In honor of National Bird Feeding Month, I thought I’d update you on my bird feeder camera. Last week I relocated it to a sunnier spot in my front yard (and moved that feeder to the backyard- never fear, my birds still have options).

The camera caught two new species at the feeder, both of which, for different reasons, surprised me. Between working and relaxing, I spend a decent amount of time out in my yard and this is the first time House Finches have made an appearance. They aren’t an uncommon species, but they are a new yard species for me. As for the Palm Warbler, it is a winter visitor that I first noticed a few years ago and I’m always pleased when the little tail bobber returns. Since they typically dine on insects I didn’t expect it to show up at the feeder. Ever resourceful, they resort to seeds during colder weather.

What’s most notable is the “ownership” of my new feeder. Apparently, it belongs to the grackles. Not only are they the first and last visitors every day, but they chase off all the other species (with two notable exceptions).

In between grackles other birds swoop in but there is a hierarchy among those species. The small birds and cardinals cede to the jays, which in turn defer to the woodpeckers. All of them will take flight when a grackle appears. Thus far, only a pandemonium* of parakeets or a crow outrank grackles.

*Don’t you just love the collective nouns of different animal species? Even when feeding, a group of parakeets is definitely a wild and noisy thing!