Backyard birdfeeder carnival

Marianne, over at Learning2Love had as idea.This is what she posted a week or so ago. " I have an idea! What if we watch our feeders for a week with our kids, keep a list of the species of birds that visit, and then send me your list, including what state you are in and maybe a picture or two, by Memorial Day, May 26th. I will post the carnival on May 27th. The official bird watching week can be from May 18th - May 24th. Post in the comment section if you're interested, and send me your links by May 27th and we'll see how this goes! This will be so interesting!"

Well, we had a very successful week, and more importantly, the kids had a wonderful time. They were constantly on alert for another bird sighting.

The highlight of our week had to be when Mark yelled, "I see a bluebird, a real bluebird in the backyard." Well, we hear bluebirds and occasionally see them out in the back woods, but this is the first time in the yard. The proof we have though, is just this very blurry photo, but Mark really wanted me to include it.

We have a real long list, and alot of photos. I guess I will post our list of birds that visited our backyard over the last week first.

bluebird

nuthatch

downy woodpeckers

chipping sparrows

house sparrows

gold finch

house finch

cardinals

mourning doves

starlings

yellow-eyed grackles

cowbirds

blue jays

chick-a-dees

American crows

robins

red-winged blackbirds

tree swallows

red tail hawk

northern flicker

A very respecticle 20 species, and that was during a very chilly, rainy week.

Now for the photos.

chipping sparrow
Mr. and Mrs. Goldfinch
starling
A pretty pair of mourning doves

Mr. Cardinal

Mrs. Cardinal

chick-a-dee
yellow eyed grackle
tree swallow

red-winged blackbird
nuthatch
Mr, and Mrs. Downy Woodpecker
cowbird
A robin with a worm.

And almost as exciting as our bluebird, was this Northern Flicker. They usually hang out farther into the woods.

We have to thank Grandma and Grandpa H. for their love of the birds and giving us alot of their knowledge.

Now, if I could have sat in their yard for a week, the bird list would have probably been twice as long.

And last but not least, the bane of every bird lover, the squirrel thief.