More New pics

From top to bottom: White Breasted Nuthatch, Bluejay, Redbellied Woodpecker,Northern Cardinal (male&female), Purple Finch.

Pics for Lori

We are often visited by our non-avian friends here at the Bird Station. Some arrive as masked "thieves" in the night while others waltz right in and make themselves at home in broad daylight. Either way, all are welcome...at least until the deer get tired of birdseed and start in on every plant,shrub and tree in the yard!

I received a reply from Cornell University Ornithology lab regarding my inquiry about the oddly colored woodpecker I recently snapped on the Bird Cam. I suppose their theory is possible. Here it is:

Dear Chris,
The bird in your photo is a female Downy Woodpecker. The brown wash on the belly is most likely caused by whatever roost hole the bird was using. It does make the identification more challenging, though. Learn more about this small woodpecker at www.allaboutbirds.org.
I wanted to let you know about the newest feature to All About Birds. It's called Inside Birding and it provides tips from two expert birders on how to be an even better birder. Visit www.allaboutbirds.org to learn more.

Anne Hobbs
Public Information Specialist
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
http://www.birds.cornell.edu

Variety Pack

A Red bellied Woodpecker arriving for a snack; A summer favorite, Ruby Throated Hummingbird does the hovering thing; A pair of Finches dine together; A handsome Cardinal; A ground feeding Junco is lured onto the deck.

A proud moment

I was surprised to see that "Wingscapes", the company that makes the "Bird Cam" motion activated camera that allows me to capture the terrific pictures of the fascinating, beautiful creatures that surround us daily, has featured one of my shots on their face book page and on their own website:

WINGSCAPES: Tawny Downy Woodpecker

wingscapes.typepad.com

I got this shot of this strangely colored woodpecker a few weeks ago. I had never seen one with plumage of this color and can't find any reference to it in any of my field guides. Their explanation sounds plausible. However I have also submitted this image to the Cornell University Ornithology lab(http://www.birds.cornell.edu/) to get their opinion. If I get a response I will post it here.
Suffice to say for now today was a proud day for us here at The Bird Station!

First, a few pics.

Here are some samples of my "frequent flyers": Red Bellied Woodpecker, Eastern Bluebird, Blue Jay, Carolina Wren, Downy Woodpecker and Black Capped Chickadee (Coming in for a landing just to the right of the Downy Woodpecker, look closely!)

Welcome to The Bird Station!

HI!

I'm new to the whole blogging world so bear with me as this space takes shape.

My name is Chris and I'm just a guy with a "Bird Cam" and quite a bit of free time. I've always had a fascination with the natural world and over the years I have focused on the variety of winged creatures that surround us daily whether we live in the city or the country. I have lived in both places in my life. Currently, I live in Madison CT. We have a lovely wooded neighborhood that abuts a large swath of the Cockaponsett State forest, so we have quite a large and varied assortment of resident birds. Not to mention deer, foxes, raccoons, chipmunks, rabbits, fishers and the odd coyote (thankfully, for the domestic dog and cat residents coyotes are still quite rare)

In this space I hope to share with you the beauty and variety of birds and other wildlife with which I am fortunate enough to share my little piece of the world. I hope you will enjoy!