Welcome to our blog!
It's all about our discoveries in our private Shady Oaks Sanctuary for birds, pollinators and wildlife. We gauge our success by the diversity of species we observe and document with our photography.
We hope you are inspired to create your own refuge!
Into April's mix of birds 4-10-25
By the end of March, some birds are nearly into their breeding plumage.
Scruffy ones can be confusing, which adds to the fun of identification!
American Goldfinches are pretty recognizable now.
A Brown Creeper found a hidden bit of larval food on an oak branch.
A pair of Northern Mockingbirds have become quite at home in our yard this year, a first. They're frequently at the window feeders on colder mornings.
Two of those scruffy characters right now are White-throated Sparrows.
The male Eastern Phoebe still calls in the mornings, claiming the pair's territory while the female is on the nest.
Two male Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers were in the woodland one day, chasing each other through the trees.
Chipping Sparrows arrived on 3-29-25 and were around for several days.
One Yellow-rumped Warbler is being seen daily, usually going after a bit of suet in between the woodpeckers.
Northern Cardinals are singing a lot now in their beautiful ruby red plumage.
We watched a Hairy Woodpecker for quite a while at lunch one day. It was focused on finding food in the "soft landings". This is the layer of habitat that is so crucial for insects to complete their life cycles. It is the forest floor, comprised of fallen leaves, twigs, and native plants such as Virginia Bluebells (upper left), Smooth Hydrangea (upper right), and the slender stalks of Solomon's Seal (foreground). The bird probed with its long bill and found ants, small larvae and finally, a fat spider. Yay for soft landings!
We had a storm that went on for about four days with nearly 6" of rainfall. This White-breasted Nuthatch was the first bird to jump in for a bath the very next morning. Wonder where it had been hiding out of the rain?? It looked so excited about getting a bath!!
Some days, I just get really lucky being in the right place at the right time. That has happened twice this week, first when I walked to the window in time to see this Hermit Thrush stop by for a bath about 6:30 p.m. on 4-7-25.
And the second time was yesterday morning, when I checked one last time before leaving the room. Louisiana Waterthrush! This is not a bird I see every year, and I was thrilled! It is a warbler, very similar to the Northern Waterthrush which usually arrives a bit later. The Louisiana prefers moving water, finding tiny little larvae in the algae on the rocks. This bird was all over the bubbler area, finding lots to eat. In the third photo, a little green tidbit can be seen at the end of its bill. It also usually has a pure white throat and bubblegum pink legs, bobbing its body in a slow, swaying motion. Its bill is a bit larger than the Northern's and it can take larger food. They do vary a bit, but here's a comparison photo:
For more information on both of these species, check out this link: Louisiana Waterthrush
And, this one: Northern Waterthrush
Yes, these two can be easily confused, they're very similar warblers.
The Virginia Bluebells and other native plants survived all the rain and then a hard freeze.
Native plants are indeed hardy!
Mid-March update 3-15-25
March came in like a lion, windy and cold.
Winds were 60 mph on March 5th, strong enough to blow an insect into the eye of a bluebird!
The female Eastern Bluebird managed to brush it out and it moved to the top of its head!
The Eurasian Tree Sparrows took over the nest box and started building their nest in earnest, but since they are not native birds, I cleaned it all out and left the door open for a day. The next morning, the bluebirds were back! They've managed to drive away the sparrows so far. Fingers crossed. Last year, they had 3 broods.
Yellow-rumped Warblers are seen daily, often feeding on suet, stopping by the bubbler or fly-catching in the woods. Soon, other migrants will be joining them.
Resident birds like these Blue Jays are sprucing up and pairing up for breeding.
Migration has officially begun. Another Purple Finch spent the day here on March 10, feeding heavily before moving on.
A young female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker spent time feeding on insects on trees and near the ground in the leaf litter. The temperatures have warmed up and that increases insect activity, making this essential food easier for the birds to find.
Just this week, native plants like Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica), Celandine Poppies (Stylophorum diphyllum) and Roundleaf Ragwort (Packera obovata) have emerged from the leafy mulch.
If chickadees and titmice are thriving in your yard, there is a much higher chance of migratory birds coming in to check out their activity.
So, keep your eyes and ears open for new sights and sounds!
BirdCast is online again as of March 1st. The highest number of migrants so far was on Tuesday night, March 11, 2025. The very next day, "our" pair of Eastern Phoebes were heard and seen here. The female got right to work on the nest under the gazebo.
Our wetland area, or swampy thicket is where the female spends time gathering moist leaves, algae and moss to build the nest.
