close-up visit from a Red-tailed Hawk. The largest hawk in North America came to visit and let us take some photos! Usually when I wake up in the morning the goal is simple. I must make some coffee. Everything else will follow (after Coffee kicks in). On the way down the stairs I’ll stop and take a quick look out the window. On this particular morning I looked and only saw a gray squirrel at the bottom of our larger bird feeder pole. He was staring up at the bird seed in the feeders above him and then back at the feeder baffle, which had definitely confused him. I had no idea I was about to have a close-up encounter with an incredible juvenile red-tailed hawk! By the time I made coffee downstairs and turned back to look out the window, there was now no squirrel in sight, but instead there was a HUGE hawk sitting on top of the feeder eating breakfast (and it wasn’t birdseed). After a solid 30 minutes of the hawk getting every single piece of fresh protein it could, I was surprised to see that it actually flew closer to the house, and perched on our deck railing. We have a couple of short video clips uploaded to YouTube also: Click here to view them on our channel! In this video clip, I had just stepped outside and tried to move extremely slowly, so I wouldn't startle Stephen the Red-tailed hawk, the last thing I wanted to do was scare him away while attempting to get a close-up photo or two. Luckily, he was patient and not the least bit worried about my camera and I! Another 20 minutes or so of this very full hawk hanging out, the Blue Jays screaming, and Carolina Wrens sounding off with their shrill alarm call, Lisa really wanted me to chase the hawk off, so she could come outside and feed the rest of the birds. Just in case it didn’t get startled and take off, I brought my camera out with me. The railing where the hawk was sitting is about 15 or 16 feet from the back door so theoretically I should be able to snap a few pics before it leaves, maybe even capture the launch of this massive bird and the first few wing flaps. I had no idea what was next. (keep reading!) After a minute or two, I was able to very slowly move a bit closer, while just snapping photos like crazy. Then, I moved around to the right of it. Although he saw every move I made, he was way more interested in all the activity around him in the trees above. Some small songbirds even came down to eat off the feeders less than 10 feet away because they must have understood that this hawk wasn’t a threat to them. I even saw another squirrel approaching from the furthest parts of the yard before seeing what was ahead and then freezing for a good 10-15 minutes. We named this juvenile Red-tailed hawk Stephen “ Red ” Hawkings, just for laughs. Red-tailed hawks come around our yard only a few times a year, although we generally see Red-Shouldered Hawks or Cooper’s Hawks a lot more often. Stephen hung around for nearly an hour and a half, and it seemed like he had a bit of a food coma after eating that entire squirrel. At the closest point between this hawk and my camera, I was probably around 4-5 feet from him. Finally though, he grew tired of me standing around with a camera in his face and he flew up to an oak limb between our house and our neighbor’s. Lisa was able to feed the birds and everything went back to the regularly scheduled program. This was quite an experience that I recognized as a very unique occurrence, and I do not take moments like these for granted. Nor will I soon forget it! Thanks for reading! Please like and subscribe if you enjoyed this post! In the video below, take a look at the size of those massive talons! You can also hear the titmice carrying on in the background at the start of the video as well!

