Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Yard Visitors

.We continue to get a steady stream of birds to our backyard feeders.

This Carolina Wren is one of a family of three that normally visits either early or late in the day.


White-winged Doves are always around.


Several adult and young Blue Jays appear as soon as we put out any peanuts.






Unfortunately, House Sparrows discovered our yards a few months ago and they now turn up in numbers every day. The parents, like this adult male, hunt for food.


The young just sit on our fence and wait to be fed.


I'm torn in my feelings about House Sparrows. On the one hand, they are an invasive species and their presence has a negative impact on native birds. On the other hand, since being brought to the USA from Europe in the late 1800s, they have adapted brilliantly. This was brought home to me recently when I watched House Sparrows hopping around on prickly pair cactus in the lower Rio Grande valley.
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