Pseudo-birding

I have become more observant of birds recently, and sometimes know what they are. Growing up, my grandparents had bird feeders and would identify birds, various relatives on my Mom's side would imitate birds with their whistling, and now my Mom is all about the bird feeders and what birds are out there (during the winter months when the bear are in hibernation so she can actually put the feeders up). My parents have had some cool birds up on their mountain. A snowy owl one winter, for example!

The other two bird observations of which I am proud recently:

1. I was walking to get coffee mid-day and there was a bird on the ground. I did not really take note until it flew away and I got a good look at the bright red marking on the back of its head and the bright yellow feathers under its wings. As a I got closer, I noticed that it had been pecking at ants. So I get back to my department and go right to one of the grad students who does bird to find out what it was. The second I said it was pecking at ants, he knew exactly what it was. A Northern Flicker woodpecker. Go me.

2. Then I was driving to my sister's house the other day and spotted a bright red bird fly across the road. I wanted to see if it could be a male Cardinal or a Scarlet Tanager, but did not get a good look at its size. I did see a bright orange bird fly away from the branch the bright red one had landed on. A Baltimore Oriole.

I also grabbed my camera one day when I was sitting on the porch to take a photo of these birds. I have no idea what they are, but they looked like they were enjoying each other's company.