tlk

TEACHer, TEACHer,TEACHer..

2010-04-30T11:21:00.000-07:00

Wednesday's winds came from the north.. but Thursday's winds came from the south west and this morning the trees were filled with little visiting birds! As usual, those ole Warblers hung out at the very top of the oak trees, killing our necks as we tried to find them. We did manage to spot some Blk and Whites, a few N. Parulas, a Black-Throated Green and several of those cute little butter rumps... but this little Oven Bird seemed to be the loudest of bird of all. I've only ever seen one other Oven bird but today we heard and saw quite a few....

plus he really made this retired educator think of all the "many" creative minds she taught.. as he belted out his song that sounded like he was saying... TEACHer TEACHer..TEACHer. A calling I would much rather hear, these days, come from "one" cute little bird... ;-0

An Early Morning Walk...how sweet it is!!

2010-04-26T14:16:00.000-07:00

I always make a list of what I want to accomplish for the next day, but like so many us these sunny days, I find that it doesn't take much for me to abandon my list and head out doors to enjoy the Spring Art Show that Mother Nature is displaying for us. I was visiting Bowman's Tower at Washington's Crossing, Pa. over the weekend. As we walked the paths at the foot of the hill we came across many a path that were lined with gorgeous Virginia Blue Bells.

...this little Field Sparrow quieted his singing to peek at who was passing by...
How lucky for us to spot two little Louisiana Water Thrushes high stepping all the stones and rocks that line the creek...I wasn't able to capture both at once...they are quite fast as they hop to catch what's next on the menu.
..click on the photo to see those famous "bubble gum colored legs"..Such a nice day to see some Columbine enjoying the warming rays of the sun.

and it can't be Spring without a few Jack-in-the-Pulpits sprouting along the trails...also known as Indian turnips!or the sweet shape of the trillium...such color and greenery. Who would have thought we would be enjoying it all so early in the year.

Mean while, back at the ranch, yawn...the debate is still going on...but at least these Eastern Blues are checking out the blue bird boxes together...sort of..
the "old sweet home" with some curb appeal and a front "stoop" or the new estate with vaulted ceiling and hard wood floors?? Tsk Tsk..such decisions...property virgins... I suppose! ;-)

Spinning and Sidetracked!

2010-04-17T06:48:00.000-07:00

It's April 17th, high today in the 50s, showers, chilly winds...just like April should be, here in the NE...but wait, are those azaleas blooming already and are those bleeding hearts showing their lovely drooping teardrops?...as well as my tulips? But it's only the middle of April!! I've actually cut my grass three times already...not that I mind, I don't mind cutting grass...but what is going on??? Don't get me wrong I LOVE all this color, sun, high temps and showers but I do go to sleep at night adding to my thoughts and prayers, please, don't let a nasty freeze come along and kill all these gorgeous flowers, buds and little broods of birds trying to survive these fickle temps! It's only April!!

I am so far behind in my yard work. Things are blooming that usually don't bloom until after Mother's Day... I still need to plant these two Winterberry Holly bushes but I'm waiting for a tree service to clear out a dying old gum tree...and I thought I booked his service early??My pansies are going crazy with those 80 and 90 degrees we hit a few weeks ago...

even my plants I bring indoors, for the winter, are bursting forth with color and blooms...
Yikes, I thought by now I would have all my birdees I saw over the last year listed in my new bird journal...

...even my wonderful blues are still trying to make up their minds on which house to settle in..."the new one...oh, so much room... honey???"

or the old house on the other side of the lot...that weathered ole shanty. She seems to like this one but he keeps sitting on the new one???

I still have my woodpeckers cleaning me out of the remaining suet that is still hanging in the trees... big gobs of it in this Downy's bill. He's usually such a neat and tidy eater..?
and to add to the confusion of this gorgeous, early but wonderful Spring..I have flickers not only gobbling up the ants that are trying to find other means of housing in my still flooded back yard..but even he is attacking the suet?

Me, I'm still trying to finish up those indoor projects...like this fabric wall hanging of poppies..but that ole sun and those wonderful smells of hyacinths and Mother Nature who keeps calling to come out has kept me in a continuous spin of confusion. I think she is putting a spin on all of us these days, but as my better half says, not a bad problem to have, Tina! Yep, I guess he's right.. sooooo, what was I doing before I got sidetracked at this computer???

A "ruddy" good bath!!!

2010-03-29T16:34:00.000-07:00

Hello all...my computer went awol for a few weeks, so I did some house renovations and re-decorating, created another quilted wall hanging (not birds this time ;-) ..and believe it or not, this week, I finally finished editing all the photos from my Fl. trip. Whew! The photos of this little Ruddy Turnstone taking his morning dip really don't need too many words of explanation...he was a joy to watch as he strolled to the water's edge....I did have to laugh out loud when he put his head completely under tho...enjoy!

Times are tough!

2010-03-01T08:00:00.000-08:00

I love keeping an eye on our feeders early in the morning just so I can see 'who' might be visiting! Due to all the nasty weather that has come our way, finding food has been a difficult chore for all these little creatures.
I have been trying to put out a variety of foods to appease all feathered appetites..even dried meal worms (ouch $$$) and raisins as well as a mixture of other fruits, nuts and seeds. Recently we have had Northern Flickers and Robins eating our beef suet! Not your everyday sight!

..but as always, experience counts for eating this " twirling treat" and keeping one's balance at the same time! So much energy to get a few bites..but they keep coming back!
Hang in there!!

Corkscrew Swamp!! Put this one on your "must visit list!"

2010-02-25T16:25:00.000-08:00

Corkscrew Swamp, 25 miles east of Fort Meyers Fl. is an amazing place to visit! (we actually went twice!) This swamp shares sights and vistas that will thrill everyone in your family.
The Swamp was once a part of a timber package that was to be leveled for its wonderful cypress trees. However, a group of conservationists were able to persuade the owners to lease the acreage and allow it to become an area where one could enjoy the flora and the wildlife. There's more to this story but that is the short and sweet part of it!! The boardwalk, allows one to roam selected acreage and seek out all that live, visit and nest there! The walk is about 2 1/2 miles but there is also an option of a 1 mile walk.
We were thrilled with all the species of birds we saw. Our first encounter was with the Brown-headed, White-breasted and Red-breasted Nuthatches (all in one tree!) Eight different species of Warblers, Flycatchers, Gnatcatchers, Ibis, Herons and even this "lovely couple" of Black Vultures!

and of course, it's Florida..you have to see a gator or two or three!
but then there was this large sign to remind you to look down.. as much as you want to look up! BUT just so you know.. We visited twice in two weeks and did not see one little ole snake!
Entertainment came in many forms. We loved watching this fox squirrel...hamming it up for the cameras BUT I have to say the jewel of the whole trip was....
this little male Painted Bunting..OMGoodness he was a feast of color! The lady standing next to me whispered, "I have been waiting 6 years to see a Painted Bunting!" That made me feel pretty darn lucky!

..and then, just for her, I'm sure of it, there were two male Painted Buntings! What gorgeous birds!!
..and then when you think it couldn't get any better..the Mrs. flies in to take her place next to her gorgeous mate!! She poses as if she knows everyone has a camera.. First, a tilt of the head for a little side view.
or maybe you want this pose!! So nice!!
and not far along on the board walk we are awed by this Barred Owl! He was just waking up as we were tip-toeing past!
We were lucky to see many species of woodpeckers, many Red-Shouldered Hawks, raccoons, otters, deer, large Red-Bellied Turtles..you name it!! By mid-morning everyone was out and about and I thought this gentlemen was just pushing a toddler in this stroller... but when I looked down I had to laugh...sorry, it is a little blurry.. it was one of those walk-on-by-and-take-a-quick-pix!! I didn't want him to know I was taking a picture of his most prize possession..but I can see why you would want to push this monster and not have to carry it. Jeeze, now that's a lens!! Corkscrew is definitely a photographers dream walk. I would suggest you put it on your list to visit if you ever head to this part of Florida! You won't be disappointed!!

I also wanted to share another major find for us...A gorgeous Crested Caracara. He wasn't found at Corkscrew Swamp but on a lonely road known as Route 832 north of Corkscrew. We specifically traveled to this road to look for the Caracara and were rewarded during our second visit! We only saw one but he was close to the road and didn't seem to mind us watching him!!

Walking the Island..a few more memories!

2010-02-17T08:41:00.000-08:00

It was a nice day for photos. The sun was out. The birds were cooperative. What more could one ask for while in Florida? This little Yellow-Crowned Night Heron was not the least bit upset that my camera was snapping away as it stalked the little fish swimming near the shore.
The Blue-Winged Teal is a shy bird and we usually see them as they are flying away..probably being spooked by the crunch of our feet on the path. This time, however, we came upon them as they were feeding and we were given a few moments to appreciate the amazing display of colors and textures..
before they became airborne. Can you see the the blue/teal color on this one's wing?? Quite a vibrant blue when you get a glimpse of it!!
Sanibel has two pairs of nesting eagles!!! That is amazing for such a small island. This immature eagle flew over us as we walked the Bailey Tract. I guess all the osprey on the island, being that they are such great fishermen...help to keep those lazy eagles supplied with food. More than once we saw an eagle pursuing an osprey for it's catch..and more than once we saw the osprey give up it's prize!
The Common Moorhen also adds a splash of color to Sanibel's lakes and ponds...

It is always a treat to see the White Pelicans fly over..

I caught this immature white ibis during one of our back water walks. I love the brown and white feathers on this young bird...soon, though, it will turn snowy white like its parents... and speaking of snowy white..the snow, here, just keeps on coming...and the number of birds at our feeders keeps increasing.

..my favorite visitor, though, has found a nice safe retreat from the snow and wind. We have two Carolina Wrens wintering in our backyard and they really keep me busy.. filling up these domed feeders with crushed peanuts and dried meal worms!

Returning to Reality..

2010-02-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

Wow, why do vacations seem to fly by!! It seems you wait and wait for the time to arrive, organizing your plans..your thoughts, packing, driving and poof it goes by so fast! Sanibel Island, off the coast of Fort Meyers, is my favorite place to visit during those winter months! We stay in the same condos every year...this year it was the 3d floor top right corner. A beautiful view of the gulf. ..a place to fish and bird.. I think this Great Blue Heron has "been there, done that" before. The waiting game!! Who will be take home the prize?
a great place to shell...one of the two best in the world..I hear. Hawaii, I believe, is said to be the other one.
..a wonderful place to stroll, looking for the usual residents..
... brown pelicans..
the every present osprey..who were in the process of nesting while we were there.
..the Red-Shouldered Hawk..whose screaming always makes me think of a squeaking dog toy!!
..the beautiful Anhinga..who is always displaying those gorgeous feathers..
..thisLittle Blue Heron..who seems to be everywhere looking for its lunch..
..how could I tear myself away from this warm and sunny scene to return to..
this one?? Hmm you say..this is also beautiful..but oh my achy..from shoveling.. shoulders and did I mention my lower back.. ;-)

You Yellow-bellied Sapsucker...kapow!

