I've known there were more birds around lately than the usual suspects I always see around here. Today I got excited when I saw this one...first time it's appeared at the feeder that I know about! I know the pretty one is the male...maybe the other one is the female of that kind. I'd guess that these birds weren't finding enough food and water out in the drought-stricken places they usually haunt and somehow found my little wildlife haven.





And not sure what this bluish bird is, but it's pretty and it showed up at the feeder today also. I took the pics through a window, so they're not the best.

Linda......I think that's a Blue Grosbeak. They're a little larger that the Painted Bunting.....like a sparrow. They range as far as South America,...I believe,...and are seed eaters-insect eaters. How wonderful to have them attend your feeder! I've never seen a Blue Grosbeak in our neck of the woods.....occasionally we'll see a Painted Bunting......I'm envious!

I have never been lucky enough to see those in the flesh!! Very pretty indeed!
Josephine.

Thank you for the ID on the Blue Grosbeak, Lee! I agree, that's it. I do feel fortunate to have them, although I feel bad that the drought was so bad it drove them here. All those birds were feeding like crazy yesterday. I read somewhere that the Painted Bunting seldom goes to feeders. I know they've been around for a while, because when I listened to the Painted Bunting call on a site on the net, I realized I'd been hearing it for a while, but was apparently only seeing the females or juveniles of that kind at the feeder and couldn't figure out what they were. I'm having trouble keeping up with putting out enough water and food for all my extra visitors this summer. I think the main difference between the summer of 2009 and this one is that this time most of the state is also in severe drought. Kind of hard for wildlife to go far enough to escape it.

You're absolutely right! This morning I saw a report on the news that wild offspring are being abandoned because of the severe/exceptional drought
....here in Texas

Nice to see but of course sad so many aren't as lucky.

We've often had a male painted bunting at the feeder, but we've only seen the female a couple of times. She is parakeet yellow-green and quite distinctive.

Nice pic, Pat! I'm sure this male is getting tired of me taking pics of him, but I can't seem to help it!

Amazing........beautiful shots,... both of you!

Pretty pictures. I saw one here in our neighborhood back in 1990, still remember it; georgeous birds! Haven't seen another since.

Such a pretty bird! I'd be taking lots of pics too! LOL

I've noticed many more birds at the chickens feeder this summer. Nothing so colorful as the painted bunting, but I've enjoyed watching them and I'm glad to put out extra for them.

Congratulations Linda & Pat on attracting the beautiful Painted Bunting to your feeders! Linda, that is definitely a male and female PB ... the female is very drab in color. Oh, I love the Blue Grosbeak too ... I've never seen that one, I thought maybe it was a juvenile male PB. My Florida bird book says the Painted Bunting is a year round resident here but I only see them in the spring time. They do eat seed but love, love mealworms! I took these photo's of the male & female Painted Bunting in my backyard this past April:

I love those. So pretty...

beautiful!

trying to stay cool....a bunting with a bad hair day!

Hehe! Those birds sure do have fun playing in the water!
Well, the buntings are gone, but we've got another very pretty kind of bird. The levels of nectar in the hummingbird feeder was falling fast...I thought the migrating hummingbirds must be VERY hungry! But now it seems that the hummingbirds had help using up the nectar...I don't know much about orioles....but I think these are some kind of oriole!

Linda that's exactly what I was thinking. Looks like a variation on the oriole that I used to see in PA growing up. I'd guess there's a midwest/western version?


Beautiful birds either way!

It looks like an Oriole to me too. Very pretty.

Beautiful! And, I agree they look like the Baltimore Oriole's, maybe a male and female or the second one is possibly a juvenile male? I've only seen one ... a few years ago in the winter when a male stopped at one of the feeders in our yard. They are gorgeous!

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/g...

They sure brighten up a yard! And I've NEVER put out as much hummingbird nectar as I am now! They can empty the feeder real quick! I think one of the titmouse birds also got the idea from the orioles and tasted it...over and over. I tried putting out oranges for them...they just LOVE them!