Category Archives: Birds

Winter-Time Visitors

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Sylvia has a tradition of sharing Christmas cookies and candies with our neighbors.  Some of them give her gifts in return.  Last month one neighbor gave her a cup filled with seed-laden suet.  You are right.  That gift was for the birds, and the birds love it.

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This downy woodpecker may be acting coy.  More likely it is scanning for threats before getting to the food.  No threats present, and so . . .

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Yum yum!  Others also visit.

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When this big, blue boy comes around the others make room for him.  I haven’t had the camera ready when the nuthatch or the finches have come visiting.

While we were driving on the expressway yesterday, I saw a red-tail hawk flying with its prey (rabbit?) in its talons.  An interesting sight to behold.

 

The Biggest Baddest Bird Gets First Bite

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It was a dead woodchuck.  He would chuck no wood, because he couldn’t chuck wood.  For that reason the old question was moot.  There he lay when the turkey vultures found him.

They came in large numbers, but only a few came near at one time.  Those would have their disputes, which were not particularly violent nor did they last very long.  The dominant bird would eat first.

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It only took a couple of days to remove all signs of Woody’s existence.  While the vulture’s diet seems unpleasant to me, I’m glad to have the clean-up crew on the job.  Soon these birds will head south for the winter.  I’ll miss seeing them soar in the sky overhead.

These Are Not City Construction Cranes

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It was August 24 and the anniversary of my mother’s birth.  It was also the day before my birthday.  In the morning, I opened the blinds and saw a family of sand hill cranes.

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Left to right: Father, mother and [big] baby.  They spent most of the day digging bugs out of the ground.  It was fun to watch.  The young one would would have to stop for rest from time-to-time.  It was a very special day.

Sunday

The Sunday of Labor Day weekend, we attended the neighborhood chili cook-off.  That was fun to see old friends and neighbors and to meet new ones.  There were an interesting variety of chilies and side dishes.

Our hosts raise turkeys and they have free range, so they were in view most of the afternoon.  Some the kids would approach them for a better look.  Usually they had a stick in hand . . . just in case.

Sylvia and I hope they do it again next year.  We have ideas for a chili that will stand apart.  Of course we’ll have to experiment with those ideas here at home.  That’s what I most look forward to.

Return of the Cranes

September 7, we burned the second of two brush piles.  The family of three cranes had returned that morning, but our activities at the burn piles made them nervous and they left.  I was sad.

The morning before our 57th anniversary, September 8, the cranes were back and they stayed with us until sunset.

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They had come very close to our house, but when I tried to capture an image, they retreated.  For my part, I hope they are eating the bugs that burrowing critters like too.

The next day, Sylvia and I celebrated our anniversary and had a very nice day.  We especially enjoyed that evening’s sunset.

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Sunrise and sunset times are changing daily and rapidly as we approach the autumnal equinox.  The cool days and warm earth make this my favorite time of year.

It’s all about timing

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Perhaps I’ve learned my lesson.  I hope that is true.  It wasn’t easy.

Sylvia’s friend, Shirley, gave here some hollyhock seed.  She had white holly hocks, but these were different.  The new ones came into blossom this year.  I saw them and went out, camera in hand, to capture the beauty.

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I was so glad that I didn’t wait . . . like I did for the beautiful red rose.  The weather had been hot and I had terrible pain in my feet so I waited.  Obviously too long.

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The day before it had been beautiful.  Yes, I was sad, but willing to own my own neglect.

For years, turkey vultures have nested in an old hollow oak tree.  I could never remember to take my camera when I’d go that way.  Last winter a storm split two main portions of the upper tree.  I was putting the pro in procrastination.  (apologies, Scott)

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The turkey vultures nested there again this year, but it is not the same.  At least it’s not the same to me.  Can’t say what the vultures think about it.

There is another beautiful oak tree that stands in the middle of a field.  I love seeing that tree every time we drive past it.  I think, “Next time I must bring my camera.”  I hope to remember one of these days.  Perhaps I will.

Update from Secondary Rds

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I meant to post pix of the flower garden last week.  I’m late.  But not as in the late . . .  You know what I mean.

The contrast between the peony and the lily caught my eye

The contrast between the peony and the lily caught my eye, salvia completed the scene

Returning to the back door, this beautiful rose caught my eye.

Life overflows from the rose. Once again salvia completes the scene

Life overflows from the rose. Once again salvia completes the scene

A Beautiful Evening

Tuesday the weather was perfect so I opened windows and enjoyed the fresh air.  In the evening, our small group met at our house.  After they left, I took my glass of ice water out on the back deck.  Sylvia soon joined me, bringing some strawberry-rhubarb crisp.