2010-01-09T06:46:00.001-08:00

I suppose his name could sound like an insult one might overhear on the ole toons network...but this Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, a member of the woodpecker family, really is a super neat bird. It certainly does possess a yellowish belly and tree sap constitutes a large portion of its diet. From what I've read, RB Sapsuckers have mastered the craft of creating a continuous sap flow from trees. They drill two kinds of holes.. a round deep hole to probe for sap and a rectangular shallow hole which must be maintained for continual sap flow. Researchers have tried to duplicate their drilling techniques only to find they couldn't achieve the same results of causing the tree to have a continuous sap flow and now it is believed that the Sapsucker's saliva may contain a substance that acts as an anticoagulant and prevents the tree's sap from clogging and sealing over the drilled holes! Pretty neat..huh?

This is great for other sap-loving creatures, such as bats, squirrels, warblers, hummers and nuthatches to name a few...how nice to have someone else provide an access for your sweet tooth..err..bill.

This little guy uses an incredible amount of energy drilling these little holes and his need for rest is quite demanding and so Mother Nature provided him with a wonderful camouflage. When he stops to rest he fluffs out his mottled plumage which allows him to melt into his environment...making him really hard to see.
I was very lucky to capture a few photos of this guy as he flew from tree to tree..the lighting was perfect for emphasizing that wonderful woodpecker face!!

It's those eyes!!!..

2009-12-31T14:33:00.000-08:00

Inspired by a fellow blogger's amazing photographs of owls, I found myself wanting to create my own owl out of fabric. I know it was the eyes, in those photographs, that grabbed my attention...so intense and colorful! The great thing about fabric is that one has so many choices of colors, textures and patterns but at the same time all those choices make it difficult to decide which ones will help create the look you want. I can spend a lot of time looking at fabrics and I do..but sooner or later you've got to decide. Below is a sampling of some of the fabrics that I chose...I knew I wanted to focus on creating a full frontal look and zero in on those big yellow-orange eyes! I found a few magazine photos to help me with proportion and detail. The blue you are seeing behind the sketch is a large sheet of Styrofoam that I purchased and attached to my sewing room wall. It is about 2 inches thick and allows me to use large straight pins to hold all my fabric choices in place.

A quick sketch and I'm now into the part of the process I really can't explain...a sort of trial and error, if you will, on what works and what doesn't! I cut out a piece of a fabric, tack it onto my sketch and stand back to see if it does what I want. If it looks good it stays if not .. I try again and again!!

When I think I have every piece where I want it I then use some fabric glue to help hold the pieces together, prior to sewing.I never hesitate to purchase fabrics that have realistic pictures on them, as I find I can cut out a section and make it work within my design. Do you remember seeing the Bengal Tiger fabric peeking out at you in the first picture? I found that if I cut out the chins of the Bengal Tigers they made a wonderful ruffle around the owl's neck. You might want to click on the photo to enlarge.

I also used some of the tiger stripes to create the breast area on the owl. The white dots you are seeing are actually the round tips of the straight pins that are still holding the pieces together.

Upon completion of the body, I use clear thread to sew my owl together and then I placed it on a dark background before adding my branches and greenery. Each leaf was cut out and attached, via thread, to the background. I added some berries and aged leaves for contrasting color.

The last thing I do before I start to quilt the background is called free motion quilting. I add closely stitched colored threads to parts of the branches where I want to darken shadows. It's kind of like painting with thread. I then sew/quilt the fabrics and batting together and create my border. For now, I 've hung this little guy in our front room..a room we pass by.. but don't use very much..lol!! Why, you ask?? Well, I REALLY needed to take a break from those big round staring eyes...you know, the eyes that captured my attention in the first place and lured me to create my interpretation of an owl! My next project, I think, will be much more serene and calming....no eyes!! ;-)

2009-12-29T08:47:00.000-08:00

Ahh,.. 'tis the season...

2009-12-20T08:17:00.000-08:00

This post could basically speak for itself... ( but I'm feeling wordy ;0....) 14+ inches of snow greeted us this morning. a familiar site as one looks outside....a neighbor clearing his sidewalk.
..even the pooch wants to get out in this weather...at 12 he still loves to romp and eat that snow!!
obviously, one of the reasons to go out was to feed the birds!! They seem to flutter onto the surrounding trees after I turn on the lights in the early morn...do they really know my routine that well...hmmm.. who has who conditioned??

a little junco...just waiting his turn...such a sweet bird...
I hear this nuthatch before I see him...
the titmouse giving me the glare..guess he didn't like his picture being taken...
..one of my super favs...love to hear them call to each other during these winter months. We are lucky to have a pair of Carolina Wrens visit us each day!
our over night guest..
my little red birdhouse refuge...and this downy has taken up residence in it....sleeping here overnight for the last several weeks..keeping warm during these snowy times...
..its a nice visit from ole man winter but upon coming in...there's such a nice greeting of these paper whites, which just opened the other day!!
...hmmm such a nice fresh smell..

The prettiest red!!

2009-12-18T07:34:00.000-08:00

Tis the time of the year that Holiday decorations surround us all! The reds, greens, silvers, blues and whites...but the prettiest red I've seen recently was this visitor to my backyard. He only spent a few minutes in our tree... but oh, what a beauty he was...and there was no denying that he had a gorgeous red-tail!!

The return of Alice... cooper that is..

2009-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

...helping me to save on bird seed, again. :(

right onto my new platform feeder..
..down onto the deck, where he then..
walks right off the deck..and climbs up through the yews to another feeder..a very bold bird..indeed!!

Odds and Ends..

2009-11-27T06:14:00.000-08:00

Looking like he heard something quite interesting this little American Goldfinch was caught tilting its head and trying to figure out what that noise was.....meanwhile having seen this hermit thrush in a nearby tree I was surprised to see him..

open up his bill and actually stick his tongue out at me..along with a little screeching noise.
Did I up set him...?? I'll never know..

but then this little Kinglet landed near my car as I was getting ready to leave and it had a huge drop of water still hanging on its bill..by the time I got my camera ready some of the water had dropped..darn!

I also found this one lone tree that was still carrying some wonderful red/pink leaves..but I have no idea what kind of tree it is..such a great color too! Just lovely to look at among all the greys, browns and blacks.

and last but no least..a great photo taken by a friend..of a Wawa bird house...Wawa is the name of a chain store/gas station here in the southeastern part of Pa. It's lone goose logo (the wawa) is actually the Lenni Lenape Indian name for a Canadian Goose. The Lenape Indians were the original people of the Mid-Atlantic area...also known as the Delaware Indians. Unlike the busy one-stop-shop, this Wawa bird house is empty and waiting for some roosting winter birds!!

Holiday Greetings!

2009-11-24T13:35:00.000-08:00

One has to admire those creative birds!!
I do hope everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving. A time to reflect over the past year.. and give thanks with family and friends!

Giraffe graffti!!

2009-11-18T15:06:00.000-08:00

Some one took a lot of time over the weekend to turn a favorite hawk perch into the likeness of a giraffe. A little spray paint and some imagination...now we will have to wait and see if the artist's renderings have a positive or negative affect on those perching hawks!!

Spotting a good thing!!

2009-11-15T16:40:00.000-08:00

A Sunday walk with the daughter and she spots that fall visitor we all love to see!!

How cute is the face on that long-eared owl?? Just love those big eyes!!

Inspired...

2009-11-11T15:53:00.000-08:00

I am finding myself lagging in my posting duties these days. :( Sorry.. maybe it's the time of season or the change in the clocks or maybe it's because those little warbler birds became so frustrating to capture with my lens ...I don't know why but I began to only carry my binoculars when I walked. Yesterday, for some reason, I decided to snag the camera as I headed out the door...and boy, I was glad I did!! I had only been walking the trail about 5 minutes when I noticed this young red-tail sitting on a branch close to the ground! Whatever he had been eating was gone, I could still see the blood on his talons..but no evidence of his kill. He was such a stunning sight...such beautiful markings.

He didn't seem to mind that I was so close as he pecked the branch's surface over and over again.

I sat and watched him for about 10 minutes. How nice to sit and watch a beautiful bird of prey right in front of me..no killing my neck, no gymnastics to get a decent shot...just what I needed to spark that ole digital hunting desire... ;-)

Good bye October....

2009-10-31T17:08:00.000-07:00

The sun peeked out in the middle of the afternoon...calling to all of us to enjoy its warmth. I headed to the park and as I was parking the car I noticed this bald cypress tree just bursting with color! In the Spring and Summer these trees always look like evergreens to me but they are actually deciduous and after exhibiting these gorgeous colors, they, too, will eventually drop their leaves.

We are not seeing the usual autumn colors we normally see but there isn't a shortage of food. The trees and bushes are laden with fruit.

The milkweed are gracefully allowing the winds to carry its spider-like seeds into the air...

..while these orange and black beetles (milkweed bugs) feed on the juices of the seeds of the plants..

From bugs to bucks grazing in this field. I don't usually see male deer grazing together..and so I WAS very surprised when they picked up their heads to look my way!! Aren't they just striking to look at? Such handsome faces!!

I decided to sit a while on one of the many stone benches in the park. Many of the benches were made to exhibit tiles made at the Mercer Tiles Works, in Doylestown, Pa. Henry Chapman Mercer was a famous historian, archaeologist, collector and ceramist--a Renaissance man of the early 20th Century. Born and raised in Bucks County, his famous castle, tile works and museum are just a few miles away from where I live.

The late afternoon sun was showing all the colors of a fading October...and as I got up to leave I noticed that I had been in the company of one of my favorite birds. I guess he was also enjoying the last of the afternoon rays. As I drove home the sun lost its battle with the clouds. Rain again is in the forecast..tomorrow bringing a change in our clocks..but for now I guess, it's time to gather in front of the TV and hope our Phils win tonight!

Finding those posed birds!!

2009-10-25T13:59:00.000-07:00

I was out looking for something different, something I haven't seen before, something that was easy to take a picture of... A little Ruby-crowned Kinglet landed not far from where I was walking. I know for a fact that fast and furious is a good way to describe these little birds when they are hungry. zoom zoom zoom....

...and I've learned that you always collect a huge file of bird butt shots...even if you don't try to!

I saw Eastern Phoebes, who unlike the RC Kinglets, strike a nice perched pose ONCE in a while..

and this Osprey who is a local resident at our nearest lake...seeing him WAY up there perched on his throne..is always a real treat!!

but it was this couple who caught my eye, as I made my way home. I've been looking for a small little fountain that would compliment my rather small backyard during the warmer months. I knew the moment I saw it that this was what I was looking for..the forever permanently-posed bird!! Picture ready...
Now, how far away is Spring, I'm ready!! ;-)

We are all watching...

2009-10-19T10:44:00.000-07:00

Yes, they have returned. Our woods are full of White-Throated Sparrows!!I was happy to see them all fluttering among the bushes and scrubs foraging for food.

but I when I saw this deer peeking out over that fallen tree...

and this beautiful cardinal looking out over a small pond....sigh.. I knew they, like me, are looking for the return of those Dark-Eyed Juncos...that one bird who really says, "you know what is coming!" ;-0

Hey, is anybody out there?

2009-10-09T12:49:00.000-07:00

...a lone visitor, outside my window. He sits and he calls...over and over and over...definitely not much happening for him or me when it comes to backyard bird visits!

Not a hawk!!

