LIFE'S BETTER IN THE MOUNTAINS

Monday, October 1, 2012

Welcome Visitors

One of our favorite things about Autumn (and there are MANY favorite things), is the fall migration.  While we love all of our transients, our favorite by far is the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.  Each year brings a challenge between my husband and me to spy the first traveler.  This year my husband won.  And for a brief while we will be thrilled to see these lovely birds.

The males arrive here first.  In Autumn they are not quite as brilliantly colored as they are in the Spring but they are beautiful nonetheless.


My husband saw the first one this fall.



The males will be here about a week before the females arrive.  The females are brown and lack the white and rose coloring but they are still lovely birds.


Another lovely male.



Shortly after the females arrive, the males will leave for parts to the south and the females will remain here another week or so.  Then they too will depart and we will not see either sex again until spring when they are robed in their more brilliant summer plumage.


Some migrating seasons pass without our spotting the males in our yard, but we have received quite a treat this year.  We envy those of you fortunate enough to live in their breeding range.  We would love to see them all summer long but if it's to be only twice a year we will appreciate them as they travel through.

Don't you just love the bird visitors?


11 comments:

Dawn Fine said...

Yes, I love watching the migrants too. We are having great fun watching the huge flocks of Tree Swallows here on Cape Cod!

Anonymous said...

The last of our Black-headed grosbeaks left about a week ago. We are lucky to be in their breeding range. We are about a thousand miles outside of the Rose-breasted grosbeak range. Interestingly, though, I photographed one male when were living in Port Townsend, WA, and I photographed another here in the Sierra foothills last year. They are such beautiful birds. It was a thrill to see one.

Busy Bee Suz said...

They are so beautiful! I'm thankful you are being treated so much this year; enjoy!

Janet, The Queen of Seaford said...

Your Rose Breasted Grosbeaks are beautiful! We had some last year, will have to be more observant.... maybe I may have missed them. Love watching the birds.

Ms. A said...

I never see interesting birds around here. Just the same ol', same ol'. I know there must be some, they just don't seem to be right where I am.

These are great shots!

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Hi Carolyn, We may have missed our Rose-breasted Grosbeaks this time --due to our trip... I hope not---but usually they are here in September... Thanks for sharing photos. They look so different in the Fall, don't they?
Hugs,
Betsy

KB said...

They are gorgeous. We see a few black-headed Grosbeaks here each summer but never the rose-breasted ones. They are brilliant!

NanaNor's said...

Hi there, Oh what wonderful birds-I haven't seen these before. I love how each part of the country has different birds! Here we mainly have finches and sparrows; grackles(I detest them because they mutilate the smaller birds)and some black birds. We also see eagles and lots of hawks. The eagles make my heart sing.
Thanks for sharing.
Noreen

Jayne said...

I love seeing them too my friend and am always amazed by their colors, even the females. :c) Haven't seen any migrators here yet.

NCmountainwoman said...

thanks for your comments, everyone.

Dawn - I try and try and cannot make comments on your blog. But I do read and enjoy them very much.

Robin - I have never seen the black-headed ones except in pictures.

Suz - Ah, but you have so many different birds there in Florida all year round. Lucky you.

Janet - Some years we don't see them, or see only the females.

Ms. A - We are fortunate to have feeders overlooking the woods so the birds feel safe dropping by.

Betsy - Yes, they are definitely more brilliant in the spring.

KB - we do enjoy them when they come visit.

Noreen - Oh, to see the eagles soaring. What a sight. Yes, it is amazing how birds that are common to one area are rare in another.

Jayne - I also love the females. I'm sure they will head your way soon.

Janie said...

Very pretty grosbeaks! You got some good photos of them. I like them a lot better than the skunks in your more recent post.