Yard birds - Douglas

[Hugh Kingery]

We have some anomalies this summer among the birds that come to our feeders. Today 4 surprise birds showed up.

We see many more Black-headed Grosbeaks than in any of the past 3 years. Compared with 5 or so in daily in summers of 2014-2016, this month we see 10-15 , and probably more. Many, if not most, immatures. Today as I watched some of them on the flat-with-sunflower-seeds-feeder four (4) Evening Grosbeaks showed up. One even chased away the Black-headed immature. Three of the four Evenings look like immatures; one possible an adult (rather frazzled). They spent five minutes in view, then disappeared and haven't reappeared (within an hour).

Blue Jays usually abandon us in the summer and show up in mid-September. This year they showed up on July 17, and now we see two daily, three today.

We have seen few hummingbirds up until August; now about normal numbers of Black-chinned & Broad-tailed. Fewer Rufous--or else some of those rufousy female-types haven't learned aggressive Rufous behavior. One Calliope, briefly, a a week ago.

Urling & Hugh Kingery
Franktown