2009-10-08T13:43:00.000-07:00

Recently, I visited Cape May, New Jersey. I spent one day bird watching and lucky for me.. this little Cape May Warbler was visiting too!! We were near the Hawk Watch station and this little guy grabbed every one's attention when he and the Mrs. landed near the Hawk Watch platform.. (sorry I wasn't fast enough to catch her!) I barely had time to focus on getting a few shots of him!! I don't think I've ever seen so many binoculars all pointed in one direction before..I kept thinking THAT would make a neat picture ..but these little birds were moving too fast to stop and take a shot of all the bird watchers!He was like a little jet plane zooming among the branches and leaves...but here he is picking some kind of worm off of a branch.. his head and bill are bent forward.. toward his tummy!
It's amazing to me that he will eventually fly to the West Indies where he will spend his winter ...such a long distance for such a tiny bird! I get tired just thinking about it! ;-0

Tumbling into Fall

2009-10-05T15:54:00.000-07:00

There's not much to see and photograph these days as far as migrating song birds go...the weather has been very windy and cool...but it's still nice to get out and walk. We are quickly tumbling into fall-like weather and temps. and everyone is digging out their favorite sweaters and coats. During my walk this morning I found this Lesser Yellowlegs foraging the shallow waters near a wooded swamp. Lesser Yellowlegs are frequent visitors to this area. A very pretty wader..with a long and pointed bill...his marking were very pretty but it was those yellow legs reflecting in the water that made me take his picture.

Another lone visitor who allowed me to capture a couple photos of her was this Black-Throated Green Warbler. Fast and furious was a better description of her flying abilities. She was hungry and apparently saw something that caught her eye!

Thank goodness she decided to stop and enjoy her catch..or I would have only seen a glimpse of her as she flitted away! Oh well, it was a nice walk. Good for the heart as well as the soul.
Tomorrow the winds are suppose to calm down a bit..hopefully I can get back out to see what other nature treats October will bring.

Top Billing!

2009-10-01T15:19:00.000-07:00

Look what I found a few days ago!! A Magnolia Warbler. My first! Yea!!
It's always amazing to me to see how Mother Nature helps it creatures blend with the colors of the fall season. After having heard from many experienced birders about all the markings one has to be aware of to identify fall warblers..and there are so many variations..whew!! It's my opinion that this little warbler should get top billing for "having the most"! A nice, bright eye ring, striking wing bars, some streaking on it's yellow underparts...and a tail that shows a large white patch in front of that black tip! Lucky for me that I got a photo of it to study...as I probably wouldn't have remembered any of those field markings two seconds after it flew away! ;0

Hidden Treasure!

2009-09-27T08:03:00.000-07:00

This little Philadelphia Vireo almost slipped past me as I walked along the trails at a local park. It's that quick little movement you see out of the corner of your eye...and then you stop and stare and stare..knowing you saw something move in that tree..it's the thrill of the hunt that keeps me coming back!

This little bird is a welcomed, but rare, visitor in our area. He certainly is a sweet looking bird. The first Philadelphia Vireo was discovered near Philadelphia in 1842. Finding this little guy was definitely a WOW discovery for me..a lifer I suppose. At first glance he was hidden by all the leaves and I believed he was a warbler but when I, finally, saw the white-bordered black eye-line.. I thought different!!
He certainly was patient with me...as he sat for several seconds which allowed me to capture some better views of those eye markings, plus I was able to get several shots of those olive green to yellow underparts. I have since read that he is probably a fall juvenile due to his yellow belly color being rather bright. Apparently older Phil. Vireos are much duller at this time of the year, which is pretty much the opposite of what I would have expected!

His little gray cap kind of sealed the deal... Yep, I had found a nice hidden treasure on a beautiful fall day among all those ever-changing leaves. The hunt, the find..life is good! ;-0

Summers End..

2009-09-21T13:33:00.000-07:00

It was late afternoon when I caught this American Goldfinch sitting quietly just watching over the meadow..the days are getting shorter, nature is on the move and we all watch as another summer comes to an end.
...this was an unusually quiet afternoon at the park...I don't know why I looked up but when I did, I caught sight of this Black-billed Cuckoo...Wow! I felt pretty lucky just to get a few shots of him..before he flew to another tree.. deeper into the woods. He is one of those elusive birds..that I would hear but not see.

Fruit is in abundance now..berries everywhere! I just happen to see this bird fly down from a nearby tree to eat some of these berries. I don't know why but Cedar Wax Wings seem to be one of my favorite birds to watch..their plumage always reminds me of silk..and when they fly..you see all those vibrant colors. So many different colors all on one bird!!

I came across this little guy near the end of my walk. He was quite actively flitting from one branch to another but I'm still not sure what he is...?? The lighting at the end of an afternoon can be really tricky and but it looks like his belly color has a creamy yellow look to it. She has now been identified as a female redstart! Thank u Dawn!

..and while I was over-haul'en my blogger look and beginning to edit my afternoon photos, this little guy flies right up to my study window..lucky my camera was right next to me and I got a few shots of him...looking in..maybe he came to wish me a Happy Bloggeranniversary! It was about this time last year that I published my first post! Whatever the reason, it was a nice way to end the afternoon!

Hot Spots!

2009-09-18T11:17:00.000-07:00

Up at dawn and out on the paths for a morning walk was my idea of a great start to a great day. How I will feel by this evening will be another matter.. :0
As I walk looking for birds, these late summer days, I am finding that there seems to be little hot spots that you come across where several different kinds of birds are quite active..and if you just stand still you can catch, ever so slightly, a glimpse of this one and that one. I saw quite a few black and white Warblers, a few Parulas, a Black-Throated Green Warbler but the only early bird, nice enough to sit on a branch closer to the ground was a cute little Common Yellow-throat Warbler...of course we all know they don't stay around too long..and I was given a gift that this one stayed as long as it did...
Mid way through my morning I caught this little bird as it flew into a nearby bush... I am going to guess at this fellow, a Yellow-bellied flycatcher...or so I think..? I saw him several times.. but way up in the canopies of trees chasing bugs and was quite surprised when he/or another came closer to where I was standing.
I heard this little Eastern Towhee before I caught sight of it...there are several who seems to stay in one particular area..so I know if I find I'm not standing in or near that "neat little hot spot" I can always find these little birds who will cooperate with a pose or two!

Forced landing!!

2009-09-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

These guys were so close to my husband's model airplanes that he had to land..for fear of them hitting his plane or vice versa!!
I always enjoy watching them glide and soar (they very seldom flap their wings) but we are more amazed at that 6 foot wing span!

I just couldn't resist shooting this guy for Lynne at Hasty Brook!

Back to birding..

2009-09-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

I have a renewed appreciation for those of you who manage to successfully capture those tiny little warblers with your camera's lens!! Quick Draw McGraw ..I'm not. I've never seen birds move so fast and disappear so quickly. Attempting to get a decent picture of any warbler certainly put a dent in my Friday morning patience so to help myself regain my calm... I took some pictures of all the color that was blooming around me.. the Tickseed Sunflowers were everywhere..stunning little bits of color and light..extremely radiant, I think, when seen in the open fields....
so pretty against all those shades of "calming" green..ahhh...see it's working...

As I walked along the mowed path near the nature center a tiny movement caught my eye. OMgosh, a warbler that wasn't hanging out at the top of the trees!! I recognized this little bird right away, even though I haven't seen a Nashville Warbler since one visited me outside my study window in December of '08! If it had been sitting still I don't think I would have seen him at all... he blended so well into the yellow-greens of this bush...

That grayish head and that white eye ring looked so familiar..and he certainly was busy.. eating whatever insects these little warblers eat..

and when he finally decided to take a break...he chose to do so with his back to me, but hey, I was just thankful I wasn't having to break my neck to see him.

I was happy that I snapped this shot of him as it showed his underparts pattern.. the yellow from the throat to the breast and then the white belly and then the yellow under his tail. It just confirmed to me that I was correct and he was a Nashville. What a thrill .. to see another Nashville...hopefully this little guy will make his way to his winter residence safely..I certainly don't want to see him feeding outside MY window during the snowy and cold month of December!
I'll end this post on a who am I ...question. I saw this bird for 4 seconds..if that..I managed one picture of it and it was gone..I've looked through my Warbler book photos and.. maybe.. I might have a guess.. but I know I have lots of blogger bird experts out there who will lend me a hand on this one!!

a tough question to answer...

2009-09-09T17:32:00.000-07:00

Only two showed up in this litter..when usually 9 or more are seen....but our breeder will likely try again later this year. This gives us more time to wrestle with all the pros and cons..but time is running out and we have to make that big decision to get on the "I want a new Brittany Spaniel list" or not. His Brittanys go fast...he has had this lineage going since the mid 60s and he only breeds every 7 years.
...oh, they are just too darn cute at 3 weeks of age...I'm already smitten with this guy... but 16 years is a long time..and now that we are retired there is travel to think about..a chance to just up and go..whenever..you know?? I don't have a puppy sitter..and I hate to kennel.

thoughts like.. how could we live without an orange and white critter watching our every move...that nose waiting at the door as you open it..bringing the leash and every toy in the toy box, saying play with me...walk me...creep into our conversations..but thoughts of puppy life and puppy training....time out from birding??? Sigh, I just don't know...
Gee, what do you think...our first Brittany lived to be 16, her nephew, just turned 12..neither dog ever had a sick day in their life..but oh my, what a commitment!!! what do ya think...?

Finally!!

2009-09-03T12:32:00.000-07:00

They're back!! I have had the best time, the last few days, finding warblers that I missed in the Spring...oh, they were there but Tina wasn't that fast at finding them with her binoculars way back then. I would see them, with my eyes, waaay up there in the tops of those trees but then finding that same branch through a pair of binoculars was a skill I still had to practice..and of course, one must do all of the above in a few seconds as these guys flit and flitter so fast that I more or less missed seeing them in all their spring colors ..but persistence has paid off during their return visit. My first sighting Thursday, however, was in stunning black and white..A small little Black-in-White Warbler...first, looking right at me and then posing for a profile shot! How nice! Our weather has been very nice..cool cool mornings with highs in the low 80s. Perfect for enjoying the quick glimpses we are getting of these visiting birds.

Light and Color ..

2009-08-26T04:31:00.000-07:00

Such wonderful and iridescent colors nature shares with us...when those Hummingbirds turn into the sunlight preparing to..
fly to the feeder and show off their gorgeous ruby red throats..
all the while the female sits close by waiting her turn to sip that sweet nectar...

I'll be back....

2009-08-20T16:06:00.000-07:00

While visiting Wisconsin at the end of July we took a few hours one afternoon and visited the Horicon Marsh located southwest of Fond du Lac. This marsh is huge!!!.. 32,000 acres in size, the largest freshwater cattail marsh in the whole USA. It provides a habitat for endangered species and is a critical rest stop for thousands of migrating ducks and geese. Needless to say with only two hours we didn't get to tread many of the hundreds of trails around this marsh. What we did get to see was beautiful..the board walk was a welcome site after tramping around aircraft all day...so quiet and peaceful...

We saw two white pelicans..who seemed inseparable...floating by..giving me plenty of time to snap their picture. What a nice walk . We slowly made our way back to the car...and as we were leaving...

along came "that" bird... you know the one!! HEY, look at this guy...ohhh, I've never seen one like this before..stop the car.. let me out!! Tina, rushing up the side of the road..camera in hand.....click click click...
I walk a little faster and so does he.....I'm now power walking and so is he...
Click click click!! Stop and turn around...pleaseeee.

