Ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris)
Of course, everyone loves hummingbirds. We try to provide as many natural food sources as possible, such as these bee balms. We provide a nectar feeder only very early in the season or very late. These feeders need more maintenance than we (or most people) want to do and keeping them clean is ESSENTIAL for the birds’ health. Besides, we enjoy watching them getting nectar from flowers.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Ruby-throated hummingbirds
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
- Community Science: Operation RubyThroat and Hummingbirds at Home (ended 12/21)
- Birdwatcher’s General Store: Fighting hummingbirds
NOTE: Dates of ARRIVALS and DEPARTURES are shown (for years I had information)
| YR | Arrived | Dep | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||||
| 23 | 5/18 | 9/24 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | · | ||||
| 22 | 5/11 | 9/30 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | · | · | |||
| 21 | 5/04 | 9/23 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | · | · | |
| 20 | 5/13 | 9/20 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | · | · | ||
| 19 | 5/11 | 9/08 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | · | · | |||
| 18 | 5/10 | 9/20 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | · | |||
| 17 | 5/15 | 10/01 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | · | ||
| 16 | 5/15 | 9/11 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | · | · | |||
| 15 | 5/03 | 9/14 | · | · | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | · | · | |||
| 14 | 6/08 | 9/14 | · | · | · | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | · | |||
| 13 | 5/29 | 9/08 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | · | |||
| 12 | 5/18 | 9/23 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | · | |||
| 11 | 5/28 | 8/28 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | 2 | · | · | · | |
| 10 | 5/23 | 9/12 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · |
| 09 | 6/07 | 9/06 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | · | · |
| 08 | 5/21 | 9/07 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | · | · | · |
| 07 | 5/13 | 9/29 | · | · | · | · | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | · | · | · |
| 06 | 6/04 | 10/01 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | · | · |
| 05 | 5/29 | 10/03 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | ||
| 03 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | ||
| 02 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | · | · | ||
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
ARRIVALS:
MAY – 3; 4; 10; 11; 11; 13; 13; 15; 15; 18; 18; 21; 23; 28; 29; 29;
JUNE – 4; 7; 8;
DEPARTURES:
AUGUST: 28;
SEPTEMBER: 6; 7; 8; 11; 12; 14; 14; 20; 23; 23; 24; 29; 30;
OCTOBER: 1; 1; 3;
WOODPECKERS:
- NY Times: New research questions the traditional explanation for why woodpeckers don’t get concussions. Why woodpeckers don’t mind hitting trees with their heads.
- Lesley the Bird Nerd: VIDEO: 7 fascinating and unusual woodpeckers of North America
- Lab of Ornithology: Why do woodpeckers like to hammer on houses and what can I do about it?
Red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)
One of our favorites — a really handsome bird. Before we started studying bird books, we might have guessed this was a red-headed woodpecker, since the red on its head is more prominent than its slightly reddish belly.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Red-bellied woodpecker
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 23 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | 2 | ||||
| 22 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | |||
| 21 | 1 | 2 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | |
| 20 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 2 | 1 | ||
| 19 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 18 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 17 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 16 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | |||
| 15 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 14 | 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 12 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 11 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | |
| 10 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 |
| 09 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 |
| 08 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 |
| 07 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · |
| 05 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 03 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius)
CLIMATE THREATENED
We’d love to see this bird more often. We were lucky to see this one bathing in our stream. (But since I was inside, I took the photo through the window, so it is a little fuzzy. )
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Yellow-bellied sapsuckers
- Audubon: Yellow-bellied sapsucker
- American Bird Conservancy: Yellow-bellied sapsucker
- Nature Conservancy:
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | ||||
| 22 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | ||||
| 21 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | |
| 20 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | ||
| 19 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 18 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 17 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 16 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 14 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 12 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 11 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 10 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 08 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 07 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)
Downy woodpeckers are quite common in our yard.
Besides this opportunity (in the photo) to grab ants as they were moving their eggs, downies look for insects on our snags and enjoy our suet feeders. They’re an enjoyable addition to our yard and are remarkably comfortable being around while we’re working in the yard.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Downy woodpeckers
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
- Birdwatcher’s General Store: Downy woodpeckers in birdhouses
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | 3 | |||||||||||
| 23 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | ||||
| 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 21 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |
| 20 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 19 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 18 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 17 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 16 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | · | 1 | 1 | |||
| 15 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | · | · | |||
| 14 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||
| 12 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | |||
| 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 |
| 09 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 08 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 07 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 06 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 05 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 |
| 04 | · | · | · | 1 | 2 | 2 | · | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 03 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 02 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 |
| 01 | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 |
Hairy and downy woodpeckers (P. villosus) / (P. pubescens)
The key differences are that the downy is smaller than the hairy, and the hairy has a longer beak.
When they’re next to each other, it’s easy to tell them apart (the larger one with the longer beak is the hairy). It’s also easy to tell the male downies and hairies from the females: The males have a brilliant red patch on the top of their heads.
Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus)
It took a while for us to be comfortable distinguishing between the hairy and downy woodpeckers (see below), but now that we’ve had some practice, it’s easier. As with the downies, they’re a beautiful and charming bird.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Hairy woodpecker
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | 1 | |||||||||||
| 23 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||||
| 22 | · | · | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | |||
| 21 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | |
| 20 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 19 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |||
| 18 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | 1 | |||
| 17 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | 1 | ||
| 16 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | |||
| 15 | · | · | · | 2 | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 14 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | · | |||
| 13 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | |||
| 12 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||
| 11 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | |
| 10 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 |
| 09 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 08 | 1 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 |
| 07 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 06 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Northern flicker (Colaptes auratus)
A really handsome bird, but one we see only occasionally — certainly not often enough.
I love the yellow under his tail, his speckled breast, the black neck, and scarlet on his head. A little bit of every kind of adornment on one bird!
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Northern flickers
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
- Nature Conservancy’s Cool Green Science: Why do flickers knock on your house? (and how to protect your house and still enjoy flickers)
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | 1 | 2 | 1 | · | · | 1 | · | ||||
| 22 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 21 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | |
| 20 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 2 | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | ||
| 19 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | |||
| 18 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | |||
| 17 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ||
| 16 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | · | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | · | |||
| 14 | · | 1 | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 12 | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | |||
| 11 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 2 | · | · | · | |
| 10 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 08 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 3 | · | 1 | · | · | · | 1 |
| 07 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | 1 |
| 04 | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | 1 | · | 1 | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |
Pileated woodpecker (Cryocopus pileatus)
We’ve seen these in passing, but I don’t think our neighborhood generally has the resources for this large bird. They’re certainly spectacular!
One day he visited our yard and spent quite a while extracting insects from the logs lining our back yard paths. He didn’t seem to mind having me take many, many photos of him as he worked. Later, someone said that he had seen a pileated dead in the street a few blocks away, having been hit by a car. I assume it was this one, and sadly I never saw him again.
- Learn more:
- Cornell’s All About Birds: Pileated woodpeckers
- American Bird Conservancy: Bird of the Week
| YR | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
| 24 | · | |||||||||||
| 23 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | ||||
| 22 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 21 | 1 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 20 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 19 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 18 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 17 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | ||
| 16 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 15 | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 14 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 13 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |||
| 12 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 1 | · | |||
| 11 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | |
| 10 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 09 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 08 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 07 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 06 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 05 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 04 | · | · | · | 1 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 01 | · | · | · | · | · | · |