Here, the bird is perched on a cypress knee, a bit higher perch to find insects for food and particular fibers to bind the nest together.
The little bird has been busy again today, adding material to the nest on day #3. Last night's squall line of storm cells with heavy rain, hail and 70 mph winds spawned tornadoes. It was a rough night, but we were glad the birds found shelter and survived.
Spring officially begins on Thursday, March 20, 2025.
Now, are you ready for spring warblers?
Here is my gallery to help you prepare.
You can view each labeled image as you wish, or put it on slide show mode and let it run.
Spring Warbler Species at Shady Oaks
Where has February flown? 2-27-25
February, the shortest month, has been a busy one here at Shady Oaks.
As of today, we've gained an hour and 46 minutes of daylight.
Next weekend, we Spring Forward!
This squirrel is easily identified by the wound on its back and its chopped off tail. This male has a mate and their nest is in the cypress.
This photo was taken on 3-17-2020. What a tough survivor! Winter takes a toll on wildlife and our weather of late has certainly been challenging.
A female Purple Finch was around on several days. The second photo has a female House Finch on the left side of the feeder for an easy comparison. It's smaller, stripier, and lacks the bold brown and white head pattern of the Purple Finch.
The Northern Mockingbird finally allowed a few photos. It looks for fruit in winter, but most has been eaten off any shrubs. Suet and bark butter bits were eaten by the bird, but not the grapes and raisins I had put out.
An American Robin hoarded the fruit!
House Finches and American Goldfinches came in droves when it started to snow again on 2-12-25. They eagerly took the sunflower hearts I'd scattered on the deck.
Yellow-rumped Warblers found larvae in the leaves and bark butter on the small hybrid oak. They will eat snow in winter, but birds often prefer the water at the bubbler which is kept at 40 degrees by the de-icer in the pond. (seen in photo below)
A Brown Creeper followed the Yellow-rumped and searched in the aerial roots of Virginia creeper, where bark butter is sometimes left by larger birds. These two smaller birds have finer bills that can reach in between the roots for the leftovers.
Brush piles such as this provide some cover for juncos and sparrows when inclement weather comes in.
These scenes were captured by our Bubbler Cam and Gazebo Cam on the morning of 2-20-2025. Temperatures had bottomed out at 2 degrees Fahrenheit. We had flown the coop for a family project. Thankfully, our neighbors, Bob and Suzanne provided mealworms for the bluebirds!
On our return, we put up the nesting box for the Eastern Bluebirds. It didn't even take two hours before a pair claimed it!
"Don't even think about it!"
The pair still is defending the box as their own against the Eurasian Tree Sparrows today. Last year, eggs were laid the last week of March. We shall be watching for signs of nest building!
Our Haikubox just alerted me to the call of an Eastern Phoebe, another sure sign of spring. I went out to look and listen, but could not confirm it. Last year, our first phoebe arrived on 2/29/24.
Spring is nigh!
January observations 1-31-25
We begin with a short video of clips taken by the Stealthcam near the garden.
In it are White-tailed deer, birds at the east feeding station, an Eastern Bluebird that flies to
the feeder and even an Eastern cottontail rabbit looking for food. This storm kept us very busy
refilling feeders and checking on the water features.
A view of the garden on 1-16-25.
Suet feeders have been visited by Hairy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers every day. Now, it's easy to see how the Red-bellied got its name!
The immature Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is often seen at the sap wells in the sugar maple (Acer saccharum). White-breasted Nuthatches, chickadees, and the other woodpeckers come in for sap, too. However, the sapsucker can be territorial and chases them off. Food is a precious commodity in winter.
This young Cooper's Hawk was looking for an easy meal one day but took a rest on the railing instead.
Rusty Blackbirds have been back, foraging through the leaves even in the bubbler for any insect prey.
You've probably noticed. Birdsong! Yes, this Song Sparrow and other birds are tuning up already for spring. As of this morning, we've gained 43 minutes of daylight since the Winter Solstice.
Eastern Bluebirds have been very active at our feeders and water features! They often have trouble surviving snow cover and bitterly cold temperatures like we've had. But just a few days ago, insects were actively flying and I watched bluebirds, titmice and other species catching them for food. We'd much rather see the birds finding natural food! A Mourning Dove and House Finch joined the bluebirds at the heated bird bath.
A young Red-tailed Hawk has also been cruising through the woodland, at times just perching to rest.
