Summers End..

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!

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!!

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..

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...

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!!

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 ..

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...