Nope, I'm not making any progress.. as I move closer he waddles farther away...click click..gosh how many pictures have I taken of his behind??
I never did get a great shot of this bird but I'm guessing he is a Yellow-headed blackbird. I felt like I followed him a quarter of a mile along the side of the road. I think he was playing me....

and that's alright.. I took it as a future challenge.. and as Arnold would say, "I'll be back" and then I will get a photo of this bird in all his colorful glory.... ;-0 okay, he did get the best of me. bird/ 1 tina/ 0 next year.. buddy, next yr..

Lucky me!!

2009-08-19T06:54:00.000-07:00

I'm so lucky... I was a winner on Shelley's give away of Northern Mich. Experience. I can't believe it...I never win anything. What a nice surprise upon returning home to find a package from Shelley!! Yippee!
This mouse pad is dust and stain resistant with a non-slip backing .....and is the perfect size for my little computer desk!! I just love Shelley's butterfly picture. Her photos are always so detailed and colorful. In fact, I just ordered a mug from her Nature Store website.... to match my new mouse pad! Thanks again Shelley! I love it!!

Baraboo..

2009-08-08T11:30:00.000-07:00

Stunning isn't he?? This is an African Grey-crowned Crane. One of the 15 species one will see if you visit..the International Crane Foundation in Baraboo, Wisconsin..

This is a 225 acre preserve and the only place in the world one can view all 15 species of cranes.
We spent a few hours here during our trip to Wisconsin.
The Grey-crowned crane below is showing off his stuff...notice the clipped feathers on his left wing..obviously to keep him from flying the coop...but oh, what a coop it is! Acres and acres of marshs, woodlands, wildflowers, etc..to keep these birds protected and happy!

This young man was really playing the crowd the day we were there..he knew he was being watched and gave us all quite a dance and a grand show of his beautiful plumage!!

In another area of the preserve we saw the Sarus Crane..This is the tallest of all flying birds, 6 FEET TALL, and is usually seen in South East Asia and some times in India.

This pair of Sarus Cranes was being kept in a smaller confine..and as you all know taking pictures through a wire fence can be tricky with the light and the patterns of the fence showing up on their plumage!! It's the new white checker board look!! :(

I am only featuring a few of the cranes we saw. Of course, they were ALL very nice and sharp looking creatures! Such height and such color!! I learned some amazing facts about cranes and even remember seeing the snippets on the news about the ultralights that were helping the Whooping cranes migrate from Fl. The Whooping Crane is the tallest bird in North America and of course, is so named for its whooping sound. They live to be 22-24 yrs old!! One can also visit the Necedah National Wildlife Refuge in Wis. to witness the return of the cranes in March.
All of the returning Whooping cranes are now offspring of the ones who were lead here by the ultralights between 2001 and 2005... Pretty cool story.. pilots and their airplanes helping birds!!

It was fun and educational to see all the cranes at ICF in Baraboo, but I still love seeing birds in the wild..away from all the wire, fences and crowds of people staring...so late the next day as we were returning from the airshow in Oshkosh, we happened to come across these Sandhill Cranes feeding in a front yard along the road....
The lighting wasn't in my favor for seeing all those neat colors or facial details..but knowing their wings weren't clipped and they could come and go as they pleased was satisfying enough.
...and a little new knowledge for this Pennsylvanian...Parsnip..does what??? Aren't they the "other" carrot-type veggie we used to pull out of the ground and eat? lol!! Thank goodness we read this before we went off trail....didn't want to walk on that wild side!!

plump and chubby!!

2009-08-04T07:27:00.000-07:00

The day before we left for our trip I happened to catch Daddy wren sitting on my fence with a big juicy green bug in his bill for the juniors..I couldn't believe that this tiny little bird was going to actually be able to gulp down that huge green bug...it looked twice his size!!

I thought for sure he was going to gag as he was having a really difficult time getting that creature in his mouth...but Dad knew what he was doing and kept shoving harder into that little one's bill...good thing for Jr. that he had a stable grip on the inside of that nest hole opening!!

I would have thought that after this huge meal and all his work to swallow it, he would tumble to the nest to take a nap..his tummy being so full!! but no....both he and his brother stuck out three quarters of their hairless little bodies.. yelling. ME! ME! ME!! Dad seems to be feeding all by himself...we have not witnessed both adult wrens at the nest box for a while...I have a feeling something happened to Mom :( .... but Dad is quite the worker..and feeds and feeds...
The photo, below, really shows you how naked their little bodies still are...minus all those little feathers, a lot of fuzz here and there. One of those faces that only a mother or father would describe as "isn't our baby the cutest you've ever seen"...??

...and love them they do... he provided take out delivery.. right to the door everyday and all day. I put out some meal worms near the nest box hoping to help in his quest to find yummies but I'm not sure if they eat these types of worms or not.

By the time we returned his babies had fledged but they are remaining in my White Lilac bush near their nest box. How fast they grew those feathers...we weren't even gone a week and look at these two plump and chubby babies!! How much fun it is to see nature work its miracles so near my back porch.

Notice that tiny little tail!! Today they have been flying more and more from the Lilac to a near by larger tree. Soon, I'm sure they will leave ...on to another adventure with Dad, I guess. Being a single parent sure is a lot of work, my hats off to this little male. I think he did a wonderful job!

Summer Flings..and their off-springs

2009-07-27T11:40:00.000-07:00

Who isn't enjoying seeing all the baby birds? There are those that sit and wait quietly for their breakfast, lunch and dinner, while some contend to scream all day for their daily bug!!
I found this young female Rose-breasted Grosbeak sitting quietly in a cedar tree near the nature center...she looked really shy and timid and I'm afraid I might have scared her as she climbed into a thicket of leaves trying to hide....

but the soft clicking noise of my camera soon caught her curiosity and she turned and gave me a peek-a-through look..saying, Hey lady..I'm trying to lay low here, be good and wait for Mom!!

...mean while Daddy Common Yellowthroat is busy finding those nice juicy worms...What a beautiful bird he is... as he perched in front of the silky threads of several spider webs.

...and baby Red-bellied Woodpecker has finally been successful at extracting a whole peanut from the feeder...Yea!! He worked so long to get this peanut!!

but the most exciting parents I saw this breeding season were the Yellow-breasted Chats...

I'm not sure which one is the Mom and which one is the Dad..but one was perched on my left and the other on my right with goodies for their off-spring!! Very cool birds, hard to catch with the camera as they are forever diving into the tall grasses....this particular morning they were extremely busy getting goodies for the screaming crowd in the nest so I had plenty of opportunities to get some shots. Oh, how I wished for a peek at those chirping babies.

and.. speaking of babies...ours is celebrating his 12th birthday....he's definitely not a bird but he is a bird-dog!! A Brittany Spaniel....seen here at 13 weeks...way back in 1997

Happy B-Day Sydney and may you have many more!!....and lastly we have a Daddy raptor...well, no, not a real bird raptor but definitely a cool one ( the F-22) one I love to watch. We are off to, yet, another airshow, full scale this time.. and I won't have my computer with me..so I will be catching up with all of you when I get back. Good birding and enjoy the week!!

That ole 100th Post...

2009-07-20T16:19:00.000-07:00

This is a blogger moment for me. It's less than a year since I started blogging and I've come to my 100th post. A mile mark most of you have already surpassed, probably quite a while ago. Blogging has become a very enjoyable part of my life..it is one of the reasons I reach out to try and capture a shot of that hard to find bird like the Yellow-billed Cuckoo. The few times I have come across this guy he is ALWAYS, at the top of the tree, usually hidden among the leaves..but hey, it only takes ONE good shot, right...and then maybe I could post it!! Well, it's not that great of a shot but I posted it, anyhow...Such a blogger thing to do!!

Blogging gets me all fired up to take pictures, but then there are times, I'm as slow as you know who, to transfer my photos to my computer, edit them and post them...ahhhh
Sometimes, for a post, I skip the bird yarn thing and want to show you how I play away the day...like when I spend all morning painting "my own version" of the wooden ducks.. that I purchased at a thrift store...just so I could put them in my garden. (couldn't resist putting Wellingtons on my one duck..tee he)

and then there's the posts where I ask questions of my blogger friends...like why does this Hairy Woodpecker have an orange spot on its head...where a red one should be? No, really.. why??
but most of all I just want to sing my praises to all of you---who visit my blog and leave me the most enjoyable and nice comments. Words that inform, words that share and words that just make me smile!!
Looking back, I really had a fun time putting together 100 posts... Thanks again for being such nice cyber friends.

Goldfinches amid the colors of Summer!

2009-07-17T16:29:00.000-07:00

So much work for such a little tiny seed!
I found this pair of American Goldfinches seeking those tiny little thistle seeds. Fields of Canadian thistle beginning to seed...taking to the air like flocks of tiny white birds...

He, on one side of the path and...
she on the other...a perfect place for lunch!

It was a nice to see the finches feeding from Mother Nature. I usually see them hanging upside down on my nyjer feeders..
Such a lovely contrast of textures and color...on such a nice day!

The Giving Pond

2009-07-14T06:16:00.000-07:00

Early Friday morning I went with some friends to a place called the Giving Pond. A 90 acre park near the Delaware Canal State Park. We were in search of those fluttering butterflies....Lots of pictures to show... (and if I incorrectly id something, let me know..I'm always learning.... ;-)

A Pearl Crescent Butterfly, posing for me...

Eastern Tailed-blue...Some dew drops clinging to the leaves as we walk in the chill of the morning.
Sensitive fern...why the name?? because it is the first fern to react to Autumn's cooling temps, so they say...
Couldn't id this one...maybe one of you can?? A buckeye??
Sassafras plant..recognized by me because of the mitten leaf..even though it carries 3 different leaves.
I found out, after drinking tons of root beer in my early years, it is now being seen as a possible cause of liver cancer?? ahhh!
Cabbage butterfly....
Purple milkweed, rare find for S.E. pa., likes more acidic soils, doesn't produce as much foliage but really cool butterflies love it..like the admirals, and fritillaries.
Silver-spotted skipper...cool spiral tongue!!..even tho they taste with their feet!
Northern Crescent...very common, but pretty design...
Yea, yea, I know, I'm not a butterfly, she saw me last and I think I'm still the cutest thing going in the forest! Wink!! Wink!!

Those Summer birds...

2009-07-10T15:51:00.000-07:00

Some of you have asked if I have been taking a blogging vacation ( I have not been posting as much as I used to) which was very nice that you inquired. I really do appreciate your concern..and all is fine...Really! During the summer I get very busy with another type of bird .. so I decided to share some photos of the OTHER birds who I take photos of, help organize, pack and ship kits, carry, etc.. ..the ones that live in my basement and in my dining room and come out to play on calm, sunny days and definitely on all summer and early fall weekends. My husband builds, from scratch, remote control WWII model airplanes...also known as Warbirds. He does demo flights prior to full-scale (real) airshows and we also attend remote-control airshows up and down the East coast most of the summer. His planes have taken Best of Show many times and the 2007 and 09 WRAM NY Designer Award. They are built to scale (1/6 scale) all balsa wood with wing spans that range from 101 inches to 114 inches. They all fly, have retractable landing gears and are gasoline powered.

This is a bomber called an Avenger/ TBM 3E used mainly in the south pacific during the war.
Looks real doesn't it..we take them to an old navy base to take their pre-maiden flight photos.
Placing them on the old runway helps to give them a realistic look.

This is another Avenger TBM 3E bomber (different paint scheme and different markings) ...releasing its torpedo during a demo flight for a show we attended last year. The plane is flown and operated completely by radio. Timing is essential when releasing any bombs or torpedoes. The average weight of his planes runs about 36-38 pounds.

