Birds in my Boyfriend’s Backyard

Birds in my Boyfriend’s Backyard Just birds in my boyfriend’s backyard

As we step into a brand-new year, there’s no better time to reflect on the beauty and resilience of the natural world. A...
01/07/2025

As we step into a brand-new year, there’s no better time to reflect on the beauty and resilience of the natural world. Among the highlights of the backyard this week were a fiery Northern Cardinal and a watchful Blue Jay, each making a bold statement in their own way. The cardinal, with its vibrant red plumage and proud crest, seems like a symbol of hope, vitality, and warmth, even in the chill of winter. It’s as if it’s reminding us to stay bold and steadfast as we embark on the adventures of the new year. On the other hand, the Blue Jay—captured beautifully in monochrome—represents curiosity and adaptability. Though bold and assertive in their demeanor, these clever birds are a perfect metaphor for resilience and strength, qualities we all strive for as the months ahead unfold.
Here’s to another year of backyard adventures, and celebrating the amazing creatures and wildlife that make every day on earth special.

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and out in the pines, Not a bird was still chirping, not even a titmouse. The feeders ...
12/28/2024

‘Twas the night before Christmas, and out in the pines, Not a bird was still chirping, not even a titmouse. The feeders were filled with sunflower seed flair, In hopes that St. Cardinal soon would be there. The wrens were all nestled in nests made with care, While nuthatches dreamed of worms they’d soon share. Mama Blue Jay in her festive blue cap, Had just settled down for a mid-evening nap. When out by the oak there arose such a flutter, I spilled all my millet (a terrible clutter!).
I flapped to the window to check the commotion, And nearly collided with a chickadee in motion. The moon on the needles of a towering pine lit the yard up below like a holiday sign.
When what to my widening eyes did appear,
But a sleigh pulled by birds, chirping loud and clear. With a feathered old driver so merry and quick, I knew in a moment it must be St. Cardinal. Faster than hawks in a mid-morning dive, He whistled and hollered, “Now Towhee! Now Titmouse! Now Finch and Woodpecker! On Warbler! On Bluebird! On Sparrow and Flicker! To the top of the cedar! To the top of the pine! Flap away, dash away, and don’t cross that powerline!”
As dry leaves before a swift whirlwind they fly, The sleigh full of suet soared into the sky. So up to the treetop the feathered crew flew, With a basket of seeds—and St. Cardinal too. And then, in a flutter, I heard on the roof The scratching of talons, oh, birdie-proof! As I perked up my crest and turned all around, down swooped St. Cardinal with barely a sound. He was plump like a puffin and dressed all in fluff, With feathers so glossy, he looked pretty tough.
A sack full of mealworms he flung on his chest, And he chirped as he landed in his holly-red vest. His eyes—they were beady! His beak, small but strong! His tail feathers twitched as he sang his sweet song. His tiny wings flapped as he spread out the treats, Then he tossed out some berries (and even bird sweets!).
He chattered and chirped as he worked without pause, Filling feeders and stockings, to loud bird applause. Then, fluffing his feathers, he rose up in flight, And called to his crew as they soared through the night:
“Happy Birdmas to all! May your feeders stay bright, And may your seeds and suet last all through the night!”

It all started with a dream: me, a cozy outdoor chair, and a cheerful woodpecker eating peacefully from the feeders I so...
12/23/2024

It all started with a dream: me, a cozy outdoor chair, and a cheerful woodpecker eating peacefully from the feeders I so lovingly filled. The reality? Four days in a row of sitting outside, hands turning to ice, completely still, while this male woodpecker screamed at me like I owed him rent. His repertoire of insults? A bizarre bird version of the Cha Cha Slide, which mostly involved yelling “CHA CHA” at me in rapid succession. What was he trying to say? Was it an invitation to dance? A threat? I’ll never know.
After spending so much time trying to win his trust, I had a startling realization: this guy has red eyes. That’s right—RED. I mean, sure, it’s apparently a sign of his age, but I can’t help but think I was trying to bond with a bird that looks like he moonlights as a villain in a low-budget horror movie.
But wait, there’s more! Have you seen a red-bellied woodpecker’s feet? They have two toes pointing forward and two pointing backward, like some kind of alien claw designed for gripping tree trunks and unsettling humans. It’s a vibe, and it’s weird.
Despite his grouchy demeanor and otherworldly features, I think I’ve earned his tolerance. Trust would be a stretch, but he now acknowledges my presence without immediate threats of violence. Let’s be honest, though—he probably just tolerates me because I’m the one who fills the feeders. Even jerks appreciate free food.
So there you have it: I’m officially in a one-sided frenemy relationship with a red-eyed, grumpy, alien-footed bird. And you know what? I wouldn’t trade it for anything. Well, maybe a bird with a slightly better attitude. And normal eyes. And feet. But hey, beggars can’t be choosers in the birding world.

