Backyard Birds

I have been spending a bit of time in my pop-up blind in the backyard. I have to confess it is much more comfortable than the 40 lb sunflower seed bag I used to use as a blind in Mom and Dad's backyard when I was much younger (and smaller). For those of you still small enough this is a very inexpensive blind - just cut a couple of eye holes..(Laura loves this story about me - makes her giggle every time she thinks of me with the seed sack over my head in the backyard).

One thing that is the same is the reaction of the birds to the appearance of not having a human that close. I really like being able to watch the birds foraging and bathing. I can hear the Common Grackles cracking sunflower seeds and the White-crowned Sparrows singing away right next to me. Here are a bunch of photos from my time in the blind. I am slowly figuring out where the birds are perching and where I need to place some perches to make the backgrounds work. One of the best things about this blind is that it came with shoot-through mesh velcroed to the windows for bowhunters. I can cut a hole in the mesh and place the lens through the mesh and the birds can't see me behind the mesh. Wish I knew that when I was trying to use it on the Greater Sage-Grouse lek. Next year




Lincoln's Sparrow


Orange-crowned Warbler


Red Crossbill


White-crowned Sparrow


Common Grackle


Eurasian Collared Dove


Hairy Woodpecker


House Finch