I enjoy sitting here in the shade, watching the bird activities, its like they don't see me sitting here. I watched the pileated woodpecker one tree, the downey was eating at the suet feeder and the redbellied woodpecker just flew onto another tree.
Today we trimmed up some of the branches that were against the house, the squirrels would try to get to the feeders from there. And the birds were all chattering, they usually sit on the branches waiting for a turn at the feeder. Now they can't get as close. With these hot days it seems that the squirrels are not in the yard during the day as much, good for the birds they get to eat.
Our kittens are so funny, they like to sleep in my shoes, I will have to get the pics from my daughter.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Monday, June 8, 2009
Great Crested Flycatcher, Cardinal, Downey Woodpecker
We moved our screened canopy to amongst the trees, its now the best place to watch the happenings in the backyard. I was sitting there just enjoying the beautiful weather that we are having, now that the rain has stopped.
I was watching the female Cardinal eating at the feeder, a downey woodpecker landed on a nearby tree. Something caught my eye, it was a brown thrasher having a time with a vine, something flew by and landed on a tree by the house. It was a Grest Crested Flycatcher, then he flew to the ground and was joined by another. They were hopping all over the place, one kept going into our fire pit. One landed on a branch next to where I was sitting. While this was all going on the doves were just walking around enjoying the seed that my granddaughter had put down for them. I was getting ready to go inside when the flycatcher was back at the firepit again. I heard a redbellied woodpecker fly over. The brown thrasher was joined by another and had moved behind where I was sitting pecking through the leaves, they are interesting to watch.
Trying to train my squirrels that when they hear coughing that they better run. It works sometimes, they just need a little more training. When I'm out there I cough while heading for them.
I was watching the female Cardinal eating at the feeder, a downey woodpecker landed on a nearby tree. Something caught my eye, it was a brown thrasher having a time with a vine, something flew by and landed on a tree by the house. It was a Grest Crested Flycatcher, then he flew to the ground and was joined by another. They were hopping all over the place, one kept going into our fire pit. One landed on a branch next to where I was sitting. While this was all going on the doves were just walking around enjoying the seed that my granddaughter had put down for them. I was getting ready to go inside when the flycatcher was back at the firepit again. I heard a redbellied woodpecker fly over. The brown thrasher was joined by another and had moved behind where I was sitting pecking through the leaves, they are interesting to watch.
Trying to train my squirrels that when they hear coughing that they better run. It works sometimes, they just need a little more training. When I'm out there I cough while heading for them.
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Great Crested Flycatcher, Screech Owls
The Screech owls that lost their babies are still hanging around my yard. We were sitting there enjoying the night air and saw them land on their favorite tree. I'm glad they didn't relocate.
I've seen the Great Crested Flycatcher still hanging around in my yard, I was trying to catch the brown thrasher when I saw him sitting there with one of the little ones.
I just can't seem to catch the brown trasher, wren, doves or a good one of the blue jays that are all hanging in my back yard. They are all so flighty or just too far for my little camera to get a good clear shot.
Guess I'll just have to break out the good camera and hope that they sit still long enough for me to focus on them. HAHA, well at least with that camera I don't have to get too close to them, then I'll have to patiently, yeah right, wait to get them developed and hope that I got a good shot.
I've seen the Great Crested Flycatcher still hanging around in my yard, I was trying to catch the brown thrasher when I saw him sitting there with one of the little ones.
I just can't seem to catch the brown trasher, wren, doves or a good one of the blue jays that are all hanging in my back yard. They are all so flighty or just too far for my little camera to get a good clear shot.
Guess I'll just have to break out the good camera and hope that they sit still long enough for me to focus on them. HAHA, well at least with that camera I don't have to get too close to them, then I'll have to patiently, yeah right, wait to get them developed and hope that I got a good shot.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Pileated woodpecker invasion
This morning my backyard was noisy, there were pileated woodpeckers everywhere. I followed a group to the back of our yard and got some pics of them. They are so hard to catch, they move alot. I think one group was a family of three, when they moved to a tree and a fourth one tried to join them he was chased off.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Rain Rain
Another storm hit today, i'm surprised that none of the trees hit the ground from the one yesterday. Our screened canopy hit and we didn't bother to put it back up there were more storms forecasted.