Before the storm, we had a day warm enough to reinforce the bubbler basin. The sandstone rock behind the small bubbler rock had been slowly breaking down, so we took it out and put it under the hydrangeas. The Dark-eyed Juncos and White-throated Sparrows have been seen taking grains of sand from it every day. Grit helps their digestion. Think of it as another form of recycling!
This Yellow-rumped Warbler was after some of that delicious sugar maple sap and slipped in when the sapsucker was absent. It has a love of bathing and was seen in the bubbler and at the icy stream bed to drink.
As the snow began to melt away, birds like this Dark-eyed Junco looked for seeds and insects.
That immature female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker stops in to drink at the bubbler after getting some suet from the feeder.
On Wednesday, 1-29-25 two female Purple Finches were back at the west feeding station. One was seen again yesterday.
Now, one would think that an European Starling wouldn't have the guts to pick on a larger Northern Flicker, but it jumped right on its back to evict it from the basin! Those starlings are just plain stinkers sometimes!
We're looking forward to a break from the cold as the rest of the ice mounds melt away. Birds are moving about now, so keep a lookout. I saw four Rock Pigeons a few days ago, heard Canada Geese fly over and we've had a Northern Mockingbird showing up at the window feeders. So, that brings our total for January to 41 species. It has been a busy month.
Stay safe and well, it's still winter.
1-15-25 Bad weather brings good birds!
The new year began with a few days to prepare for the storm.
Now, after ten days of icy snow cover, we're all ready for some warmth!
We've gained 16 minutes of daylight since the Winter Solstice.
Northern Cardinals and Eastern Bluebirds seemed to bathe leisurely on New Year's Day. Later, the Brown Creeper searched for insects on the sugar maple (Acer saccharum).
American Goldfinches, Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers found seed and bark butter to fill up on ahead of the storm.
Dark-eyed Junco numbers started to creep up. We've seen the slate-colored, but in 2022 some of the Oregon subspecies came in. There are reports this subspecies is being seen again this winter.
Read more about this species and its variations:
A pair of Rusty Blackbirds showed up and foraged for seed under the Cliff Goldenrod (Solidago drummondii).
A female Red-bellied Woodpecker sparred with this European Starling for feeding rights on the suet.
Birds find shelter in plants and protected places out of the wind. A Northern Cardinal tucks in during the storm on a climbing Hydrangea next to a south-facing stone wall.
A Northern Flicker shelters under the collar of a white oak branch, out of the icy mixture of sleet that came first. The European Starling doesn't cling in the same way, so it fluffs up and holds on.
This Song Sparrow has been staying in the shelter of the Coral Trumpet Honeysuckle (Lonicera sempervirens) on the arbor. I happened to see it come out and rest. Energy must be rationed on these bitterly cold days!
Mourning Doves find cover in Buttonbush (Cephalantus occidentalis). Its twiggy branches help give some protection from hawks.
Eastern Bluebirds and Blue Jays often come in to drink.
A Fox Sparrow has been present since 1-6-25, and it was seen again today. I don't document these every year.
For the first time that I recall, an immature female Yellow-bellied Sapsucker started coming to the suet feeder. It's a daily routine now.
This male Yellow-bellied Sapsucker came looking for some protein in this bark butter.
European Starlings are real pests at the feeders and this Northern Flicker had to work harder for its food, just like the Red-bellied Woodpecker did.
Both female and male Yellow-rumped Warblers have been documented in this first two weeks of the year.
There is nothing quite like a male Northern Cardinal in the snow on a sunny winter day!
Eastern Bluebirds really count on supplemental foods when deep snow covers the ground. We estimated that we had 14-15" total, the most in a long time.
A bedraggled Golden-crowned Kinglet came to the bubbler on 1-10-25. It seemed happy to bathe! More photos are in the new gallery.
Both male and female Purple Finches have been here this week. What beauties! They are sometimes a challenge to tell from the House Finches. In the following photos, the Purple Finches are on the right.
Purple Finches are a bit larger with a brown cheek patch, less striped and the female has a white eyebrow. Keep watching for them!
A family group of five white-tailed deer scampered through the woodland on Tuesday, disturbed by the recycling truck.
Everybody's gotta eat! These feathers were left when a Cooper's Hawk took a Mourning Dove. We saw the hawk as it carried the dove away. All the birds will either freeze or dash to cover when a Blue Jay calls the alarm.
That happened today when this Sharp-shinned Hawk flew in to scan briefly for prey. It was not successful getting a bird while I watched. Maybe this hawk will hit the jackpot with a few pesky starlings.
We are setting a new record pace with 38 species so far!
Here is the link to the gallery to see all the photos:
Birds through January 15, 2025