A Visit from a Sisken, April 15, 2018

Backyard nature journal from April 15, 2018...

The pastures of the wilderness drip, And the hills gird themselves with rejoicing. The meadows are clothed with flocks, And the valleys are covered with grain; They shout for joy, yes, they sing. Psalm 65

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 67746395 - Pine Siskin; Clarke County, Georgia. April 15, 2018.

It’s 7:30 AM on my back patio. My wife is visiting her family in Romania, my two daughter's are still sleeping. The Crepe Myrtles are sporting new sprigs of foliage about 4 to 6 inches long and the Persimmon is finally beginning to bud fourth. The Honeysuckle on the arbor is full and covered in bright flowers.

Thick white clouds cover the sky. Lower, faster moving, darker clouds begin to move in from the western horizon. Instead of brightening with sunrise, it is actually getting darker as the gray clouds continue to move in. In the dim light, I see a dark blue bird at the feeder. The first Blue Grosbeak of the season has arrived!

The sky turns darker and the sounds of strong winds pick up through the woods. The rains are coming…

Rain, rain, rain all morning during church service. In between services, despite the light rain, there is such a wonderful bird activity at the feeders. While eating lunch I spy several bright Goldfinches moving across the yard. One of these days I’ll get a close-up.

At 2:26 PM, rolling thunder. I see a small bird zipping across the yard. It buzzes over to the honeysuckle blooms on the turtle pond arbor. A hummingbird!

Next, a gathering of brown birds with slight yellow highlights. Are they faded out Yellow-rumped Warblers? Are they some variety of House Finches with whom they are gathered? In a few minutes, one of the birds in question alights just feet from me in Crepe Myrtle almost as if he knew I wanted a closer look. The Merlin App identifies it as a Pine Siskin. Another life bird photo for me!

The rain continues, and so do the birds. Chipping Sparrows; the Blue Grosbeak returns but this time with his mate; two Red-bellied Woodpecker’s chase each other around the Persimmon tree; towhees scraping the mulch and discarded seed hulls.

At 3:25, strong wind and driving rain pushes me indoors. But through the front window I see another new bird. Brown streaks on a tan belly, yellowish eyebrow and throat, and a rusty cap. Once again I consult the Merlin App and he tells me a Palm Warbler is visiting my yard. Another life bird photo!

​Athens, Clarke County, Georgia

• Forecast: showers and thunderstorms, high 67°; winds 10-15 mph.
• Sunrise 7:02 AM, sunset 7:49 PM
• Day length: 13 hours, 2 minutes
• New moon

הועלה ב-אפריל 14, 2022 12:59 אחה"צ על ידי williamwisephoto