Northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)
We always have two or three cardinals. They’re especially beautiful against the snow. They also have some very distinctive songs and calls.
NOTE: The numbers below, as with all birds where it’s easy to distinguish between males and females, represent the number of birds seen AT ONE TIME, regardless of gender. This protocol is important so cardinals aren’t overrepresented relative to other species where individual bird’s gender cannot be determined.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Northern cardinal
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
- Lesley the Bird Nerd: VIDEO: Northern cardinal: One of the most admired birds
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | 2 | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | ||||
| 22 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||
| 21 | 7 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
| 20 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 6 | ||
| 19 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |||
| 18 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | |||
| 17 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 16 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | |||||
| 15 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | · | · | |||
| 14 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | |||
| 13 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 12 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 11 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| 10 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 09 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 08 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 |
| 07 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 06 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
| 05 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 04 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 03 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 02 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 01 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Rose-breasted grosbeak (Pheucticus ludovicianus)
We occasionally see rose-breasted grosbeaks for a few days each year. They’re in CNY during the summer, but for some reason they don’t visit our yard very often.
The male is so distinctive that it’s easy to identify.
This stumped me for a while. At first I thought this was a female grosbeak, but I later decided that it must be an immature male because of the patch of color developing on its breast.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Rose-breasted grosbeak
- American Bird Conservancy: Rose-breasted grosbeak
| YR | Arr | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | ||||||||||||
| 23 | · | · | 3 | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||||
| 22 | 5/11 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | |||
| 21 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 20 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 19 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | ||||
| 18 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 17 | · | 1 | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 16 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 15 | · | 2 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | ||||
| 14 | · | · | 1 | · | · | 2 | · | 1 | · | ||||
| 13 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 12 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 11 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 10 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 09 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 08 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 07 | · | · | · | 1 | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 03 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Indigo bunting (Passerina cyanea)
The most jewel-like bird we’ve ever had in the yard. I didn’t catch a photo of it as it was bathing in the stream, but I still remember seeing it. No photo could do it justice anyway. None of the photos in the bird ID books compare to the real thing. I wish it were a regular visitor!
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Indigo bunting
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 22 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 21 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 20 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 19 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 18 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 17 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 16 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 14 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 12 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 11 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 10 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 08 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 07 | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoenceus)
These blackbirds are infrequent visitors and are not nearly as annoying as grackles.
I think this is the female redwing blackbird. It’s amazing how different the genders can look in some birds when they’re so alike in others.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Red-winged blackbird
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the week
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 22 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 21 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 20 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 19 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 18 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | |||
| 17 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 16 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 14 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | · | 2 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 12 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 2 | |||
| 11 | · | · | 30 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | |
| 10 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 08 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 07 | · | · | 12 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)
Unlike starlings and house sparrows, these are native birds — but even so, I find them to be very unpleasant. They’re usually travel in loud and raucous groups, have an unpleasant voice, and I think they probably scare other birds away from our yard. They definitely have caused other birds to abandon nests they started in our yard.
They do have a nice irridescent coloring on their head.
NOTE: The “250” in 2015 is not a typo!
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Common grackle
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
- Bird Watcher’s General Store: Keeping grackles off your feeder
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | 32 | |||||||||||
| 23 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 2 | · | · | ||||
| 22 | 2 | 8 | 5 | 3 | · | · | · | · | 1 | |||
| 21 | · | · | 8 | 10 | 3 | 2 | · | 1 | · | · | · | |
| 20 | 3 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 3 | · | · | 1 | · | ||
| 19 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 30 | · | · | |||
| 18 | 8 | 10 | 5 | 7 | 10 | 1 | · | · | · | |||
| 17 | 150 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 5 | 50 | · | 1 | · | · | ||
| 16 | 2 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 3 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 250 | · | · | |||
| 14 | 26 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | 50 | 6 | 4 | 8 | 4 | 3 | · | 3 | · | |||
| 12 | · | 3 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 20 | 1 | 3 | 1 | |||
| 11 | · | 4 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | |
| 10 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | · | 4 | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | · | · | 30 | 13 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | · | · | 1 | · |
| 08 | · | · | 50 | 4 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 15 | 1 | · | · | · |
| 07 | · | · | 40 | 50 | 5 | 1 | · | 6 | 2 | · | · | · |
| 06 | · | · | 30 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 12 | 2 | · | 1 | · | · |
| 05 | · | · | 30 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 4 | · | 1 | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | 8 | 50 | 4 | 12 | 3 | 9 | · | 1 | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | 11 | 15 | 5 | 8 | 10 | 3 | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | 6 | 12 | 7 | 15 | 6 | 3 | 2 | · | 1 | · |
| 01 | · | · | 23 | · | 1 | · |
Brown-headed cowbird (Molothrus ater)
My heart always sinks when I see cowbirds. (The female is on the left; male on the right.) They’re native, but our human pattern of development —especially cutting roads through forests — creates many more “edges” where cowbirds can thrive. Other native birds who hadn’t co-evolved with cowbirds in their previous range are now at risk. Obviously, not the cowbirds’ fault, but still …
I saw two of these birds preening after bathing in our stream. They seemed like some exotic bird with a very bluish body and unusual markings on their faces and wings.
It turned out that they were juvenile brown-headed cowbirds!
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Brown-headed cowbird
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 2 | ||||
| 22 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 21 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 20 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | ||
| 19 | · | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 18 | 1 | 2 | · | 1 | · | · | 2 | · | · | |||
| 17 | · | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | ||
| 16 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | · | 2 | 2 | 3 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | |||
| 14 | · | 4 | · | 2 | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | · | 2 | 1 | · | 2 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 12 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 11 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | |
| 10 | · | · | · | 1 | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · |
| 08 | · | · | · | 2 | · | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 3 | · |
| 07 | · | · | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 |
| 06 | · | · | · | 2 | 2 | · | 2 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · |
| 05 | · | · | · | 1 | 3 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | · | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 3 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula)
It’s always exciting to see the Baltimore oriole. It seems like I always see him in the redbud tree and that the redbud tree is in bloom when he comes. Most of my photos show him there. He never seems to stay very long though.
In 2013, we were surprised to see the female gathering nesting materials in our yard, stripping fibers from the previous year’s milkweed stalks.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Baltimore oriole
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
- Birdwatcher’s General Store:
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 22 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 21 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 20 | · | · | 4 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 19 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 18 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 17 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 16 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | |||
| 14 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | · | · | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | |||
| 12 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 11 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 10 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 08 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 07 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |