This is a very common bird at feeders unless you live where I do. I get them as they migrate in Fall and Spring. I live on the line where South Carolina and Georgia meet at the Blue Ridge Mountains. I live right on the line, can see Georgia from my porch chair. It is the nearby mountains and the river that make my place a very good place to watch birds. All most anything might show up.
Today I got these:
You may be used to the adult who looks like this: Those will be here by morning or the next day. I always get Juveniles and Females first.
These are first year migrants, one male and one female. Others will be showing up soon as my yard is a stop over feeding point as they head to South America. (That is amazing) I have out lots of SunFlower seed, but these two are at my frog pond for water. They are large enough to be (maybe) OK there. I have some monster Bull Frogs, and the smaller birds know to keep away until the temps cool.
My yard has a large Turtle Pond, a smaller Frog Pond and a Branch Pond. The large pond (4000 gal) seldom is used by birds. The Frog Pond (220 gal) and the Branch (100 gal) are in constant use by birds. You would think in Winter it would be less, but no - it is more. On the coldest days they are in there splashing around like they were ducks. About 200 feet away is a lake where there are all types of Ducks and water birds. I have never seen one at my crap. You would think a Heron or the Fish Crows would drop by, but nope. I guess compared to the large lake, my crap is not much of an attraction. No matter as the birds think it to be excellent.
Here on the porch I have a running fountain that is not used much. Where I sit (CatBird House) I keep a few tiny water feeders, and the small birds make constant use of them. Actually, I added two more today.
Let me snap a photo if my camera will focus that close -
It is best for me to keep Water feeders small on the porch and just for drinking. The bath area is in the yard. A shallow bowl is easy to keep up as all you need do is dump a beer glass of water in, and it is flushed and ready to go. Water is a big deal for birds.
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