April 5, 2020: IDed

We put up a couple feeders on a stand in the backyard in view of the dining table. It's been nice having all the extra visitors. We just IDed our first bird (that wasn't a robin, cardinal, blue jay, etc.): a Downy Woodpecker.

Though it could be a Hairy Woodpecker too. We're new at this.

26 thoughts on “April 5, 2020: IDed”

  1. Just yesterday Mrs Runner spotted a pair of Goldfinches, I watched a couple house finches out front, and the neighbor texted that he'd seen an eastern bluebird and a downy woodpecker. Definitely that time of year

  2. Awesome HJ. Welcome to the club.

    Yesterday to get out of the house we went for a birdwatching drive. We IDed 15 species, including a lifer for me - An Eastern Meadowlark. I've heard them a ton but had never seen one.

    1. Looking over my photos, I see another one that I had missed - A Ring-necked Duck - which was also a lifer. 16 IDs and 2 lifers!

  3. Great minds think alike--we put out a feeder in the backyard. Last night before dinner, the peperoncino watched a couple of chickadees coming to visit and I attempted to take photos. Trying to be quiet and still while observing the birds felt a little like meditation.

  4. I was sitting at our kitchen table the other day when a bird hit the window. Then another bird hit the window. I looked outside and there was a hawk chasing the birds off my feeders! I've become so successful that I'm serving up hawk bait.

    1. Sorry I missed it. It's the Mrs's birthday. We went for a walk (to pay our property taxes). Made cocktails and prepped for a stir fry.

  5. I've dug out MLB2K11 out of hibernation (because MVP05 wont work with a XBOX360 grrr) and of course playing with the Twins. I've made Joe Benson into a walks machine. In 20 Games he is slashing .352/.521/.493/1.014 with 25 walks.

    Its the little things that will get us through these times.

    Have you dug out any old games?

    1. My routine hasn't really changed a ton since I'm still putting in my forty, unfortunately.

      That said, I don't really know if it counts as pulling out an old game, but I did find Jedi Outcast and Jedi Academy is available for the switch. I do also have a Genesis in my basement which I've considering hooking up, but haven't done so.

      1. I'm waiting for the taiko game I ordered for the Wii to show up before I dig that thing out. I found a drum controller at a garage sale shortly before everything fell apart. Once the game comes, I'm going to have to figure out how to hack the Wii to region free.

  6. If it was smaller than a cardinal, it was a downy woodpecker. With enough watching you'll be able to notice the size difference right away.

    Inspired by this post, I filled one of our feeders. The other two are still down from lack of seed available, and another because it needs to be cleaned and someone co-opted the brush as a toy. I'll sometimes toss some seed below the feeders for the ground birds and squirrels.

    Right now two titmice are enjoying the refilled feeder while a pigeon mourning dove waits despite not fitting on this feeder.

    1. With enough watching you'll be able to notice the size difference right away.

      Yes. I'd also recommend trying for a reference point. For me it helps that I usually see them both on my square suet feeder. The Downies are smaller than the feeder, the Hairys are slightly larger.

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