My 3 Inch Stalker - A Ruby Crowned Kinglet

So yesterday, I'm at my computer, which faces a window that faces Northwest, and I have this bird fluttering at the window. Just outside is a small oak tree, and this little guy is acting like they want to get through my window at me something bad.

Grabbing my camera, I took a lot of shots and some video. I told my wife about it last night and she thought I was crazy.

So today, my "stalker" is back at the window again, only this time my wife is home from work, so I bring her in and show her. Her first thought, since it's sucha small guy is that it's a pet bird that wants back in (we don't have any birds other than my chickens).

Research on the net finally ID's the bird. It's a Ruby Crowned Kinglet, quite common here in the south during the winter, and then are up north during the summer.

Wiki picture:



My pics:





Not sure if pet stores sell these guys, but I did figure why he keeps flying at my window. It's acting like a mirror and he thinks he's seeing another bird:

Name him stumpy. cute fellar though.

Awww! What a great stalker to have! They are cute birds, I have seen them in the summer up here and wondered why they didn't join the chickadees at the feeder. Thanks for the reminder too, I need to fill it up, the Bears have to be asleep by now......

It's amazing who can come to visit sometimes. I was at my computer a few winters ago when a great grey owl landed in the tree right outside the window. I watched him for a few minutes until he fell out of the tree face first into the snow. His wings were all cockeyed and splayed everywhere and half of his body was buried in the powder. I was just about to slip on my boots and go to check him when he popped his head back up with a big fat mouse in his mouth. The imprint was my proof to my husband, I thought about grabbing the camera when he first landed in the tree, but I knew he would probably be gone by the time I got back too. I would have also missed his incredibly ungraceful hunting maneuver.

I had one few years ago, he was coming every morning and tap in my window for about 15 minutes. I loved him so much, it lasted something like two summers (in the winter he left). I remember many mornings drinking my coffee with my little friend taping on the window's glass. He never came in, even if the window was open, just played his little game then go on with his day.
Your post made me miss him.

a reply to: eriktheawful

Cute....are you sure it's three inches?

a reply to: eriktheawful

That's funny...use to have bird poop on the side of my drivers door at certain times of the year...could never figure it out...turned out to be a Robin would land on my door and look in the drivers mirror and crap on the side of the door...ended up putting plastic bags over the window and that solved the problem...

I wonder if the Kinglet's are territorial?

a reply to: woodsmom

Heh, and here I was going to suggest that he look up what Kinglet's eat so he could maybe set out a feeder for the little guy since this is winter and a tough season for the birds.

a reply to: ketsuko

I'm in Alaska, so there are only a few hardy little guys who stay. I feed with black oil sunflower seed though and everyone seems to love it. It sustains quite the little flock even during -30's.

a reply to: woodsmom

When we had the extra dollars in the budget, we did suet, squirrel corn and general mix, and our local troupe kept it cleared out as fast as we could provide.

I've got some sun flower seeds I can put out for him, but the squirrels will most likely make off with it.

I have to hang mine under the steep eave of the house so the squirrels can't get into it.
They really are tenacious though sometimes. The owls and others predators keep them in check around here.

I also wanted to share that I have gotten a fifty pound bag of seed for less than ten dollars because it broke open and some had spilled. That bag lasted me two seasons, even with the feeder getting cleaned out once every other day or so. I always check the discount rack at the back of the store for that kind of stuff.

a reply to: woodsmom

Ha!

50 pound bag of chicken feed costs me about 12.50 and barely lasts me 2 weeks!

Of course I'm getting eggs out of the deal though, hehehehehe.