The tufted titmouse—nature’s tiny alarm system with a flair for family life and food hoarding. These little guys, with t...
12/17/2024

The tufted titmouse—nature’s tiny alarm system with a flair for family life and food hoarding. These little guys, with their big, curious black eyes and perky crests, are equal parts adorable and surprisingly persistent. Let’s start with their vocal abilities- You’d think such a small bird would chirp politely. Nope. Their call sounds like a piercing alarm designed to throw you off completely. The kicker? It has this weird trick of making them sound further away when they’re not.
Young tufted titmice don’t move out of their parents’ house right away. That’s right—no empty nesters in the titmouse world. The kids stick around for an extra year, playing babysitter to their younger siblings. Move over, human teenagers; these birds actually help out around the house!
And let’s talk about their food habits. These little brainiacs are hoarders—like, next-level smart hoarders. They stash food all over the place and actually remember where they put it. Meanwhile, I can’t remember where I left my keys five minutes ago, but these birds are running a full pantry operation.
Tufted titmice are also surprisingly chill around humans. They’ll swoop down to feeders like they own the place and don’t seem to mind you staring back at them. Maybe it’s because they know they’re cute enough to get away with anything. Add in the fact that they’ll live up to 13 years (a long time for a bird that small) and bunk down in woodpecker-dug holes like the ultimate opportunists, and you’ve got yourself one smart, resourceful little feathered freeloading roommate.
So, if you have a yard—or a life—that seems to be overflowing with tufted titmice, just know you’re in good company. They’re curious, clever, and they’ll probably outlive the woodpecker who gave them their free room.

Blue Jays are apparently certified geniuses with intricate family relationships - no surprise once you find out they're ...
12/16/2024

Blue Jays are apparently certified geniuses with intricate family relationships - no surprise once you find out they're part of the crow family (I had no clue). These birds are total brainiacs, they can recall human faces, which is probably why my boyfriend is texting me nonstop while I'm working, saying the Blue Jays are going ballistic at the window and sending the dog into overdrive because (you guessed it) I spaced out refilling the feeder for the zillionth time this week. And, man, these birds have serious appetites.

The Brown Thrasher is like the Beyoncé of the bird world - supposedly. But let's be real, I couldn't hear squat over the...
12/16/2024

The Brown Thrasher is like the Beyoncé of the bird world - supposedly. But let's be real, I couldn't hear squat over the cacophony of my blue jays freaking out while she chased them away from the seeds they spilled from the feeder. I mean, these thrashers are like the ultimate mean girls - they're known for literally smacking predators with their beaks. Anyways, not my fave, but clearly not anyone else's fave at this snowy feast either.

The downy woodpecker is like the ultimate daredevil - they're tiny, curious, and totally fearless, except for the males,...
12/16/2024

The downy woodpecker is like the ultimate daredevil - they're tiny, curious, and totally fearless, except for the males, which are basically scaredy-cats. They only eat food from higher branches, while the females are all, 'Hey, I'll just grab something from down here.' And can we talk about their brains? They've got built-in shock absorbers to prevent whiplash from all that pecking. I mean, who wouldn't want a helmet like that?

It's official: raccoons are the ultimate White-Throated Sparrow nemesis. But let's be real, who wouldn't want to munch o...
12/16/2024

It's official: raccoons are the ultimate White-Throated Sparrow nemesis. But let's be real, who wouldn't want to munch on those adorable, chunky birds? The real mystery, though, is why the sparrows continue to build their nests on the ground - it's like they're begging to be someone's lunch.

Meet the sleepy Yellow Shafted Flicker, aka the wasp whisperer. This bird's got skills - and an appetite for wasps, whic...
12/16/2024

Meet the sleepy Yellow Shafted Flicker, aka the wasp whisperer. This bird's got skills - and an appetite for wasps, which earns him a solid spot in my fan club. But, let's get real, this distinguished gent is a bit of a diva. He likes his beauty sleep, and he's not afraid to take a snooze while waiting for me to vacate the premises of the bird feeder. I mean, who needs personal space, anyway? Apparently, I'm only allowed to admire him from 100 feet away - no more, no less. Who makes these woodpecker rules, anyway?

It seems Chirping Sparrows take a page from the toddler handbook - eat, eat, eat. This fluffy bird will even eat rocks t...
12/16/2024

It seems Chirping Sparrows take a page from the toddler handbook - eat, eat, eat. This fluffy bird will even eat rocks to help digest its food, which I'll just assume is the same logic my two-year-old human uses when eating rocks.

So this Northern Mockingbird is a thing, but it's looking at me like I'm crazy 🙄, the internet says it's not a fan of bi...
12/15/2024

So this Northern Mockingbird is a thing, but it's looking at me like I'm crazy 🙄, the internet says it's not a fan of bird feeders, but the internet needs to get out more, specifically to my boyfriend's backyard.

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