This is a P-38 Lightning, a fighter, used all over the world during WWII, but most likely remembered as being more successful in the Pacific. This model has twin engines and is the largest wing span of his planes..114 inches. The engines for the P-38, for those who want to know, are 50cc/ quite powerful. Speeds reach 60 - 80 mpr. for most of these planes.
This is a BeechCraft D-18/C-45 transport, used to transport VIPs during the war. Also a twin engine. All landing gears on his planes retract and fold up into the belly of each plane. The "W" insignia (seen of the tail) represents Willow Grove Naval Airbase.. where his father was in the Navy. The real (blue) Avenger and Beech Craft actually flew out of Willowgrove in the 1940/50s.
This is an SNJ or an AT-6. It was used by the military, as an advanced flight trainer.
I am his partner in crime, so to speak. We have been doing models for over 30 years. He has recently started selling his own designs for these airplanes. The Avenger and the Skyraider shown below are his own plans and he sells the kits, plans and other parts to build. About 1200-1600 man hours go into building one of these. As all pilots know, what goes up must come down..and we have lost a few a long the way..but it is his hobby and now his mini-business. It does, however, keep us busy during the summer months as we travel quite a bit...but all in fun!
His latest design and build is the AD-5 Skyraider (pictured below) which just flew her maiden flight this past Spring. Well, now you know about the other birds in Tina's life...the giant-scale birds.
We are off for a long weekend and show being held in Newark, Delaware...so I will be catching up with everyone early next week. If you really want more info on his craft...feel free to visit us at www.Kelloggplans.com ... if not that's fine and dandy ;-) Do hope you all have a great weekend!

Dancing for your dinner!

2009-07-08T12:40:00.000-07:00

I caught this little Northern Mockingbird foraging among the grasses and small plants while we were at a nearby field. He put on quite a show of flapping his wings and jumping up and down creating movement to make all those yummy insects run or fly. He was quite the aggressive feeder.

Look at that face! He is doing some serious dancing here. He is also doing some serious pest control as he will consume large quantities of beetles, ants, wasps and grasshoppers. He does vary his diet with a variety of berries and other fruit..but if you get a chance to watch him dance for his dinner..it is quite entertaining!

Sweet!

2009-07-06T06:13:00.000-07:00

I think I did a double take when I saw a robin sitting on my platform feeder..I remember thinking, what do you suppose this bird is eyeing from that bird seed mixture?

Oh my goodness, it is eating the grape jelly!! lol! A surprise to me!!
I see him every day getting his jelly fix! Morning, noon and late day.. I love it!!
(click to see that big blob of jelly he is holding in his bill)

not one but two...

2009-06-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

How nice it was to spot this doe and her fawn, this morning. The little one enjoyed some breakfast, as Mom nibbled some grasses.
but as good Moms know..clean up is a part of every meal...she spent a few minutes licking his face ..

and neck..don't forget behind those ears..there's always food behind the ears!
on down to his front legs..
so he could, eventually romp through the tall grass. I met him on the other side of the path, where he was standing with his sibling!!
What a nice surprise that was!

Sometmes!!

2009-06-25T16:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes nature's best surprises are the quiet little ones, hidden in the wildflowers and grasses..who stand silently watching you as you go by..
Then there are those who blend so well....can you find her? click to enlarge

that you don't even see them until they lift their head...
..and look your way!
but the best is when YOU think you are out looking for them...and they are secretly watching you!! ;-)

Sweet success!!

2009-06-22T14:24:00.000-07:00

Knock Knock...Who's there?

Orange!
Orange who? (click to see that eye!)

Orange you glad you're at the end of this sweet post.......Groan....Yea, I know...but I just had to!

Four is always better than one...

2009-06-19T16:54:00.000-07:00

I really need to apologize to everyone for being such a behind on visiting every one's blog. The weather has certainly played a huge part in my being indoors or out. I thought I had the perfect plan when I penciled in events for my June calendar. A few days busy and a few days not.. and then the rains came and poured and showered and poured and hailed... and things got canceled and then rescheduled... so now my once neatly scheduled calendar is one big cross out and re-penciled page of days filled with too many gotta dos!! I have had these pictures ready to post for about a week now and I am just now getting around to it!! I miss reading every one's posts and after this weekend I will have more time to catch up!! Sorry.
In April I was shown where a male Pileated Woodpecker was working on a nest. It was shared with me, that he has been a resident of this acreage for several years but had never been seen with a mate. I visited his nest every time I came to this particular area and would watch him work and work to create his digs in this sycamore tree. He literally spent days cleaning out the cavity and enlarging the knot hole and making another hole above the knot hole. Click to enlarge!
Several times that I visited, I would hear him before I actually got to his nest sight...calling and calling..a very terradactyl-like sound. Several other birders had told me he has created a nest before but with no success in attracting a mate....but early in May, a very pretty little female Pileated WP arrived and must have been very impressed with all his hard work, because she decided to stay!! It took several visits before I actually saw her and getting both Pileateds in a photo was not to be ... prior to her nesting! They were both extremely skittish and would scream off into the forest at the slightest noise of anyone passing near by.
It wasn't until the young were born and started popping their little heads out of the nest holes that I even tried to capture a shot...and even then my attempts did not turn out very good!

I was able to crop one photo enough to get a better look at Dad...but it was the little ones who captured my heart when I saw them for the first time!!
Each had taken one of the nest holes as their little port holes to the world and began exploring what was going on outside that sycamore!!

I never attempted to get close to their nest..and most of my observations were made with binoculars..and my 300 mm lens just wasn't powerful enough to get a good sharp image..but I felt thrilled that I was even able to witness all four birds during the same visit!! The babies did fledged last week. I haven't been back to see if they are still around but I'm crossing my fingers that they are and that they continue to call this acreage home, because as all birders know when it comes to those hard to find birds, four is always better than one.

What's that clicking noise....

2009-06-15T13:18:00.000-07:00

I definitely interrupted his song and caught his attention with the clicking of my camera...but only for a moment then he was back to singing and enjoying the view.

The Great Crested Flycatcher, with his signature cinnamon wings and tail and that bright yellow belly...enjoying the afternoon sun.

Old Hat, New Hat for the Gnats..an update

2009-06-11T17:13:00.000-07:00

Posing for photos seems to be "old hat" for these two adult Gnatcatchers, they have "been there done that" before..it was

the two new Gnatcatchers who chose to make their debut, together, but.. very high in the top of the tree! It was great to see that all four birds were doing well..but getting a close up picture of the new babies will have to come another day!

The Morning walk....

2009-06-08T15:49:00.000-07:00

One of Saturdays many bird sightings was a visit from this young Orchard Oriole! I was told he was a first spring male, recognized by the black bib down to his chest. He certainly had a lot to say...so early in the morning. What a nice way to start a morning walk!

In my neck of the woods!

2009-06-05T14:56:00.000-07:00

Recently when looking through my photo library..I noticed that many of the pictures I have taken in the last few weeks.. kind of have a theme...a weird neck theme! Uck!! Was I subconsciously thinking 'neck' because I've had a pain in mine due to trying to catch a glimpse of those tree-top warblers? I'm not sure, but tom the turkey was the first "neck pix"... That little pony tail hanging from the bottom of his neck is his beard!! What a crazy place for a beard!!

...and then there was this little deer who was carrying a radio-collar around its neck.. she was successfully ignoring me as I was peeking at her.... ah ..neck!!

And what about these Cormorants? They seem to twist, bend and contort their long necks in their quest to preen and or maybe show their respect to the perched bird on the left?? I thought the one in the middle was going to fall off the log as he twisted and turned his neck..

...and then there are those wonderful Red-eyed Vireos who bend their little necks and belt out those crystal-clear sharp notes... which seem to hang in the air forever..

...and why is Mr Oriole tilting his head and looking at me with that puzzled look?? ah..maybe because I am trying to imitate part of his song and he JUST can't believe that anyone could make such horrible sounds?? I've, now, become the pain in the neck!! Some birds, like the Green Heron, only share that they have those long colorful necks when they want to look down into the water for lunch!!

and speaking of stick out their neck...here is one of our little Black-capped Chickadees getting ready to fly the coop!! He sat there teetering for about 20 minutes before Mom and Dad coaxed him out for his first flight. Isn't he just adorable..with his messed up hair do and that open mouth look on his face? He flew into the nearest tree, to be with Mom, Dad and Bro and I'm just hoping that the family does well and...dare I say, stays in my neck of the woods!

The Chat, Gnat, Cat and Kit post!!

2009-05-31T16:54:00.000-07:00

What a delight to finally see this Yellow-Breasted Chat! They say he is the largest warbler with quite a big bill and a long tail!! His call is quite amusing..he makes several different sounds, similar to a mocking bird or a thrasher. I heard him in the brushy tangles...and it was several minutes before he decided to make his appearance. I had seen pictures of him in my bird guides but I don't think I was ready for how big he was compared to all the other tiny warblers I had seen this Spring!
Quite a handsome fellow with that bright lemony upper belly and throat!

On the way home I was happy to see the Gnatcatcher carrying a worm to the nest. I believe it is Mr G ...but I wasn't able to see any little tiny mouths stretching to get that worm..so maybe it was for the Mrs... I stared and stared trying to see...
but when I saw the look I was getting...I decided it was best to move on ;-0
Some times it just fun to watch an animal or a bird deal with the little problems of the day.. this poor Gray Catbird couldn't decide which leaf to choose..he had several in his bill before he finally settled on this one..I did wonder what the criteria was..
...and this cute little Red Fox kit was just too tired to move, as I walked near by...that good ole log and that sun just felt too good to give up! He kept me in his sights but by the time I left he had a good case of the yawns...hmmm, I wonder where Mom was?

A few extra shots!!

2009-05-30T04:20:00.001-07:00

Ninja want-to-be

Cardinal want-to-be

Blinded!!

2009-05-27T13:17:00.000-07:00

As I peeked into the bird blind..guess who was peeking back...a male Rose-breasted Grosbeak!
Such welcomed colors to see on an overcast-cold morning!! I have seen this bird from a far but never so close at hand!! Wow!!

He seemed like he was a little hesitant to leave the wire and explore the ground..he would lean into a position like he was going to fly and then straighten back up. Maybe my presence made him a little apprehensive about staying...
He never did explore the grounds at the blind..but opted to fly further back into the brush and find something among the leaves.. it was then I noticed someone was with him..

At first I thought it was a finch..but then I noticed he flew around her and she gave him her fullest attention. Later, she left him to munch among the leaves, while she gathered those all important diy materials!

Another Mother 2 b..

2009-05-20T13:53:00.000-07:00

I would like to welcome two little Blue-gray Gnatcatchers to our neighborhood! This is the little lady below getting ready to pull off some fragments of that cocoon to add to her nest. Gnatcatchers are tiny birds but their size tells you nothing about their unbelievable abilities to create an amazing nest!
This is the handsome Mr G. He has been working with the Mrs. helping to build their tiny, tiny nest in a spindly little tree not too far from the side of the road. The nest is situated about 20 feet above the road's surface.
Lucky for them that several spiders have chosen to build their webs close by as the Gnatcatchers probably used some of this silky material to help attach their nest to the tree limbs. You might have to click on this pic to see the web..
They slaved approx 4 days to built this (2 x 2 1/2 inch) nest. So tiny!! Each carrying little pedals of cocooned ivy and intertwining them with what looks like bits of spider web, cocoon matter and plant fiber. All the nesting materials were laced together extremely well. (click to enlarge)
What a construction crew these two have been. I feel pretty lucky to have seen this. Two little birds working from sun up to sun down..pulling, pushing, tweaking...weaving...

