New bird to the feeder!

Finally, after a few weeks and new bird has come to my feeder!  I had been seeing a lot of Red Winged Blackbirds and Mourning Doves, but today I spotted a House Finch!!  I'm so very excited to see him, with his beautiful red head and underbelly.

(Picture from here.)

House Finches are small bodied birds with thick beaks and pretty flat heads that can be found just about anywhere.  The House Finch was originally found in the western US until in the 1940s some were released in Long Island (they were a failed attempt at being sold as caged birds).  They began to breed quickly and are now a common sight in the eastern US.  They eat mostly plant materials like seeds and fruit.

Well the birds are finally visiting my feeders after a bit of trial and error.  I got a pole to hang the feeders from, a squirrel proof feeder, and another tree-house looking feeder.  Those darn squirrels ruined my first feeder.

One of my favorite (although common) visitors is a red winged blackbird.

He perches on the feeders and nibbles away.  After he flies off I can still here his check calls.  These birds can choose to hide their beautiful red and yellow shoulders if they wish, but they seem to always show at my feeder.  They like to hang out near saltwater marshes and the little section of wooded area I have at my apartment is right on the marsh.  I haven't seen any of the females in my little patch yet.

Another welcomed visitor is the pair (I think they are a pair) of Mourning Doves that seem to hang out right below the feeders.

[Image taken from here]

They just hang out and forage on the ground underneath the feeders.  Picking up the mess the blackbirds and squirrels make.  I love to hear the loud flutter of their wings as they fly off too.