As we sat together, an oriole began to sing from a small maple tree.  We delighted in his song and watching him dance around that tree.  (We think there was a female hiding in the tree and he was trying to win her favor.)  Sorry, no pix.  The light was failing.  Shortly after the oriole left for other parts, we saw the doe crossing the low land.  With her was her tiny fawn.  It was fun watching the wee one jump, run and cavort while mom made her way to the shelter of tall grass.  Soon they disappeared.  Shortly after, we went into the house and got ready for bed.

The next morning, I awoke and was barely able to breathe.  Allergies had me completely plugged.  The sinus headache lasted until 3 PM.  I kept the window closed and set the furnace/AC fan to run full time.  That helped clean the air so I’m okay today.

Would I do it again?  Probably so.

Visited by Transients–They’re Underfoot and Over Head

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I was headed down the driveway when I spotted this monster crossing our lawn.  I stopped the car, picked up a weapon (my camera) and went to investigate.  Soon I was eye-to-eye with the beast.

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I’m not going to mess with this one.  Would you?

I retreated.  And got a better look.

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The turtle left, but perhaps blessed us in passing.  A few days later we received two and a half inches of rain and that brown lawn is once again a luscious green.

I saw that turtle in the morning.  Later that afternoon.  I met a painted turtle on the driveway as I was walking back from the mailbox.  Unfortunately, I had no camera with me.

As we are officially in autumn, the birds are beginning to flock together.  Perhaps they are getting ready for their annual southward migration.  As they pass by, my big antenna seems to be a favorite place to get a bit of rest.

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They all came at once.  Soon they were all gone.

I enjoyed their visit.

Do You See What I See?

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I hesitate to write about our [from here] 80% solar eclipse.  Others have posted pix that put my efforts to shame.  Nevertheless, here’s what I captured with a tea strainer for a pin-hole camera:

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This image was projected onto our pebble-surfaced kitchen floor.  This technique was going to work, and I had over 20 minutes to max coverage.  I rose to find a sheet of white paper.  The sky grew dark.  A bank of huge dark clouds had rolled in.  The show was cancelled.

Of Bats and Birds

I was coming home from a meeting last week.  The sun had set and the sky overhead was nearly dark.  I came to a spot in the road with lots of trees on both sides.  As I approached, I could see flying bats stuffing themselves with insects.

After arriving home, I stepped out the back door.  As I watched, a pair of bats were sweeping the between our house and barn for insects.  I enjoy watching them fly in their zigzag pattern.

I’ve searched on other evenings since, but have not had the good fortune of seeing them again.

The next day, I sat here in the office at my computer.  My eye caught some movement in Sylvia’s flower garden.  It was a pair of hummingbirds battling for dominance over a yucca plant.  They sure are feisty fellows.

What do we do on a dew, dew, dewy day?

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Yesterday, I saw this pair of sandhill cranes in our hay field.  Later they were finding edibles on the ground as they moved about.  They took their time as they alternated between watchfulness and feeding.

I don’t often see them on our land, although they are frequent visitors on the other side of the road.  My first thought was turkeys, but a second look proved that wrong.

Other visitors

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On Sunday, our granddaughter, Briana, stopped by with her boyfriend, Jared.  They were in Michigan to attend a wedding.  This was our first opportunity to meet Jared and we enjoyed a very nice time together.

Like so many things in life, that pleasant visit was over far too soon.  Fortunately we can visit on the phone and online.

Sylvia and the Fledgling

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While sitting at the breakfast table, I finished this morning’s Bible reading.  Sylvia had turned on the sprinkler, but when the timer sounded I went out and shut it off.  Returning to the table, I looked out at the garden and saw a chipmunk playing there.  Nearer motion caught my eye as I watched a robin chase a chipmunk up a scarlet maple.  I chuckled.

Turning my head, I saw a robin and a fledgling.  Soon the robin flew, but the fledgling remained with the bewildered look that must be common to youngsters facing a new and very large world.  He looked so precious, I went for the camera to capture a picture.

When I returned with the camera, the fledgling had moved some distance away.  Evidently frightened by Sylvia as she moved the sprinkler to water the rest of the garden.

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I turned my attention to the fledgling, framed my shot and . . .  Sylvia walked by.

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The little guy took this all in.  My camera didn’t know where to focus.  I just smiled.

Life is good.

Love Those Spring Flowers

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I love spring flowers.  Don’t you?  I recently saw these growing on the lawn.

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Not too far away (just a few steps) I also saw these.

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While I was looking for signs of life a pair turkey vultures were searching for something else.

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Unfortunately I didn’t have a camera with me yesterday as I carried the trash down to the side of the road.  I actually saw a pileated woodpecker for the first time in my life.