..getting their "home" ready. Today you can see the Mrs. sitting in that little cup with her long tail pointed up one side and the tip of her bill pointing up the other! Another Mother I don't want to bother ...but I do hope all goes well for this little bird family. It would be rather nice to have some Gnatcatcher youngsters flitting around the neighborhood!

A world lost...

2009-05-19T12:46:00.000-07:00

It was his take off that caught my eye! I heard the swoop of its feathers and saw him move at the edge of a dead tree which was standing in the middle of a small man-made island..
..he lifted off with grace and soared around the tree..his call a loud whistled.. kyew kyew!!
and then there were two, she/he came from somewhere behind us...and we just stood there and watched in awe!!

We were walking the Villas, in New Jersey, near Cape May. Believe it or not this place is an abandoned golf resort which was once known as Ponderlodge. It was built in 1991 and covers 253 acres. The state of NJ purchased the golf course, I believe several years ago, and decided to let it go back to its natural state!! Miles of paved pathways twist and wind around the once groomed greens and fairways. It was near the lake that we watched these two osprey soar and hunt for their lunch...putting on quite a show. The lighting definitely wasn't in my favor...but from this washed photo you can still see the fish he had just scooped out of the lake!!

In its heyday this must have been quite a resort...most of the buildings are still standing but in complete decay. Nature, in every form, has all but taken over most of the buildings. It is definitely eerie to walk around and try to imagine that this land had once been a professionally groomed golf course. One can see birds and other small animals which are now nesting/living within the lodges and other utility buildings..
...the ponds are now overgrown and have tons of frogs, tadpoles, toads and other wild life living in and around them.
There are fields of wildflowers and color everywhere...quite a nature lovers delight...
one can see matching Yellow-rumped warblers..playing hide and seek from a fool and her camera...
and if you are lucky, maybe even a Painted Lady will visit you as you stroll its overgrown paths.. that seem to go on and on...leaving you with the impression that you are not near a city called Cape May but in a 253 acre world lost to the wilds of nature at its best.

On the Way to Cape May...

2009-05-15T04:18:00.000-07:00

Why is it I plan such lengthy trips to far away places to try and see new things when I haven't visited many of the attractions that are so near to me? I have lived in Pennsylvania all my life,
30+ of those years in southeastern Pa. and yet I have never taken the time to visit Cape May, New Jersey!! ...not until this past weekend! In a little over two hours we were pulling into the parking lot to join a bird walk.
Our bird walk was meeting at the Migratory Bird Refuge, which is near Cape May Point State Park, at 7:30 am. We arrived a little early and met some of the other birders including our bird walk leader Pete Dunne, a well-known author and expert on birds and birding.

We were heading out to the beach to visit some nesting Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers. The weather was over cast and a little rainy but comfortable. We were visited by a few Meadowlarks and several terns as we walked toward the beach.

A beautiful Great White Egret met us as we approached the top of the dunes.

We were lucky to see many different shore birds, along with those that were nesting...but the bird that created all the high fives and ya-hooing by our group was the Swallow-tail Kite. Three of them gracefully soared over our heads as we stood and watched in awe. They are small hawks, black and white with blue-black under parts. A very striking bird and apparently one that is not seen too often in Cape May.
Upon spotting them one of our bird leaders was instantly 'twittering' the info ..telling ALL that not ONE but THREE Swallow-tails had been spotted!! A record for Cape May birders!!
After the excitement of the Swallow-tails we were graced by the appearance of this Little Blue Heron. An immature in transition, but oh, what beautiful blue-blacks and gray hues against those heron whites! He was with two other Little Blues but he was definitely the most attractive one!
and when I looked down into the water near the board walk, I spotted this Least Sandpiper quietly getting its breakfast..what a name, I wouldn't want to be called least..
As we were ending our bird walk we came across a lake filled with Mute swans! Several families were paddling around together...

Mom was demonstrating how to forage the lake's bottom for food but several of the little ones still seemed a little puzzled about the whole process.

The Pennsylvania Migratory Count...PAMC

2009-05-13T18:14:00.000-07:00

Little did I know when I packed my peanut butter and jelly sandwich early Saturday morning that I would be walking the local nature center for almost 7 hours!! I arrived for the weekly 7am bird walk about 6:30 am (I like to get there early and check the blind for the screech owls)..when I noticed several bird-walk leaders arriving, as well as some of our more well known experts ( one lady who co-wrote "The Plants of Pennsylvania" and still teaches botany at The University of Penn) I found myself becoming more than just a little curious..Huh? Everyone seemed to be preparing to join the morning walk..dragging the socks up over the cuffs of their pants to keep out ticks... spraying Off on caps and sleeves...WOW! how nice to have all these people along to share that birding enthusiasm.. but what was up??? ...and then I am told this was a PAMC count/walk. A hike would have been a better word. Our purpose was to count every bird we might see... through mud and swampy areas. Places I have never visited before.. ( all voluntary of course) but in the end I lasted the whole day and was one very happy birder, having seen many new species of birds, reptiles and plants. I survived 7 hours of walking and birding!! Exhausting but fun!!
Our first sight of the morning was a real eye opener for me..the Scarlet Tanager..OMGosh..what a sight for my eyes!! He was almost at eye level and was too involved in his "aria" to bother with "we" who stood staring in awe!!

Not far from where we spotted the Tanager, we came across a flock of Cedar Wax Wings..gorgeous of course...so many colors on one bird...awe..they just made my morning!!
...this little Rose-breasted Grosbeak was playing hide and seek and just wouldn't allow me that one good shot! He was quite actively hopping around the tree.. but what a delight to see this guy!!
Mr Thrush was just the opposite..he was quite content to just sit. ..slightly turning his head to say , "Oh hi, just passing through?"This little Eastern Towhee, on the other hand, was not the least bit quiet...a bit ruffled in his appearance and very serious and intent about singing what he needed to sing!! Such a look!!

and then there are the cute little silent types ...who just sit quietly hidden in among the leaves...just letting the morning glide by..not a care in the world. Such sweet eyes on this little warbler...pine warbler, I think.

We had stopped to take a break when this beautiful Spice-bush Swallowtail butterfly landed near me..stunning me with colors that just sing so well together .. how wonderful!
This was puzzling at first...but then I realized it was a turtle...a box turtle that was hiding under water near this log...did you know box turtles can completely close the space between their shells for protection? ...I didn't, but found that pretty interesting.

and yes I know this was a bird count day but who wouldn't stop to look at this guy...a red-eared slider...not a native species to Pennsylvania. Apparently someone had them as pets and let them go in this park and they seem to be doing fine. One last cool fact, tho, they live to be 50 to 70 years old and check out those toe nails!!! Bet he didn't walk 7 hours... ouch!

My Personal Best...

2009-05-10T07:46:00.000-07:00

Hannibal, of hannibals animals, has asked us to try and choose a picture that would represent our personal best. My birding library continues to grow but I have a looong way to go to try and emulate photos taken by many of my bird-blogger friends. I am always so amazed at what unbelievable subject matter, quality, detail and color my blogger friends acquire in their photos and I hope that some day I , too, will reach such a level of craftsmanship with my photos.....
...so here goes, I took this picture on December 18, 2008 from inside my office window. It is a Nashville Warbler who must have strayed from its flight path trying to get to its winter destination and some how landed in my backyard. It was eating larvae from my Azalea bushes. Such a wonderful surprise for me and according to the many bird experts who saw my picture, a very rare find in December. This is the original photo......and this is the cropped version I posted back in December. I was thrilled to have had the opportunity to photograph this bird and only hope it survived our winter weather. :(
Thanks Hannibal for creating this meme and if you want to see more "personal best" please visit Hannibal's blog at... http://hannibalsanimals.blogspotcom

Happy Mother's Day!!

2009-05-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

Nobody knows the work it makes
to keep the home together.
Nobody know the steps it takes,
Nobody knows-but Mother.

Are you talking about me, said the little Warbling Vireo??
I caught this shot yesterday not far from the parking lot overlooking the lake!! Such a sweet bird and so determined...and as we all know.. the toughest job in the world is waiting....
you might have to click on this pic...as I didn't want to get too close...

The Bushy Tail Nutcracker!!!

2009-05-08T12:26:00.000-07:00

Gimme, gimme gimme...we all know the the call of the Bushy-Tail Nutcracker... I can feel his presence even before I open the curtains in the morning. Oh, I know he has to eat too, so I ignored his lack of manners and continued to fill the peanut feeder.
it wasn't until that Blue Jay caught my ear and shared his opinion about those bushy-tails that I decided it was time...time to buy and create a few new feeders that I have had my eye on for a while...

I had been surfing the net and came across this large platform feeder. I liked the fact that one can remove the metal trays for cleaning and that several birds can feed at once. The feeder pole has several different sized extensions one can buy to add supports for items, such as meal worm feeders or suet holders. The one inch steel pole will also support a hopper feeder at its top...but for today we just picked up a few necessaries and of course that all important squirrel baffle.
I capped it with a metal silhouette of a cardinal...and I'm loving the fact that as of day four no squirrels have made it onto the platform....but they are clever little creatures ..so I won't say ah ha..just yet!
as for the peanut feeder, itself, my husband created the one below that now holds whole peanuts. The woodpeckers, blue jays and the real Nuthatch seem to love it... The piece at the bottom unscrews which makes it easy to empty the shells and replenish it with fresh peanuts. We have watched those ole bushy-tails attempt to reach it and so far their calls have gone from gimme gimme gimme to.. I think I can, I think I can...but with no success..so far...;0

May Maddness

2009-05-01T14:57:00.000-07:00

You, my dear, call it maddness....

but I call it love!! ~ Don Byas

Dining out!

2009-04-28T13:28:00.000-07:00

Oh yeah, here comes lunch!!
you might have to enlarge this pic to see the fly...zipping right up next to this chipping sparrow...

All dressed up and no where to go...

2009-04-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

I know, for me, capturing a decent picture of the Northern Flicker in my lens is quite a challenge, always flitting, always on the move, always out of range. Today, however, I was looking for the Great Horned owl and her owlets but with no success when those yellow tail feathers of the flicker caught my eye. I have tried before to capture this guy as he swooped through the sky flying as if he had the hiccups. Flapping and then gliding....and as you would expect... always going AWAY from me.
...but this time, he landed not too far from where I was quietly standing...in a thicket of trees and pines. I don't think he noticed I was there, as he started to preen himself...shaking and ruffling all those colorful feathers... as if he was getting himself ready to go out and find that special someone!! hmmm.. tis, that time of year!!
..it's not easy reaching all those areas that need attention...
and just when I thought he had it all together..feathers fluffed, clean and pretty, that suave look upon his face...
...he went to sleep! Lol, I only stayed another ten minutes or so but when I left he was still perched on that branch... all dressed up but with no where to go. Shhhhh.

The sounds of hope...

2009-04-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
and never stops at all~ Emily Dickenson

This little purple finch filled my morning with song...he huffed and puffed and sang from his heart. ...rolling his head to one side while sharing his sweet sounds of hope with me.
He lingered for a while after he finished singing, eating a few seeds from a pin oak tree.
It was nice to see him...my first of the season!!

