Western Tanager and others

[Jessie M]

What a weekend it has been in our backyard for Spring birds!  Amongst the goldfinches, house finches, chickadees, nesting robins, bluejays, RW blackbirds, WC sparrows, (eating seeds and mealy worms) I am seeing one male Western Tanager, 1 male Rose-breasted Grosbeak, 2 Bullock orioles (1 mature and one 1st  year males), 1 Orchard Oriole.  All, except the grosbeak, are eating heavily on suet, oranges, hummingbird juice.

Jessie Meschievitz

1 mile west of Severance CO

[Douglas Powell]

Wow,

We had a similar weekend. We did have a pair of Western Tanagers show up at the feeding station in our backyard. Cannot figure out if they are nesting somewhere or just passing through.  We are feeding WBU Choice Blend (tube & platform), WBU No-Mess (tube feeder), Black Nyjer (tube feeder), and we have one hummingbird dispenser.  We do have trees and shrubs leafing out nicely, also a bird bath and water fountain. These birds can hardly resist moving water. 

This weekend seemed extra busy: Western Tanager male & female, one Lazuli Bunting, one yellow warbler, a gang of Blue Jays, one Stellar's Jay in the gang, one Black Chinned hummer, one Downy Wood Pecker, two Turkey Vultures (soaring), two pairs of Collared Doves, several Robins, one pair of nesting Black Capped Chickadees (just 8 feet from our back deck), one Yellow Rumped Warbler, multiple Sparrows, House Finches, Goldfinches, and Red Winged Blackbirds.  No hawks sighted this weekend which may partially account for all the other activity we saw.

Doug Powell

Laporte, CO (semi-urban area)