Female Grosbeak~

On By cindy knokeIn Birds, Conservation, HOLLER HAPPENINGS, MY PHOTOGRAPHS

Holler birds are out in record number this year!

We have a mated pair of Black Headed Grosbeaks (and a pair of Blue Grosbeaks!).

This is the black head female, who seemed most pleased with the treats we have on offer,

at least judging by the quantity she wolfs down daily.

You can see whole sunflower seeds with shells in her beak!

She must be expecting and eating for two, or four, or so.

Cheers to you from the very hungry grosbeak~

146 thoughts on “Female Grosbeak~”

    1. We actually have a mated pair of Blue Grosbeaks too. I saw them this morning for the first time. I have never seen them before, so I am thrilled. დ

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        1. You are exactly right. Year after year, I planted the spring veggies, sweet peas, and then left. I have never had such a sustained period of time being here at The Holler. Birds who before were wary of me, now seem think I’m part of the landscape. You should see the baby roadrunner photos, he just basically said to me, “what took you so long to get closer.”
          Be well Wayne.

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          1. Amazing how far north and south grosbeaks fly. And wherever they land, they are home. How incredible are they. I look at maps of bird migration and I am humbled.

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          1. Thanks Cindy! There is a huge difference between the the east side and the west side. The mountain range helps separate. The east coast gets Turkey Vultures but very few are found here.
            I will ask my friend Adrian and get the 411 on them.

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    1. I am seeing so many more birds, and they are braver than in the past. I am getting so many photos, I have to increase my posting. It is so much fun to see new species or shy ones, approaching closer. I don’t see how covid could be influencing The Holler because there are very few people here and so much open space, but something definitely is happening, so I don’t know…..

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        1. I know that people staying indoors, helped wild critters outdoors. So yeah, maybe, and how cool is that! All I know is that birds who were scared before are stopping here to say Hello! And then they are the new rare species who never showed up before. Maybe, all the people staying indoors for a year, emboldened birds, and other wild animals, to take back their space.

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          1. I have read a few pieces about how the drop in large boat traffic has lead to a rise in sea populations (and clearer water) as well. I hope it’s something that carries over post-pandemic. Cheers.

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            1. Wow! I didn’t read that! Less ships on auto-pilot running over endangered sea turtles and whales, and such…..Who’d a thunk, and less poop and garbage from passenger ships being dumped. The repercussions of humans staying home to avoid getting sick, seem almost endless, for other creatures revival. Thanks for telling me. დ

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  9. Such delicate colouring. We have Streaky-headed Seedeaters with a similar colouring, yet their beaks are not nearly as robust as your Grosbeak. You have captured great beauty in their apparent ‘plainness’ which is lovely to see.

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    1. Well. You can ‘see’ Anne. Now, thanks to you, I am happily off to google Streaky-Headed-Seedeaters. Birds named after the people who found them prove there were good (and humorous people.)

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    1. The males are just gorgeous. But like many smart beautiful creatures, they tend to be shy. Happy you saw one Terri & hope all is good with you დ

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    1. They are interesting because they appear to be finches, but their beaks take up the whole front of their face, which is very different. I think Black Headed Grosbeaks are in the Cardinal family, which is just another bird oddity დ

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  18. Amazing shots! We had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak visit our backyard feeder a few years ago, but only for a short time, and it has not made a second appearance yet.

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  20. great pictures Cindy .. I know the Grosbeaks I got to know this past winter loved sunflower seeds. There was one female that would patiently wait for me to fill the one feeder she liked, she barely waited for me to move away before she would swoop in. =^_^=

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  23. Great portraits of the female grosbeak, Cindy! I had plenty of grosbeak visitors this spring at my bird feeders. They enjoyed eating the sunflower seeds.

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  24. She’s subtly pretty. She would probably fall in the category of LBBs that we have at our feeder, unless we took a very close look (LBB = little brown bird!).

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  26. Hello Cindy! I hope you are well, and stay save! Your photos are wonderful as always. Unbelievable how much different birds there are. Thank you for sharing, and before i will forget: Happy Mother’s Day! I hope you are celebrationg, and wish you a beautiful upcoming week! Michael

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  33. Nice!! I want to see the Black-headed ones! It’d be a lifer for me. We get the Rose-breasted migrating through and we also had an Evening straggler. They’re not usually in our area.

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    1. Isn’t she awesome! The male is more strikingly beautiful, but so so shy. She has the total confidence of one who often goes unnoticed and shouldn’t დ

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      1. They both look me directly in the eye … as long as there’s a window between us! They are less brave when I set foot outside! The squirrels, however, are getting used to me and ‘stand their ground’ when I step out.

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  41. We had a robin to nest in one of our downspouts, and I noticed on Sunday when she spooked from her nest that her crop of very hungry babies had their necks stretched skyward. And yes, I congratulated her on her brood and wished her a happy Mother’s Day!

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  42. We are watching all the bird houses and the activity. One of our front porch hanging baskets is home to a bird’s nest with 5 eggs. The mother is very protective, We normally sit in the front porch rocking chairs but now have to be careful not to disturb the birds. And the snakes…Mother Nature certainly entertains. I love your photos as always, Cindy. Be well. oxox

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  45. Your close ups certainly emphasise the beauty of these small birds, such lemony colours. Do not know these at all but glad you provide for them in many ways at the Holler.

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    1. I love being surrounded by wild birds. They make me smile constantly. There was a new species here today. Still not sure what it was. So wonderful to hear from you. Hope you are well დ

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      1. Yes, all well but our normal routines of being in Spain and visiting family have been disrupted. We are on our way back now to Navasola. I love the wild birds too and the inner joy they give. Smiles to you and all your birds.

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        1. Yes, I was reading your posts and getting a sense of dislocation and disruption, something we are all too familiar with this past year and a half. I am happy to hear you are heading home and send you hope and love დდ

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