The Rose Breasted Grosbeaks migrate thousands of miles each year so it’s always a treat to see them when they return to Marietta, GA! A few years ago I was walking back across the deck, after refilling the bird feeders. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a flash of white and red and knew immediately what it was. Here in the metro Atlanta area of Georgia it’s not super common to see a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and they are merely passing through so they are easy to miss. In many years of feeding birds in 3 different counties of Georgia, I had never seen a single one. I managed to snap a couple of blurry photos with my cell phone that day before it was gone. Luckily it came back several more times in the next few days and brought females along with him. That first year we saw 3 or 4, but the following year 7 or 8 at a time visited, several times within a few weeks before they departed. If you’re like me, you’ve been looking at these birds on bird-seed packaging, books about wild birds, art about wild birds and more for years. When you finally get to see one in person, it’s pretty impressive! The adult males have much sharper contrast between the black & white and red coloration. The females look much more brownish and lack the red, but otherwise look very similar. The large beak is used for cracking open seeds, and they seem to navigate to the black oil sunflower seeds in open trays/plates, and safflower seeds. The Rose-breasted grosbeak is one of the species we enjoy seeing here in Marietta because of the journey that they make each year (2 times per year!) If you were to hop on a jet and fly from “Southern Newfoundland, Canada” to Northern Ecuador, you’d be looking at a flight of around 4300 miles one way. The birds can’t fly non-stop though so it’s really impressive to think that they probably cover 5,000-6,000 miles!!! With that kind of trip you’d make Diamond Status with Delta Airlines in no time at all! September 2024: Update Nearly a year to the day September 24th, 2023 I photographed some adult male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, with some adult female Grosbeaks and a few juvenile males (like the one pictured above). This year we had Hurricane Helene approaching and I was a bit worried the birds would circumvent us this year to avoid the storm. However, On September 28th I looked out the back door to see a female and a juvenile male once again! Two days later, I saw an adult Male as well! Here is a short video of our juvenile Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, who seems very uninterested in Cardinals and Titmice and more that get close to him. I think he is a bit tired from all the traveling and the rain delays as well! I'm finding it interesting that these birds know where we are even after travelling literally thousands of miles, they find our back yard, and feeders, nestled in some 30-40 year old maple trees, pine trees, dogwoods and more. They seem to like eating in the mornings from 7-10am. After noon and you won't see a single bird (at least this has been our experience). Here are few photos I've take from this recent migratory group! Have you ever seen any Rose-breasted Grosbeaks at your bird feeders? We’d love to hear from you in the comments! In the video below you'll be able to see juvenile male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks as well as Females. They now stop every year in Marietta, on both of their migratory trips that span thousands of miles each way! We couldn't be happier about this!

In this blog we will discuss one of our backyard birding favorites; the American Goldfinch. Meet Gordie the American Goldfinch and His Family: the tiny, bright yellow, friendly little birds at your Backyard Feeders If you’ve ever noticed this tiny, but bright yellow and black bird in your backyard, you’ve likely been lucky enough to spot an American Goldfinch. Our resident male American Goldfinch, Gordie, visits our yard nearly every single day, often bringing his family along with him to brighten up our days. American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) are known for their beautiful seasonal transformations, where they will turn from a mild brownish yellow to an incredible bright yellow. I tend to look at the seasonal colors like the difference between Grey Poupon mustard (winter plumage) and French's Yellow Mustard (Spring/Summer plumage). Take a look at the photos below in the rest of this blog and you'll see what I mean! Gordie's Bright Summer Colors In the warmer months, Gordie, like most male American Goldfinches, wears a vibrant yellow plumage with contrasting black wings and cap, making him stand out among backyard birds. This bold coloration serves two purposes: it attracts female mates and helps males like him establish their territory. American Goldfinches, including Gordie, are among the few bird species that undergo a full molt twice a year, which means they shed old feathers and grow new ones to prepare for different seasons. Duller Tones in Winter As winter approaches, Gordie and other male goldfinches lose their bright yellow feathers, blending into their surroundings with muted, olive-brown tones. This seasonal change is crucial for survival, as it allows them to camouflage from predators when food is scarcer and trees have shed their leaves. Female American Goldfinches and juvenile birds also adopt a more subdued color palette