Hidden but not hiding...nest boxes redefined..

2009-04-08T15:49:00.001-07:00

When its sunny but cold and the temps are falling instead of rising.. all of God's creatures seem to find a way to stay warm... even if you happen to be a member of a fairly large family!! I think these little bees just might be thinking about stay'en on for a while. The house size looks to be about right (probably still holding a couple thousand bees) ..they seem to have an interesting exterior design worked out, that honey-comb pattern just might work....

plus the neighbor is really cute and friendly......even if his house is a little shabby chic. ;-)

a Tsee, Tsee tiny song...all for me ;-)

2009-04-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

I never saw so many little flitty birds zooming in and out of the trees and scrubs.. not much bigger than a hummingbird, always in motion, jumping from one branch to another, one tree to another. Such pep... energy I could have used after attempting to photograph these tiny Golden-Crowned Kinglets. I felt as if I just finished a class of aerobics with some calestentics thrown in..all that twisting and turning, bending and reaching..but oh so worth it!! We were, again, visiting Magee Marsh in Ohio and were enjoying an early morning of clear skies and sunshine. Our first walk was through a heavily wooded area with lots of conifers and shrubs. I spotted this little guy first, as he stopped to preen a few feathers.. and then to give me a tsee, tsee.. tiny song... and at the last moment a little lift in his cap revealing that nice orange patch that is bordered in yellow and black!!! Yeah!

Wasn't it so nice that he posed for me? Such a cutie, and with such a friendly disposition.
The blue sky behind him really made him stand out...
..as for her, a little shy, maybe, as she only wanted to show me her back...can't tell you the number of pictures I have of her fanny..lol.. but back, front, top or bottom..these little Kinglets were wonderful to watch and admire!!

Like the prize it is....

2009-04-03T14:37:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are visiting the north east part of Ohio for the weekend. Lucky for me we are not very far from the shores of Lake Erie and several wonderful marshes and swamps. Upon our arrival, yesterday, we headed to a well known marsh called Magee Marsh Wildlife Area which is part of the Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge. One of the first birds we saw as we drove along the canal leading to the parking lots were several blue herons. There were 6 herons in one canal! I love the steel blue color of the adult birds and the little ornate black plumes that wisp upward off of their heads..and those eyes.....so serious looking !!
We stopped and watched as this guy spotted something in the water. As usual, he posed over the water for a few seconds before swooping down with that bill to get his meal. We linger.. eager to see him quickly swallow whatever he has caught...I have to say we were very surprised when he emerged from the weeds with a big fat catfish that had to be 10+ inches long! Was he really going to swallow that!! We stood and watched for quite some time.

First one attempt , than another, to throw the fish upwards with those long neck muscles. As we watched he made about a dozen attempts to eat this fish..and every time he looked like he was making some success, the fish would plunge to the ground...back to step one..over and over..he finally started to actually rest his head on the ground in between attempts..
Finally, after about 20 minutes or so of pure work on his part.. he just stood looking at the fish lying on the ground....What do you do with a fish that is just not cooperating in being your dinner??

Well, you just proudly pick it up, like the prize it is, and slowly stroll into the tall weeds like nothing happened. Maybe he can make the other herons jealous that he already has his dinner.. even if he can 't figure out a how to swallow it!

It's a family affair...

2009-03-31T16:31:00.000-07:00

Today's visit to the park seemed all about family...When I arrived there was A huge Congratulations banner hanging in the tree where the owl's are nesting!!
nah..not really ...had to do the April Fools thing!! ;-0

A friend of mine was there watching the owls and she had her scope. Wow!! What a treat it was to view the owl and her owlets through that scope!! Such detail and oh my, those owlets were too cute. We saw that Mom was sitting higher in the nest giving some room to the owlets, who were eating. I did manage to get a few so so pictures of the female owlet but the male, who was smaller, stayed very close to Mom. Sis, on the other hand, seemed much more adventurous... exploring her new world, sticking her head out over the edge of the nest.

I had to laugh when I saw all these turtles hanging out together on one log..that's togetherness!!
The Swallow family seemed to be having a difficult time deciding on which house to choose.
This one seems to think the craftsman-style house was the best..new construction, no mortgage and good location!!

Mean while, the rest of the gang were looking at the duplex...

and then we're back to the single family home...
back and forth...for at least twenty minutes..very pretty birds but a loud bunch!!
If it was up to the blue bird I think his wish would be that they would all leave...so that his family could move in.

Party for a Cooper? Poor Alice is feeling left out!

2009-03-28T04:24:00.000-07:00

Jeeze, the trouble with being punctual is that there is nobody here to appreciate it!
I know that party is here somewhere...
..and I'll find it..gotta hurry tho..
Alice is such a frequent visitor to our yard, we believed a name was appropriate!!I think there is a slight resemblance in looks...don't you?
(altho, I'm sure my Alice isn't anywhere as musically talented as the real Vincent Damon Furnier!!)

Sitting and waiting for the future...

2009-03-22T17:07:00.000-07:00

I took some time on Saturday to re-visit with Ma and Pa owl.. even though I read that Mom and Dad take turns sitting on the nest, I think this might be her.. The last few times, I saw her, only her head was visible...but this time she seems to be sitting higher in the nest! There were people walking along the paths below her but she seemed quite content with just soaking up the sun. I read that incubation takes a month and I know the nesting process has been on going for several weeks...so I'll just keep checking back when I'm in the neighborhood. Maybe I will catch a glimpse of a owlet or two !!I only had a few hours to devote to seeing the owls..so I moved on to the long-eared owls.. which is a short drive from the horned owls. The leos seem to have selected one tree as their favorite..which is now a little easier for me to find. ( I'm not the best at finding "that one" pine tree in the middle of a whole field of them, the last time I visited, I felt like I walked miles b/f stumbling onto their roosting tree..and I only found it b/c of all the birdee do do on the ground!!) If you click on the picture you can see there are three in this picture. All five were still together but I have heard they will be leaving in April as they migrate north for the summer.
They are just so darn cute with those big tufts of hair that stick up from their heads!!
Last but not least..its on to the Screech Owls who are at the local nature center. I was fortunate this time to catch the grey-phase owl sleeping in the entrance to the wood duck house. You can see how small he is...his little feet are sitting on the rim of the entrance hole.
He even opened his eyes for this shot!
I love his markings, the facial disks are dusty white with mottled brown and then bordered in black..his eyes were a funky yellow white.

I was a little disappointed not to see the red-phased screech owl. ( Sorry Barb, I tried ) I did ask one of the park employees and was told that she is in the nest box sitting on eggs. I was also told that there is no nest building in the box. Her eggs would have been laid on the wood floor of the box... but when these particular boxes had been cleaned, sawdust had been put in the box for future squatters. And what about Dad, well he apparently spends his days sleeping at the front door and his nights feeding her and, like the great horned owl, they tend to mate for life... ahhhh shucks ..ain't that sweet!! ;-)

Getting my ducks all in a row....

2009-03-15T14:23:00.000-07:00

.....and to think that on Friday night I sat looking at some local maps, with pen in hand.. lining up my ducks, so to speak, picking and choosing what lakes, dams, rivers and creeks I might fit into a Saturday's drive.. looking for that elusive wood duck....and here he was in a small cistern at the edge of a retirement community that is about 2 miles from my house!! Not that I minded, you know, spending the day outside, driving, walking and visiting with nature, I just never gave it a thought that this beautiful creature was calmly paddling away in a nearby cistern, hanging out with the mallards? I found him at the end of my drive, and I have to say he has to be the most beautiful of all the waterfowl I have seen to date!
He didn't seem to have a mate..but seemed to have a good friend who swam close by and accompanied him all around the small cistern. I just wished she could have gotten rid of that darn feather that was stuck to her bill!!
The day was more cloudy than sunny, with a little wind but the temps did climb into the low 50s!
I stared and stared (with the alternate clicking sounds of my camera) so enjoying this little guy and all those wonderful colors. Right before I left he actually swam towards me and stopped short and seemed to look me right in the eye... as if to say, "one more picture, girl, and then you gotta go!!"
I obliged, but I plan on going back, hoping he stays near by... better yet... I hope he finds himself a mate and calls this little cistern home!

..and the live show is still our choice~ a. garcia

2009-03-13T18:51:00.000-07:00

My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather~Loire Hartwould

...and one of my favorite challenges is to capture one "focused" picture of any bird that finds its food by foraging!! They jump , they dive, they scratch... little butts tilted up...little heads pointed down...digging ..scratching...hunting...eating..moooving..
always one part blurry...

Finally, this little fox sparrow takes a break..only to quickly fly away..
..getting a better perspective, maybe, on where NEXT to forage for food!
Such pretty little birds..but oh.. so energetic, they make me want to take a nap!

A long-winded..owl story

2009-03-10T06:32:00.000-07:00

Saturday afternoon, my husband and I went on an "owl prowl" that was being held at one of the local nature centers. We took only binoculars, knowing that weekend walks usually bring out the crowds and I felt the guide would probably appreciate it if some people showed up with only binoculars and their curiosity. I had also read that owls have been known to have a heart attack from the stress they get when people try to get too close or bother them, so, I felt, the less cameras the better....
I knew we would be visiting a park, that is close to where I live, where a great-horned owl is known to be nesting. Using spotting scopes, we were able to not only see her but also her mate!! Such amazing colors!! Absolutely stunning to see and such huge eyes..Grandma!!
I went back yesterday and from about a 1/4 of a mile away, and my 300mm lens, I was able to get these shots of her.

I then drove to a field filled with pine trees that was several miles away. One of the people I met on the walk shared that long-eared owls had been seen in this field. I quietly walked around for about an hour and luck was with me, thank goodness, as I spotted this owl sitting high in the tree. I couldn't believe how nervous I was..had I really spotted a long-eared owl?? It was way up there and partially hidden by many branches. I realized I was shaking when I took these pictures.. as its tail feathers are kinda blurry!! The patterns and colors of this creature were absolutely gorgeous. I had turned off the flash and knew my camera was only making small clicking noises when I took a picture, but, you know, neither of the three owls, I caught in my photos, gave me any indication (such as moving or stretching) that I was bothering them...even though I knew..for sure.. THEY KNEW I was there!!
there are two owls in this picture...do you see the back of the one sitting in the upper left corner..all in all there were five owls in this tree..but I didn't want to overstay my welcome and felt they had been such good sports to let me take their pictures..so I quickly got out..
I ended up at the park I usually visit, where I had seen the screech owl last week....
This wood duck house is where we saw two screech owls during our "owl prowl" Jeeze, I have checked this house many times but never saw anything!! Go figure!! We sat behind this blind watching a grey-phase screech owl who had its head sticking out of the house opening..he was just adorable with his scrunched up face... when all of a sudden a red-phase screech owl poked its head out the same hole! YIKES!!.. that was the owl I had seen in the pine tree.. only the day before... how I WISH I had a camera at that moment!! So... yesterday I went back and sat in the blind and watched for a while but no occupants peeked out.. :(
...interestingly, though, if you click on this picture you will see a feather of a blue jay sticking out the lower right front of the box...an indication someone or both enjoyed an early morning snack?
This is NOT one of my pictures..( I borrowed it from a book) but it is a picture of a red phase screech owl..and looks just like the one I saw in the tree with the cardinal feathers...
I probably will be watching this wood duck house a lot in the future..as it looks like these two just might be nesting there..yipee!!

with no particular place to go...

