The Derby bird and others…
Rose-breasted grosbeak - May 2, 2025
We had only been home a day or two and we were busy trying to get unpacked and organized here at home. Sharon reminded me that the Kentucky Derby was this weekend. Now lots of folks are interested in the derby but perhaps not for the same reason as us. Every year, on the weekend of the Kentucky Derby, the Rose-breasted grosbeak makes an appearance at our feeders…… not the week before…..not the week after! Many bird lovers stop feeding birds during the spring and summer months for a number of valid reasons, but we really look forward to seeing the return of many of the spring migrants. The Rose-breasted grosbeak is right at the top of our list of spring favorites and knowing that the bird will show up on the same weekend each year makes it extra special. And so, I dropped whatever it was I was engaged in at the time and ran out to fill up the feeders so as not to disappoint our returning guests.
Sure enough, the very next morning the first bird I saw at the newly filled feeders was the hoped for grosbeak. You can see from the photo of this year’s bird that there is no way you can’t pick this guy out of the crowd. The males are here now but we have yet to see a female which is much more drab, but still distinctive. It was fun to see how territorial these birds can be even through we’re pretty sure that they are just passing through and will not probably nest near here. As far as trying to impress the ladies, well as I just mentioned, there are no ladies here yet. Still, while at the feeders, the birds tend to keep their distance from one another and ward off any other birds trying to move in on their section of the bounty.
The Rose=breasted grosbeak that had already laid claim to his section of the platform feeder did not take kindly to the second bird trying to move in for a piece of the turf . Nikon Z8 with the Z100-400 zoomed in at 145mm, 1/400 sec, f/11, ISO 2000. Photographed from the comfort of our TV room through an open window on a cloudy rainy day.
Another pair of birds which were definitely not being adversarial were this pair of House finches. The male on the right was bowing down to the female, offering seeds, and doing all he could to “make nice'“. Her posture makes me believe that she has at least some passing interest in his advances. Looks like this could be the start of something good! Courtship in House Finches is characterized by a series of vibrant and engaging behaviors. Male House Finches attract potential mates through a display of bright plumage and elaborate song, showcasing their fitness and genetic quality. During courtship, males often engage in head-bobbing and fluttering, which can include presenting food to females as a form of courting. This feeding behavior not only signifies the male's ability to provide but also strengthens the bond between partners. The female typically assesses the male’s displays and food offerings before making her choice, leading to a monogamous pairing that can last for several breeding seasons. This intricate ritual is essential for ensuring the survival and continuation of the species.
There were quite a few species showing up today. It doesn’t take long for the birds (and the gray squirrels) to find the newly filled feeders. The Blue jays such as this one coming in for a landing on the platform feeder are much more tolerant of their own today and don’t mind sharing with other jays. Other birds are not welcome and the jays quickly chase other species away. Fortunately for the others, we have a number of feeders stocked, so there is plenty to go around. Interesting to see today, however, how in the case of the grosbeaks, it was ,”mine, mine, mine!”, while with the jays, it was more of a “Plenty to go around” attitude.
The last of our “featured” birds today is the Red-bellied woodpecker. The block feeder shown here is made especially for the woodpeckers, so he really did not have to worry about others coming in to steal his stash, nor did he worry about having to share. We know this is a male by looking at the red on the head which extends all the way from the bill back around to the “nape” of his neck. Many of these birds stick around all winter as long as long as there is food available. This male more than likely has a mate by now and will remain with that female through the breeding season. That’s about it for the duration of the pair bond in this species, however. Still, we expect to find his mate showing up at the feeder in the coming days. We’ll be watching the feeders for more visitors passing through in the next several weeks.
