Critters in the yard in January

Brett was in the car, backing out of the driveway on the way to work when he called me. He says “There’s deer in the front yard”. He was afraid if he got out of the car and came back in to tell me they would leave. I went flying out of the house with my camera to see them cruising through our yard and around to the back. This will never get old.

One morning I was walking by the back window and saw a hawk sitting on the bird feeder. Ugh, well that’s not going to get me any songbirds. Again, I grabbed my camera and headed out the door. He didn’t even flinch as I walked up to the feeder. I finally waved my arms at him and he flew over to a nearby tree. I think he was trying to catch some lizards.

A few of the visitors to the birdbath in January. The yellow throated warbler has been hanging out for a while now. He will probably head north soon for the summer.

This looks like a new visitor. I’m not sure what this is. It’s a juvenile. It’s got the beak of bunting or a goldfinch. Or, maybe it’s a house finch? The yellow around the head is throwing me off.

Right before dark as I was closing the curtians I saw this dove sitting on the bird bath every night for a week. It was a chilly week so I was wondering if he wanted to come in to warm up? One night I could see the moon coming through the trees so I ran out and shot the above.

I added sunflower seeds to the feeder and finally got a bluebird on it. My neighbor has a feeder full of sunflower seeds (and one with mealworms) and he always has a lot of bluebirds.

I’m always amused at the antics of the many squirrels in the backyard. I think this one was taking a nap in the sun except he was upside down. He stayed there for a while.

 

2 thoughts on “Critters in the yard in January

  1. Hi Dina
    We often see mule deer in our yard and I also love to watch and photograph them from my windows. They are beautiful animals! We also enjoy watching a squirrel that runs back and forth on our retaining wall all day lone, When the wall is full of snow he has to cling to the wall sideways.

  2. I have one of those hawks hanging out around my feeders too. Sharp shinned hawk….or possibly Cooper’s hawk. He’s/She’s eaten a few of the White-wings hanging out around their feeders. They prefer those. Occasionally they’ll go after sparrows. Part of nature I guess…and I know they just do what they’re created to do, but still….I scare them away sometimes too. They don’t scare easily.

Leave a Reply