I have lots of these young bluebirds around because of four broods fledged out of boxes this year. I presume they are not actually sexually mature, and it is surely too late in the year to raise chicks. Therefore this copulation, and apparent inspection of nesting sites must be practice for next year.

We recently bought a condo and put a Droll Yankee tube style birdfeeder on our balcony that faces a bunch of trees. Not a lot of action on the birdfeeder so far - sometimes the woodpecker, sometimes a bunch of sparrows - except for this one blue jay. Between 1230 and 130 every sunny day, this guy is hopping up on the railing, making an announcement, and then trying to hop up on a feeder perch. He's too big, falls off, makes a couple more attempts and then takes off.

The first time I saw this, it was funny. The second time I thought gee wasn't this around the same time as yesterday. The third time I heard some scuffling, looked at the clock, and then looked outside. 1:15. Same bluejay, and he managed to hang off the side for long enough to get a few seeds.

Is "CONQUER THE BALCONY FEEDER" this guy's lunch plans every day on his bird to-do list? It's just so odd that it seems to be the same bird around the same time every day. This has been going on for a week now.

I bought the Cole’s flaming squirrel seed sauce because a raccoon climbed on my feeder and tore it down. In an effort to make the little bastard pay, I got this spicy oil (it’s habanero pepper extract) and put a LOT in my seed. So much so, it was irritating my airways and making me cough. A bit got on my wrist (I was using gloves), and was itching even after I washed it like 10 times. I put way more than the recommended amount, I really don’t want the raccoons to tear my feeder down again.
My question is, is it possible that I put too much? Could it deter birds if I put too much? Also will it even work on raccoons?? I really hope so.

These little ones have been hanging around my house in Central Florida. I took the pic with my iPhone

They were a handsome model

Can't stop painting them !🎨😊

on a serious note. anyone know what they were doing?

had this little guy loafing on our patio today!!

we contacted a local wildlife organization thinking he was possibly injured, but they said he seemed fine and identified him as a common nighthawk who is currently migrating south 🥺 he took off shortly after taking these zoomed in photos

sorry for the poor photo quality

Pune, India, Canon Gears

So I was exploring a new area for bird photography today. I came across this grey wagtail, that had caught a grasshopper with some "payload". It repeatedly dunked it into the water until the parasite was gone. Then it flew off with it.

On YouTube, there is a video of something similar (not my video):

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/f83HTIRJEos

This guy was very active in the day, watching some squirrels, and me. Northern California.

I love these little guys and they are letting me get closer and closer to them.

This is the same eagle as the last one I posted several days ago but taken seconds earlier as it crossed in front of my kayak giving a broader view of the river and the star grasses clogging its surface.

Heard these two just now. The one receiving food was making a rapid chirp that sounded higher pitched and much much faster than their normal chirps.

Sorry about the video quality. I saw a hummingbird go by so I might have lost focus for a bit.

Merlin says this is a Merlin. 😄 Or maybe a Peregrine. I'm not sure. Taken in western WA.