FreeLists / tn-bird / [tn-bird] crossbills & Hummingbird

["Wes Siegrist" <siegrist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

We had our first ruby-throated hummingbird of the season yesterday ( a male ) 
and we were both excited last week to have eight red crossbills visit our tray 
feeder located just outside the dining room window.  Six males and two females 
( that we could identify among all the Siskins) returned several times during 
the period of an hour.  It was overcast and about to rain but we still managed 
some great video footage through the window.

We also encountered two ruffed grouse in the Park this past week.  A male posed 
for photos atop Rich Mountain road and a female magically appeared just six 
feet from me at the Walker Sister's cabin.  Both birds calmly went about their 
business as I watched.  I also had a blue-headed vireo and two rufous-sided 
towhees on the trail to the Walker Sister's cabin ( between the school and the 
cabin).  Family visiting from Florida quickly became birders after the Grouse 
sighting.  They absolutely loved the purple finches, house finches and 
white-breasted nuthatch that visited the feeder each morning during breakfast 
as well as our other regulars ( bluebirds, Carolina chickadees, Carolina wrens, 
goldfinches, pine Siskins, titmice, song sparrows, chipping sparrows, 
red-bellied woodpeckers, downy woodpeckers, Pileated woodpeckers and Flickers 
and downys).  Rachelle's father even purchased a field guide and was able to 
identify the rough-winged swallows at the Townsend Y.  Needless to say his book 
was full of marks when he left :-)

Happy Birding!

Wes  & Rachelle Siegrist,  Townsend, TN
http://www.artofwildlife.com - miniature paintings of wildlife art
mailto:siegrist@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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