This entire spring and summer we have daily seen a flock of about 15 pigeons (rock pigeons) perched on the wires from early morn to dusk. They are always perched in the same spot all day long. They are of various colors, but one that really stands out is the all-white pigeon. These birds are perched a couple of yards over from our back yard and they never visit our yard. The photo below shows a crow perched amongst the pigeons. I found it quite strange and amusing. Shortly after I took this shot the crow started harassing a couple of the pigeons. Too bad that photo didn't turn out.
But I sure do get my fill of mourning doves visiting my yard. They are so good at cleaning up spilled seed on the ground. They have help, too, from the juncos and California towhees. This year I have had as many as a dozen mourning doves at one time in my yard. And this year, for the first time, I have had them visiting the feeders. Note the photos below. Can you believe what you see here? A mourning dove in my window feeder. And this has happened repeatedly for the past two weeks. I tend to think these goofy birds are juvies. When a couple of doves started to visit my platform feeder I thought it was amusing. And it was understandable that they could easily "fit" at that feeder. But once they started to figure out how to "fit" themselves into my window feeder I thought it was hilarious.
And two weeks ago I found a new visitor at my platform feeder. A black-headed grosbeak. This is a first for me. I saw a black-headed grosbeak perched on the wire above my backyard last year about this time of year, but it never came to visit the feeders. This year I had as many as four of them at one time. Again, I think these birds are juvies. They visited my yard for only a week, but it was a thrill to see a new species in my back yard. I did not see these grosbeaks all week this week, so I guess they have already migrated.
I do hope they will come back next year. I wonder what other migrants I might see yet this year. What have you seen so far now that fall is upon us?
