FOS Rufus Hummer & White-breasted Nuthatch

Just before I left for a weekend in Taos, on Thursday July 9th, I saw a FOS Rufus Hummingbird at my feeders. We got home late last night, but I and my out-of-town guests saw a beautiful, chocolatey male several times at the feeders this morning. I love how they look like polished brass shining in the sunlight. The Calliope can't be far behind!

We also saw a FOS White-breasted Nuthatch today…a bird I have not seen here in such a long time! I thought, in my limited experience, they were here all year…but they’ve been missing for months and months! It’s good to see the feisty little buggers.

Other birds of late are lots and lots of American and Lesser Goldfinch, several fledged families of Black-billed Magpie (funny to watch the great lunkers that are really still babies, beg for food), Bullock’s Orioles, Black-headed Grosbeaks, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Grackles, House Finch, House Sparrow, and of course Starlings.

The White-winged Dove hasn’t been around in awhile…but it's such a treat to hear the Mourning Doves. This morning a pair was here...I don't see them every day.

I also get a kick out of the baby woodpeckers. A friend (bless him) attached a suet feeder underneath a wooden, flat-bed feeder for me...the idea was to foil the grackles and starlings that are eating me out of house and home. Well, I should have offered up a larger feeder...the bigger birds are able to lean over the feeder and reach under; but because he centered the feeder, they can only get to the edges. We've slowed them down some, but even the young Downys and Harrys have figured out how to fly up under, or gingerly walk over, around and down the feeder to get to the suet. I haven't yet seen the very busy Nuthatch at the suet yet, it seems intent on stealing just the sunflower seeds...one at a time, as is their wont.

Oh, and June's Monthly List:

White-winged Dove, Great Blue Heron*, Mourning Dove, Lesser Goldfinch (black- & green-backed), Bullock's Oriole, Hairy Woodpecker, Black-headed Grosbeak, Black-chinned Hummingbird, Broad-tailed Hummingbird, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Grackle, Turkey Vulture, American Robin, Red-winged Blackbird, Brown-headed Cowbird, European Starling, Northern Flicker - Red-shafted, Downy Woodpecker, Black-billed Magpie, House Sparrow, American Goldfinch, Pine Siskin, House Finch - red, yellow and orange variants, Eurasian Collared-Dove. (* = Flyover)