Rain

Since the dish feeders were flooded, the orioles competed with the woodpeckers for suet.  The male downy was quite annoyed at the male red belly.  Three female orioles finally got the big woodpecker to leave.  Then a female downy joined the party.  And the orange crowned warbler tried to get a bite in between.  The light was so poor in the morning that I couldn't take any close ups. 

The rain picked up and chased all the birds under cover.  When it slacked off, the male oriole came out.  The orange crowned warbler was back too. 

After lunch, I saw two mockingbirds in the front grass.  They seemed to be mirroring each others moves.  I don't know if that was courtship, territorial negotiation, or something else.  They held there tails elevated.  By this time the rain had stopped and the sun was almost visible.  A squirrel checked out the dreys in the pecan tree.  

The light was much better and the orange crowned warbler posed on the suet.  A squirrel got into the barkbutter dish, literally.  I guessed that the rainwater had covered the ingredient that was supposed to deter squirrels.  And the squirrel left quite soon.  Then the Carolina wren pair shared the suet.  The OC warbler tried to share with a downy woodpecker.  Titmice and the seed trio were busy shelling sunflower seeds but one titmouse added suet to its diet. 

Meanwhile, the feral cat watched from the bench.  I didn't realize till a paw swiped at a low flying bird.  It missed.  A pine warbler came for suet.  They've been less common this winter while the orange crowned warbler has visited frequently.  I wonder if that's connected?  The cat gave up and settled on the pool cover.