Over the past few years, we've seen plenty of birds in our yard. We have robins that like to make nests under our deck, and I've seen plenty of house sparrows, red-winged blackbirds, and other species that I am not so sure of.
A few weeks ago, my kids and I constructed a birdfeeder from a plastic juice jug and hung it in a cherry blossom tree in the front yard. We were hoping it would attract birds not only to the feeder, but to a birdhouse that we hung in the same tree. So far, the feeder has been dominated by the house sparrows, and we've been able to get some close-up looks at them (both male and female varieties) out of our living room, as the feeder is only a few feet away from a window. (A feeding sparrow can be seen in the picture at the upper left. This is the view as you look out the window, although the camera gets obscured/confused by the mesh screen.) So far, still no takers on the birdhouse.
As the temperatures finally start to warm up in Rochester, I'm starting to see some new species arrive. Until recently, all I've seen in my yard have been the robins and house sparrows. Lately, I've been seeing something in my neighborhood that looks similar to the house sparrow -- possibly a fox sparrow? This morning, I saw a pair of northern mockingbirds in my front yard, with one coming very close to a window so I could get a good look at it.
For help on identifying birds, I suggest trying whatbird.com or Scotts bird identifier. (Yes, that's the same company that makes all the grass seed and fertilizier.) It is important to make note of as many details as you can before you rush off to try to identify it. If you keep track of its size, coloring, beak shape, etc., your ability to identify it will greatly increase.
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