Blog

The last weeks of September brought some much-appreciated cooler weather to my home in Missouri. Autumn for me is marked by opening windows for fresh air, long evening walks, purchasing pumpkins and chrysanthemums, as well as anticipating my cold-weather feathered friends. Soon it will be time to say goodbye to our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds (a few females will hang around for another week or two) and begin to watch for some of my favorite winter birds, namely Dark-eyed Junco and his buddy, White-throated Sparrow. (If you see one, you will often find the other nearby, as they like to pal around together.) 
 
Of course, with the natural food supply decreasing with the drop in temperatures, I'm seeing more of my year-round favorites as well: Chickadees, Tufted Titmouses, and Carolina Wrens, to name a few. 

 Snow Birds (Dark-eyed Juncos)

Each year I look forward to the return of my Dark-eyed Juncos! They spend the cooler months in my backyard and bring joy to the winter landscape. 
 
"Juncos are the 'snowbirds' of the middle latitudes. Over most of the eastern United States, they appear as winter sets in, and then retreat northward each spring."~ All About Birds

Color Your World (Red-bellied Woodpecker)

Woodpeckers love to visit our feeders! If you want to entice them into your backyard, try putting out suet, as well as peanuts, in or out of the shell. We usually see Downy, Red-bellied, and Hairy Woodpeckers, as well as an occasional Northern Flicker.

Colors of Change (House Sparrows)

These House Sparrows make a pretty pair sitting atop the fall foliage, don't you think?

"House Sparrows are a common sight at bird feeders; you may also see them bathing in street-side puddles or dustbathing on open ground, ruffling their feathers and flicking water or dust over themselves with similar motions."~ All About Birds

Tangled (Carolina Wren)

I love to watch the Carolina Wren skillfully maneuver through the leafless branches!

"A pair bond may form between a male and a female [Carolina Wren] at any time of the year, and the pair will stay together for life."~ All About Birds

Happy Dance (Chipping Sparrow)

The tiny Chipping Sparrow is a delight to watch as he pops in and out of sight in and below the shrubs.

"A crisp, pretty sparrow whose bright rufous cap both provides a splash of color and makes adults fairly easy to identify."~ All About Birds

Waxwing Watering Hole (Cedar Waxwings)

The one and only time I've seen Cedar Waxwings in my backyard was the year we installed a heated birdbath on the deck. A flock of these social birds spent a week hanging out with what seemed like every American Robin in the neighborhood; they stayed just long enough to devour every berry in our backyard trees!

Autumn Vibe (Northern Cardinals)

Mrs. and Mr. Northern Cardinal were foraging below the feeders one overcast day in early fall. I kept the colors subdued to give the painting a cool autumn vibe.

"Only a few female North American songbirds sing, but the female Northern Cardinal does..." ~ All About Birds

Branching Out (Northern Cardinals)

After the leaves have fallen is the best time to watch these gorgeous songbirds frolic in the trees.

"The male Northern Cardinal is perhaps responsible for getting more people to open up a field guide than any other bird. They're a perfect combination of familiarity, conspicuousness, and style: a shade of red you can't take your eyes off. Even the brown females sport a sharp crest and warm red accents. Cardinals don't migrate and they don't molt into a dull plumage, so they're still breathtaking in winter's snowy backyards."~ All About Birds

Pining for Winter (Chickadee)

Chickadees are not easy to photograph! Always on the move, these tiny, acrobatic birds are fun to watch.

As much as I study them, I still cannot tell the difference between Carolina Chickadees and Black-capped...maybe this is why:

"Where the two species ranges come in contact, the Carolina and Black-capped chickadees occasionally hybridize. Hybrids can sing the songs of either species, or might sing something intermediate."~ All About Birds

First Snow (White-throated Sparrow)

This White-throated Sparrow seems to be taking the early snowfall in stride.

"They forage in the leaf litter, often using both feet at once to scratch backwards, then pounce forward at anything they've uncovered. They also toss leaves aside with flicks of the head."~ All About Birds

I hope you've enjoyed my gallery of feathered friends! I've enjoyed painting each and every one of them in watercolor. What kinds of birds will you see in your backyard this fall and winter?

Watch birds. Paint. Love. Repeat.