Before the sleet started, the bird feeder was a hot spot

Stuck inside on his dreary day, I found the bird feeder to be quite entertaining this morning. I have been sitting at the window taking pictures.

While the Goldfinches were competing for space at the feeders, a group of Cedar Waxings arrived to check out the pond. They were so pretty.

Some fat Cardinals (there are at least three) came in for a snack. And a Tufted Titmouse joined the Goldfinches for a morning meal.

Cedar Waxwings swarmed the yard. They weren't interested in the feeder, but the pond got their attention.

They flew from the trees to the pond a few times and then left.

A Goldfinch waiting atop a ladder for its turn at the feeder gives me a look that I interpret as: "Human, you need to add more feeders.

Fat cardinal surveys the buffet.

Did someone say Titmouse? Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge.

After the noontime sleet stopped, I added more food, and the party started again.

A large afternoon guest: White-wing Dove

At least three Bluejays appeared. They zoom in, grab morsels and jolt away like amateur shoplifters.

January bird count: Great Horned Owl watches us watching it

There is a Great Horned Owl nesting along the main road into Baytown Nature Center.

We saw it peeping out of its nest as we started the January bird count Thursday. I hope to see some owlets in the coming weeks.

Dedicated David H. led the bird count group and recorded 64 species.

We were trudging along near the end of a 4.5-hour bird search when an opossum came out of the brush and approached the trail. It took a look at me and scurried away.

Not a bird.

The list 
    
12   Gadwall
3    Mallard (Domestic type)
8    Northern Pintail
30  Green-winged Teal
8    Hooded Merganser
2    Pied-billed Grebe
6    Neotropic Cormorant
15  Double-crested Cormorant
28  American White Pelican
9    Brown Pelican
6    Great Blue Heron
11   Great Egret
5    Snowy Egret
3    White Ibis
4    Roseate Spoonbill
5    Black Vulture
3    Turkey Vulture
1    Osprey
2    Red-tailed Hawk
1    Clapper Rail
29  Killdeer
5    Spotted Sandpiper
9    Greater Yellowlegs
5    Lesser Yellowlegs
22  Least Sandpiper
1    Wilson's Snipe
150  Laughing Gull
6    Ring-billed Gull
4    Herring Gull
1    Caspian Tern
35  White-winged Dove
5    Mourning Dove
1    Great Horned Owl
5    Belted Kingfisher
3    Red-bellied Woodpecker
2    Downy Woodpecker
1    American Kestrel
2    Eastern Phoebe
2    Loggerhead Shrike
4    Blue Jay
7    Carolina Wren
2    Blue-gray Gnatcatcher
8    Ruby-crowned Kinglet
2    Eastern Bluebird
1    Hermit Thrush
1    American Robin
3    Brown Thrasher
14   Northern Mockingbird
15   European Starling
110  Cedar Waxwing
4    Orange-crowned Warbler
1    Pine Warbler
45   Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle)
1    Savannah Sparrow
3    Swamp Sparrow
3    White-throated Sparrow
1    Harris's Sparrow
10  White-crowned Sparrow
7    Northern Cardinal
19  Red-winged Blackbird
5    Great-tailed Grackle
30  Brown-headed Cowbird
2    American Goldfinch
3    House Sparrow
1    Tufted Titmouse

That bright spot: Do you call it a ladybug or lady beetle?

Do you call it a ladybug or lady beetle.

 

This colorful ladybug was a standout in the Baytown Nature Center butterfly garden on the misty, gray day with temps approaching 70 degrees.

 

Looks like an Asian labybug.

 

Alas it not a nine-spotted ladybug, which is the subject of the Lost Ladybug Project.

Albino goldfinch pays a visit, I think

A yellow standout among the American Goldfinches.

When the light yellow bird joined the American Goldfinches at my feeders, I used my phone to snap a couple of pics.

I knew I could bother David H. with another "name that bird" question, but I wanted to figure it out myself.

It took me a couple of hours, but I decided it was an albino goldfinch.

Or looks likes a case of partial leucism.

Did I get the ID right?

The yellow visitor was hungry.

I hope it comes back, and I can get better photos.