Frequent readers of my blog may remember that my dad and I built a backyard bird blind this summer.  With the recent cooler weather, I finally got outside to use it for the first time.  It was so great!  The birds hardly noticed that I was there!  Rich gave me a foldable chair, and I sat outside with my computer while I waited for the birds to come in for their afternoon feeding.  They often come to the feeders around 5pm, and the male Painted Bunting regularly takes a bath after he eats.

This male House Finch was my first avian subject from my new blind.  Although I had a pretty perch set up in good light, he preferred to land on the decorative perch near his feeder.  Note to self: remove decorative perch in my next blind experiment, and consider putting the pretty perch in its place!

Yep, that was a popular perch.  After the House Finch left, the Mourning Doves took over that  feeder.  They flew in and out, often landing on each other in their attempts to find an empty spot on the perch.  Silly birds!  I kept trying to photograph their scuffles, but they got spooked by the sound of my camera shutter.  I need to remember to put my camera in silent mode when I’m in the blind.  It’s great to be so close!!

The male Painted Bunting was a little wary of the strange noises coming from within the blind.  He sent a female/juvie “greenie” bunting to check to see if the feeder was safe.  She sat in my porterweed for a while before getting brave enough to check out the feeder.

I took a quick snapshot with my iPhone of the view from my backyard bird blind.  I foresee many hours in it this winter!!