Bald Eagles Move Into My Neighborhood...Within City Limits!

For the first time in what I imagine is a long time, a pair of bald eagles are nesting inside Pittsburgh city limits...in my neighborhood!!

On one of my favorite trails, near my home...past where the Steelers play, the eagles have landed.

I found out yesterday and this morning was up on my bike at sunrise, pedaling down the south side river trail in the hopes of seeing these amazing birds, and I did get lucky. I plan to go back and spend some time there, maybe I'll get to see it soar.

Bath Time!

This morning a cardinal used the bird bath I didn't realize we had...luckily he found it!

Then his lady friend thought she might go for a dip, but ultimately decided against it. Still too cold for her I guess.

Downy Woodpecker

I believe this is a downy woodpecker, based on its relatively small beak size. Here is a comparison between the hairy and downy woodpeckers.

Today I also got a good view of a Tufted Titmouse, though not a picture, so I can add that to my count.

I would love to participate in the Backyard Bird Count at Jennings this year, but we may have scheduling conflicts (musical theater.) Maybe I'll register and we can just leave a little early...I really think it would be worth it!

Some Birds During January Thaw

Red-tailed hawk flying over the south side slopes, Pittsburgh:

Lady cardinal:

Red-bellied woodpecker, hanging out on a tree (calling like a yapping toy dog, but not pecking), Frick Park:

Finches at the Feeder

Winter in Pittsburgh, and I'm pretty sure these are goldfinches:

Here is what I think is a house finch. Or maybe a purple finch. I'm calling it a house finch for now.

All the streaking on the belly of this bird makes me wonder if it is a pine siskin?? I didn't get a great picture so I'll have to investigate further. (or song sparrow? They have streaked bellies, too...)

January 8, Adding Two More Birds

We saw a very sinister looking turkey vulture by the river (Monongahela) today. My bird app says it shouldn't be here now, yet its year round range is just a bit south of here (West Virginia), so perhaps the weather has been warm enough for it to stick around. I don't know what other bird it could be!

Here is a mourning dove, which is very common but the first time I spotted it this year. Once we get more bird seed in our feeders, I expect to see a lot more of these. This one was on the wire a couple houses down from us.

And finally...a Black capped chickadee? We are on the zone of overlap for Black-capped and Carolina chickadees. A checklist of birds in Frick park (made by the Three Rivers Birding Club) seems to think Carolina chickadees are more common around here, but I don't know. This one's head does look proportionately large...(I think...)

Pileated Woodpeckers!

The sounds! Like a monkey. The drilling against the tree in deep rich tones. This was none other than the pileated woodpecker!

The woods at Boyce Park, off the road on the way to the ski slopes, FULL of pileated woodpeckers! I also saw a Hairy Woodpecker (it's beak was longer than the Downy's.) I heard a Tufted Titmouse but didn't add it yet...I'm sure I'll see one once we get some more birdseed for our feeders. We also saw chickadees, juncos and sparrows flitting around the deer beds, unfortunately I wasn't able to identify which kind of sparrow (or is it a wren-the white eye stripe?)

And though I never watched this as a kid, I think it may be only appropriate to include a video of woody woodpecker in this post (though it turns out, Woody may in fact have been based on the acorn, rather than pileated, woodpecker, according to this article on NPR):