Christopher

I have just begin birdwatching casually, so just observing whoever may be passing through the front or back yard, so I will be a bit flexible with my responses: Activity 1: I can tell apart Common Grackles and Robins by shape as the grace is less rotund and has a more striking tail. Activity 2: I have identified Common Grackles, Cardinals, and Red Wing Blackbirds as three birds that have black coloring. The grackle has it as an eye ring and pupil, the blackbird is almost wholly black except for the patch of red, and the northern cardinal has a black mask behind its beak. Activity 3: I have seen morning doves, robins, and song sparrows prospecting amongst the lawn for something to eat, whether insect or seeds I could not tell. Activity 4: It's tough to pin down a favorite, but I think my favorites are the most uncommon for me to observe casually, whether Orioles, Mockingbirds, or Merlins. I'll describe the Orioles because the first time I saw them was yesterday; they appeared to be mating or competing for a mate by hopping from tree limb to tree limb. They appeared to be feeding at flowers on a nearby shrub, and they featured very striking and easily discernible colors with an orange breast and black upper body and white wing flashes.