The weather was beautiful this morning, so I filled the feeders. The chicadees are emptying their feeder faster with the new family additions. Mr. and Mrs Cardinal were at the feeder many times. We have another cardinal couple who visit the feeder, and Mr. C will stand watch while the Mrs. eats. Once he is sure that the intruders aren't around he will go and eat while still looking around. My grandson was sitting on the slipnslide and he watched him to make sure he wasn't going to move before eating.
Female and Male Red Bellied Woodpecker were at the feeders. Today the female didn't want peanut butter mixture she usually eats, but the male had his fill. I saw their baby only a couple times. I think its a male, he has the red beginning right over the beak.
I haven't seem the Great Crested Flycatcher at his nest, I wonder if he moved his family, they chose a open tree for their nest, maybe the weather these past days have made him move. I saw him around but not on his tree.
I tried to get this pic of a squirrel curled up on a branch trying to stay dry, his tail up over his head, my shot didn't work through the screen.
The weather was beautiful this morning, so I filled the feeders. The chicadees are emptying their feeder faster with the new family additions. Mr. and Mrs Cardinal were at the feeder many times. We have another cardinal couple who visit the feeder, and Mr. C will stand watch while the Mrs. eats. Once he is sure that the intruders aren't around he will go and eat while still looking around. My grandson was sitting on the slipnslide and he watched him to make sure he wasn't going to move before eating.
Female and Male Red Bellied Woodpecker were at the feeders. Today the female didn't want peanut butter mixture she usually eats, but the male had his fill. I saw their baby only a couple times. I think its a male, he has the red beginning right over the beak.
I haven't seem the Great Crested Flycatcher at his nest, I wonder if he moved his family, they chose a open tree for their nest, maybe the weather these past days have made him move. I saw him around but not on his tree.
I tried to get this pic of a squirrel curled up on a branch trying to stay dry, his tail up over his head, my shot didn't work through the screen.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Rainy days for birdwatching
RAIN, RAIN, RAIN It has been raining everyday, all day, not very good for the bird watching. Right now I'm watching this squirrel eating all the food, I feel that is all I do now is feed the squirrels. They seem to be getting desperate, now they are trying to get to the ones that hang off the house. Its funny to see one sitting on the branch deciding if it should chance jumping to the little feeder. Once this squirrel cleans out the feeder my cardinal shows up, checks out the food supply then flys to a nearby branch and lets me know that its empty. I go out put some food in it and he doesn't come back, then the squirrels eats and the cardinal comes back and we go around and around.
I got this feeder in hopes that the squirrels wouldn't be able to eat from it, well that didn't go as planned, they seem to be able to get the food from it. I've had enough this squirrel has eaten too much I'm going to have to go out there and chase them away. They only go up the tree and wait for me to leave and come back. Even with me sitting there they still attempt to get more.
I got this feeder in hopes that the squirrels wouldn't be able to eat from it, well that didn't go as planned, they seem to be able to get the food from it. I've had enough this squirrel has eaten too much I'm going to have to go out there and chase them away. They only go up the tree and wait for me to leave and come back. Even with me sitting there they still attempt to get more.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Great Crested Flycatcher
My mysterious bird is a Great Crested Flycatcher. Through the help of others I actually found a picture of one that looks like the one in my back yard. Most of the ones I was seeing were brown, didn't have the outstanding crest or wrong color crest. Finally I was able to find one that looked just like it.
I'm told I'm lucky that they decided to nest there, I hope to get some pics of the babies before they leave. And maybe next year they will return or their parents will. I just hope that their tree is still there. We lost one and the top part of these old trees in storms already.
I'm told I'm lucky that they decided to nest there, I hope to get some pics of the babies before they leave. And maybe next year they will return or their parents will. I just hope that their tree is still there. We lost one and the top part of these old trees in storms already.
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