Category Archives: Birds

Dark Eyed Junco

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Photo from discovery.com

Juncos are regular visitors this time of year to the area under our feeders. These sparrow-sized birds are shy and unassuming. Sometimes you can see one on the feeder, but mostly they eat the stuff they find on the ground. It just seems right to have them here with their more colorful cousins.

I’ve tried to capture a good image of one or more of these friends. My luck has been running at zero. The light is never right, or the scene contrast is wrong or there are a bunch of sparrows surrounding them. As I watched them recently and thought about their place in the world, I came up with this:

Junco
Dressed in drab colors,
She eats what falls to the ground,
And draws no notice.

I think some people are like that. What do you think?

Red-Winged Black Bird

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These neighborhood regulars are easy to identify both on the wing and by their distinctive whirring call. They jealously guard their territory.


Red-Winged Black Bird

He breaks forth in song,
Shining black wing with red band,
On his claim stands guard.

Last Day of Winter

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My neighbor’s fish pond sans geese. The corn field is in the upper left.


It is March 19, 2009, sunny morning. After I wake and dress, I charge the coffee pot. Then I don coat, cap and gloves. As I go out to feed the cats, I see Pepe on the driveway. Chubby is exploring around the barn, but bounces over to greet me with a loud “Meooow.” I rub her head and she purrs loudly. Then off to the barn for kitty breakfast.

Later as I leave the barn, I’m aware of the frosty air against my face. From across the road I hear the raucous sound of a gaggle of Canada geese that have spent the night along the small stream. Silently two Canada geese glide across the nearest neighbor’s fish pond. If they are looking forward to fish for breakfast, they will be disappointed. The fish died this winter. Lack of sunlight getting into the water caused oxygen producing plants to perish.

About a tenth of a mile away, past the pond, I see a large black spot racing through the corn stubble. What can it be? A dog? It’s big enough to be a coyote. No, dogs don’t move that way. It is, in fact, a large tom turkey running across a mostly open field. He is seeking shelter now that the sun is up. He nears the barn and assumes a more dignified gait now that he is no longer in the open.

A variety of bird calls fill the air. Spring is nearly here.

I enter the house, hang up my coat and go to the kitchen sink to put away the water jar. As I look out the window, two mourning doves fly to and land in the ash trees. The trill of a red-winged black bird wafts on the air.

It’s the final day of winter. It’s good to see it go this way.

Corporal Strikes Out ~ Again!

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Corporal has done it again! She severely wounded her feline pride by doing a face plant in a snow bank while missing the birds she was going for. So for the following two days she would regularly visit the area, crouching behind the snow. Unfortunately for our gal, the birds were on to her tricks — they stayed away.


When I first saw her she was crouching, but she became tired. By the time I had retrieved the camera she was sitting up — still waiting, but not crouching. The day before, one junco and one gold finch fed on fallen seeds upon the ground. They always stayed out of range — mostly on the other side of the post. Poor frustrated Corporal.

Both days she eventually tired enough to give up on her hunt. Within minutes our feathered friends returned to continue feeding on sunflower seeds.
Will Corporal ever be successful? Only time will tell. I don’t expect that she’s ready to entirely abandon her quest.
Who do you cheer for? Corporal? Or the birds?

6 by 6

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I’ve been tagged by Ida at Losing Myself. To participate in this 6 by 6 meme. The directions are simple:
1. Go to your Picture Folder on your computer or where ever you store your pictures.
2. Go to the 6th folder, then pick the 6th picture in that folder.
3. Post that picture on your blog and the story that goes with the picture.
4. Tag 5 people you know (or don’t know) to do the same.
5. Leave a comment on their blog or an e-mail letting them know you chose them.

Here’s the winner from the memory card in my camera. The seed wreath came from my favorite daughter-in-law. (There’s only one, so I’m not slighting anyone — the this one is great!) The birdy treat went up and it quickly proved to be a chickadee magnet. Finches and woodpeckers soon followed. The seed wreath didn’t last long, but it was fun watching our feathered friends come for their fill of seeds and suet.
Now, consider yourself tagged. Please leave a comment here for me so that I can visit your blog and enjoy your photo too.