Blue-headed Vireo Song, zzzzzzzz

Blue-headed Vireo was singing in our yard this morning, its song not always easy to tell from Red-eyed Vireo's. The pauses in between its song phrases compared to Red-eyed's is so long make me think I could fall asleep during the pauses, ZZZZZ (that is one way I remember it). The quality of the song phrases are different between the two species as well. Learn bird songs, you will hear many more than you ever see.

Blue-headed

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-headed_Vireo/sounds

Red-eyed

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Red-eyed_Vireo/sounds

(photo from another time)

Indigo Bunting Late Comer

Indigo Bunting, male has been singing from tree tops in our NH yard for last several days. Good luck to him getting a mate this late in season. (photo from FL)

Purple Finch is our NH State Bird!

Purple Finch was at the feeders today. One of the joys of living in NH and our state bird!

American Goldfinch beauty!

Tis the season for American Goldfinches to look their best in their breeding colors. Just when other birds are winding down their breeding, goldfinches are nesting in summer. Attract them with thistle (nyjer) or finch mix bird seed. Enjoy them now!

Forster's Tern Here, inland NH!

Yesterday saw a Forster's Tern flying over the pond (really a shallow lake created by a dammed up river) we view from our deck here in SW NH, headed south. It is rare to see terns inland here so this was a special treat. These terns usually are seen on the coast of NH from July 9th to Dec. 28th. There are only a handful of records inland according to Eric Masterson's excellent book, Birdwatching in New Hampshire. Ironically we also saw a Forster's Tern from our property here on 10/2/07 and that one stayed for several hours flying over the pond and sometimes landing on a rock. We are used to seeing many Forster's Terns in FL in winter and that is where this photo is from.

Great Spangled Fritillary Butterflies are out now!

Great Spangled Fritillary butterflies are now in my pollinator garden. I caught one in flight! Love these large butterflies. They are found across much of the upper three quarters of the country and into southern Canada. Look for them now in moist open areas including meadows, gardens, pastures.

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July!!! Red, White and Blue Birds

Northern Cardinal

Great Egret

Indigo Bunting

Eastern Bluebird, male

Flowers from our garden

Here are some red, white and blue birds plus an Eastern Bluebird, male, that gets our vote for most patriotic bird as he has the combined colors in his plumage. Happy Fourth of July! Hope you have a safe, great holiday and see some red, white and blue birds!