during winter, making Gordie and his family look quite different from their summertime selves. How to Attract Goldfinches to Your Backyard If you’re hoping to welcome birds like Gordie and his family to your own backyard, consider providing their favorite food—Nyjer seeds and black oil sunflower seeds, and Safflower seed as well—in feeders specifically designed for small birds. American Goldfinches are drawn to these seeds, and a dedicated goldfinch feeder with small holes will help keep squirrels and larger birds from eating the seeds. (Please Note: We have shared a couple of links to feeders down 👇 below the main blog content) Will American Goldfinches visit a bird bath? American Goldfinches will visit bird baths frequently for drinks of water. Additionally, on hot Summer days they will sometimes dive in and take a full bath as well! They look like little rubber duckies splashing around in their respective pool! We are huge proponents of keeping a bird bath, or even multiple bird baths clean and available for all of our feathered friends. Enhancing the Birdwatching Experience To truly enjoy the beauty of American Goldfinches all year round, investing in a quality pair of binoculars and a bird-watching guidebook is essential. Here are some helpful product links to affiliate products that will be sure to enhance your bird-watching experience: Tube-style bird feeder for finches – [Amazon link] Sock-style feeder for Goldfinches - [Amazon link] High-Quality Nikon Binoculars for Birdwatching  – [Amazon link] Nyjer Seed  – [Amazon link] Black-oil Sunflower Seed Safflower Seed - [Amazon link]

In this blog post we'll talk about how our friends, the Gray Catbirds call Marietta, Georgia their Summer home. Gray Catbirds first visited our back deck on our 3rd or 4th year of feeding wild birds in our backyard. I went out to our back deck to refill the bird bath with fresh water and I thought just for a moment that I heard a cat's very typical "meow". I turned my head left and then right, but I found no cats or kittens prowling around the yard. With bird feeders and bird houses all over the yard, it's definitely something we keep in our thoughts to be aware of, and we have shouted and chased a few out of the yard (please don't ask about how I bark like a angry dog while giving chase lol). "Okay, well I'm pretty sure I heard a Cat." I said softly to myself. Shrugging it off and turning around to go back inside, a medium-sized warm grey bird flew right in front of me and landed on a 10" terracotta plate full of mealworms. It turned its head as if to look directly at me and then it's beak opened slightly and it let out a perfect "MEOWWW". I had read about Catbirds as a kid and knew for years that they were named for their cat-like calls, but I had never witnessed one in person. As a matter of fact, I had never even seen a Gray Catbird. But now, sitting right in front of me "mewing" there was one. They may be common in Georgia but for someone that spent countless hours outdoors fishing, hiking, mountain biking and more over the years, it seemed to me like more of a rare sighting! I went in the back door of our house and called out to Lisa. "Babe, we have Catbirds!". "That's nice!" I heard back from the other room. We went back to doing whatever it was that we were doing before I went outside to refresh the bird bath water, and didn't think much more about it for a while. Just a few hours later, Lisa went out back to add some more mealworms to the feeders and was not even outside for 1 minute. She came running back inside shouting "I think there is a cat somewhere under our deck!". "NO!" I shouted back. "That's the Gray Catbird I was telling you about earlier!" Over the next few weeks we started seeing them each morning and evening. A Pair of catbirds would come down from the lower limbs of the trees that hang over our deck and snap up several mealworms or suet nuggets at a time, before retreating to the same branches to finish eating them. It wasn't long before they were there nearly every hour of the day, and we realized one afternoon there were three of them! The new, fluffy addition to the bunch was clearly a juvenile but we were both very surprised that it was nearly identical in coloration when compared with the parents, except it was a bit fluffier! I've taken a couple of Gray Catbird Videos this year which I'll add below for your viewing/listening pleasure. Here is the video of the Gray Catbird and I exchanging "mew" and "meow" sounds - we hope you'll get a good laugh at this! Here are our favorite 2 food options for attracting these wonderful birds to your yard. Both the suet nuggets and the dried mealworms can be found on Amazon with the links below: C&S Suet Nuggets (Peanut Flavored) Hatortempt Dried Mealworms (10lb Bag) Once Summer comes to an end, we start to see less and less of the Gray Catbird family. We have a neighborhood lake and we take our canoe out on the lake from time to time to fish and birdwatch. Sometimes in the thickest brush along the edge of the lake we'll hear the familiar "Mew" and "Meow" of our friends, the Gray Catbirds. By October though, they have moved further South to Florida or South Georgia and here they will stay until typically April or early May. Then, we look forward to the cycle starting over again and seeing new young Catbirds. Also, we named the first one we saw "Tigger". It seemed fitting! Thanks for reading, everyone! -BOWC (Lisa & Dan)