2009-03-04T16:24:00.000-08:00

Today was one of those days that keeps you glancing out the window. Brilliant sunshine and cold. I tried to focus on projects I was doing at the house..but by mid-morning I found myself loading the car with my camera, binoculars and lunch.. heading out.. seeking some peace and quiet. I drove to a nearby lake where I found this lone eagle sitting on the lake ice.
It remained in the same spot for some time, looking around, and like me, it didn't seem to have any particular place to go...
.. it eventually lifted off the ice, catching a breeze to glide and soar out of sight!
I did see a few ole friends..enjoying the warmth of the sun...
but for the most part only tracks greeted me as I walked...
..it seemed today, we all just wanted to enjoy the quiet of nature..with no particular place to go!

The squeaky toy...

2009-02-07T20:10:00.000-08:00

He sat in our oak tree, which is about 25 feet from our kitchen window...a very pretty guy!
Quite patient...maybe he was just enjoying our 50 degree temps we had today but I actually think he was watching the dog play with a squeaky toy. It would have been so interesting to 'really' know what was going on in his little mind.

He kept an eye on the dog as it ran around the yard..carrying and squeaking the ball!!
At one point I thought maybe he might join in on the fun game, as the dog was totally playing alone... Thank goodness our dog is 48 pounds and not a tiny dog!!!!!
The dog tossed the ball into the air and it rolled under the oak tree...

and then it rolled behind the oak tree...

Then he noticed me clicking away through the open kitchen window...
He immediately straightened his pose, gave me a serious look, that said, ahem... I really wasn't interested in the squeaky toy or furry creature at all!!
and the best part was that the furry creature with the squeaky toy was clueless that he was being watched from far above.

fleeting flickers

2009-02-06T19:05:00.000-08:00

These two Northern Flickers were too fast and flitty for anything other than a couple, run out the door, snapshots. They flew into my backyard this morning with such a burst of color. Wow! I think they would have stayed longer but it seemed our local mocking bird wasn't as thrilled with their presence as I was...because he soon ran them off. So much noise from one little gray bird!

A couple quick pics from far away and they were today's history! :(

.....it's not like they were after your suet!!

The memo...

2009-01-06T13:04:00.000-08:00

It seems we have a routine going on in the backyard...the feeders become quite busy in the early morning..
Foraging on the ground...

at the seed feeders...

and at the suet log...
all the early birds get their fill....so when he flies in mid morning, they're ready to leave...

hellooooo......as he walks around the deck....

He does get his kills..but I've never seen him take from our feeders..he has arrived in our neighbor's backyard with his lunch a few times. We just get a kick out of his many appearances...walking among the yews and on the deck looking...for that one bird who didn't get the "Fly away now" memo!

Last photo with a lasting impression

2008-12-27T15:52:00.000-08:00

This was one of my last photos of this little visitor prior to our going away. Tomorrow is our Christmas Bird Count and I had hoped that we would be graced with this little guy's presence once again...but I think this Nashville Warbler realized from the empty suet feeders that the home owners were away and so moved on to other feeders and azalea bushes! Darn!! Our weather has warmed up a bit and I am praying that he has found some additional food sources and might visit us again or possibly show up in your backyard.

Counting our Blessings

2008-12-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

Portland, Oregon..the pacific northwest. Mild climates and pretty scenery!
Houseboats sitting on a inlet...reflecting the calm afternoon skies!
A place where those who want a feeling of winter go inside to ice-skate because the average December temperatures, in Portland, are in the 40s and 50s.
Here is where our daughter chose to attend graduate school. Having just received her BS from University of Delaware she announced to us that she would like to continue with her education. I put together a wall hanging quilt, prior to her leaving 4 years ago, showing her leaping across the mid west farms, fields and mountains with her cat (the grand cat) under her arm ...moving 3000 miles away...not knowing anyone in the northwest.

...following and eventually achieving her dream..getting her Doctor of Chiropractic degree and her certification in Physical Therapy.
On the 20th day of December 2008 as we were all in a festive mood, Mother Nature decided that Portland would be the recipient, of not only 60 newly inducted DCs, but of a winter snow and ice storm. A storm that would deliver 16+ inches of snow and ice on a town that hasn't seen more than a few inches of snow since 1968!!
Portland and surrounding areas were in no way prepared for such an event. Few streets were plowed, salted or dowsed with cinders. Suddenly, those who would go indoor to skate were cross country skiing throughout the city streets.

All roads leading out of Portland were closed for.. two days!! Very few aircraft were flying into or out of Portland... and the trains were not running due to blizzard like winds...we were all stranded. Over 100 flights a day were canceled, hotel rooms were at a premium, power outages all over the city...everyday life, as they knew it, came to a crawl. We, luckily, had a hotel room, electricity and a rental car.
On the third day, of the storm, rte. 84 was deemed passable and we decided to attempt the drive to Idaho so that we might get out of Portland's continuing demise to ole man winter....We drove through the Cascade mountains, elevation 4,326 feet, hearts beating...knowing we had to get over these mountains in order to get to Boise. The vistas were absolutely breath taking and I have to say my husband did an excellent job of driving our rental, without chains which were actually being required, over these mountainous roads. After 7 hours we finally arrived in Boise! Elated and tired, we departed Boise airport the next morning for Philadelphia. ...all the time knowing that Portland had received another 7 inches of snow the night before.
Creating a new path, as we drove to our destination, made me think about our daughter's future and the path she would create with her newly received degree.
She will no longer have, at her finger tips, those favorite professors and wonderfully supportive friends..
and she knows, as we all do, that we can only glance back, and must move forward..... and as the path widens and her new future begins we wish her great success and happiness.

My husband and I arrived home very late Christmas eve and early this morning our daughter, who managed to get to Seattle by train (after several delays) flew out of Seattle into JFK... safe and sound and by 10 am we were all having a Christmas breakfast...counting our blessings and celebrating the biggest and best birthday of them all. Amen!

AN EARLY, BUT RARE, CHRISTMAS GIFT is visiting my backyard!!

2008-12-17T15:23:00.000-08:00

A Nashville Warbler has been visiting my azaleas for the past several days! Fortunately, for me, he visits an azalea bush that is right outside my computer room window so I have been able to get several photos of him! It was early Monday morning that he was first noticed, flitting from branch to branch apparently eating azalea lace-bug eggs. I spent a lot of time (way too much time...and I wasn't getting done what I needed to do!!) trying to identify this cutie from the web and from books...but at the end of the day I was pretty frustrated. I decided to e-mail a few of the photos to a friend who has been birding for many years. He called me this morning to tell me that our little feathered friend is a Nashville Warbler!

He also shared with me that this little guy's visit is very rare in Pennsylvania during the winter and that in the last 108 years of the Christmas Bird Count in Pa. they have only been found 5 times !
I have to say that when I received his phone call this morning and found out the news I was giggly with excitement. What a nice Christmas present ...he is so small and peppy and has such wonderful colors!

We saw him again this morning and I am crossing my fingers he stays around so we can include him in the 08 Christmas bird count for Pa. on the 28th of December!!
Hopefully this little guy will find a lot of lace-bug eggs on my azaleas! (My poor azaleas!) I know his chances of making it through a Pa. winter aren't too good unless he finds alternate food sources. I did put out some nectar in our hummingbird feeder hoping this will help his food source. We did see him flit over to the suet log which holds a cylindar of suet that is supposedly laced with insects. If you have any ideas of what else I can do, please let me know! In the mean time I think I will just enjoy the fact that he chose my backyard to visit!! :) ya hooooo!!

IN THE QUIET OF THE AFTERNOON...

2008-12-14T12:11:00.000-08:00

My best Acquaintances are those With Whom I spoke no word~ Emily Dickinson

He stepped quietly from the thicket of woods...he was there but a few seconds..
and then he was gone.....a few seconds , a few photos! From what I can see he is sporting ten points??

THE "GRANDCAT/Camera Critters

2008-12-13T15:06:00.000-08:00

Soon there will be a new home and new sights for this cute fellow...but for now the "grandcat" is settling in on the East coast with us, while his owner, our daughter, prepares to graduate next week on the West coast! He has found a nice sunny spot and in less than a minute.....

is the picture of relaxation. Life is hard, then you take a nap!!

THE POWER OF COLOR!!

2008-12-12T15:07:00.000-08:00

I read with great interest that the cardinal, also known as the "red bird" or "cardinal grosbeak," is a member of the Finch family. Finches are thought to be one of the most highly developed and skilled of all birds. In the 1800s cardinals were trapped and sold as a caged pets, however, this type of behavior was brought to an end with the Migratory Bird Treaty Act in 1918,.. thank goodness!

Cardinals were thought to have been named after the Cardinals of the Catholic church, who donned bright red robes! Of course, if you ask the female bird of this cardinal family, she will tell you that she is attracted to this brilliant red bird because his bright color signifies to her that he's very territorial and protective, and that he has a huge appetite.. so, he most likely will be a great provider and... hmmmm.... he will have a greater reproductive success than his duller-colored cardinal friends!!
Wow, you cute little red puff ball ...what a rep you have!! ;-)

Skywatch Friday

2008-12-11T16:27:00.000-08:00

There is one spectacle grander than the sea, that is the sky; there is one spectacle grander than the sky, that is the interior of the soul" ~ Victor Hugo
A new day is dawning...and it will be forgiving.

two birds, two stories...

2008-12-07T15:06:00.000-08:00

From what I've read the White-crowned Sparrow is one of the most researched song birds in North America. They say that much of our knowledge of bird song and development is based on studies that were made of this bird. This guy was quite striking when I first saw him at the park's feeders several weeks ago. The stripes of that black and white crown really caught my eye and I tried to get as close as I could for a few decent shots.I believe he was a little shy as he stayed close to the trees that were in front of me, all the time hopping from one branch to another.

But, there seems to be one in every crowd that loves to put on a show! He was quite bold as he scratched around the ground foraging through the corn and seed shells .
....and just as I was getting ready to leave this poor little guy shows up at the finch feeder. He has a tumor or growth on the crown of his head. He hopped around the feeder, seemed alert and even called to other finches... I stayed and watched for a while.....
He was quite perky and looked well-fed, but I'm not sure if he will make it through the cold and windy winter without having good plumage and being in better health. I stayed just a few seconds more, wished him well and left. Hoping he does well but knowing sometimes you don't always get what you wish for ....

brave little bird...

2008-12-06T05:07:00.000-08:00

One little wren visits my feeder, so cute and serene, seemingly taking a nap....and then I remember..
wake up, wake up little wren, you can't NAP at this feeder...you'll be a cooper 's snack for sure..
looking at that those little glaring eyes, I don't think he appreciated my concern.

For Abraham Lincoln / Skywatch Friday

2008-12-04T16:30:00.000-08:00

Sometimes a sunrise is just what we need to make us feel better when we are worried.
~David Lind
There was never a night or a problem that could defeat sunrise or hope~Bern Williams
...I hope you feel better soon....

How to save money on bird seed.....

2008-12-03T16:39:00.000-08:00

You can tell he's in his teenage state-of-mind, he doesn't get to my fence until mid-morning!
look'en this way and that...
wondering why there aren't any birds at the feeders????
maybe, it's because the older guy gets there early and scatters any birds that are even thinking about visiting the feeders!! We seem to be in a holding pattern here....grrr

shoo shoo!!