Turkey in the yard....

Mike opened the door to go get the paper this morning and there was a turkey with its chick in the driveway eating birdseed!  In the 30+ years we have lived here, this is the first turkey we have had in our yard.

As soon as Mike saw them, he closed the door, but that spooked them enough, that they headed out across the yard.

They were behind our glider part of the time making it hard to take photos.....none of these are very good, but I had to be quick.

 Walking down the road past the neighbor's house.

 Such a cute little chick!  

I wonder if they are the ones that have been knocking over my tray feeder each evening.

 "Wait up, Mom!"

Getting ready to head into the trees.  There is a soy bean field the other side of those trees.

Later in the day, Mike spooked a deer that was crossing the back yard.  I bet the drought is what is bringing all of these critters so close to the house.

House Sparrows love water.....

Every year as the summer temperatures rise higher and the House Sparrow population grows at my house, I get to watch the young House Sparrows in the water.  They just love the fountain and fly there constantly to get a drink or just get wet.  Other birds like the fountain, too, but the House Sparrows are the main "water babies" who just seem to like playing there.

"My Turn!"

A flock of the babes getting drinks and looking for water around the base of the ball.  

 Sometimes you just have to go right to the source.....and sit in it!

 "Gulp.... gulp.... gulp...."

"Its like magic!"

 "Ahhhhhhhhh....."

"Get out of my way!" 

Guarding the water source from other birds. 

"All mine....nobody else is around!" 

I usually try to put out a bath for them, too.  This little guy had a nice splash.....seems to have splashed all the water away, in fact.

I fear my "froggy fountain" might not last many more years.  I am amazed that it has lasted this long!  It is just a ball formed out of some sort of foam that was meant to be a lawn ornament.  Mike turned it into a fountain for me by drilling a hole in the center and running a tube through it.......and I love it!  I will hate to see it fall apart.    The coating on the frogs is getting cracked.  We paint it every year when necessary and it has held up very well.

Wetlands walk....

It was very hot today, but we took a short walk at the wetlands. The water level is really low in the slough and the creek, both.  Sure hope we get some rain soon!

 I'll start with the snake, since I don't usually find those!  It was lying in the shallow water and mud getting some sun.  Mike says it is a water snake...duh.....don't know if that is the official name :-)  

It was very curious and swam over and looked up at us. 

"Why aren't you afraid of me....I'm a snake?!"

Several goose families.  There was this one "teen" goose who seemed to be an only child and had a mind of its own.  Always taking off without the parents. 

While we were watching the snake, a whole group of geese flew in and had a splashing good time. 

The "teen" goose with his folks. 

 Doing a bit of resting and cleaning.  All that dry mud area is usually covered with water.

Teen goose came over right by us and checked out all the plants.  I think maybe someone has been feeding him because he didn't seem to be afraid of us. 

"Junior...for the last time, stay here!"

 The ducks were keeping their distance, but we saw several family groups.

Looking for food in the shallow water.  

 An Amberwing dragonfly with its reflection.

I didn't see the damselfly behind it until I had this on the computer.

Some juvenile Grackles on the rail with one adult. 

 "Big Blue" was doing his usual thing around the edge of the slough.

Lots of little minnows in the clear water! 

Back in the shady creek area there was a group of young Robins playing in the water.  Not great photos, but I loved the green color and the reflections.  It looked so cool and inviting, I wanted to jump in with them. 

Green and cool and refreshing 

One youngster on a branch.  Looks half asleep. 

Best shot I got of any of them was this one up in a tree near where I was standing.  Very spotty! 

Down by the water. 

Can't go to the wetlands without one turtle shot!  Most of them were in the cool water rather than on the logs today, but this one was high and dry.

A "fabric" interlude.....

I've had several distractions in the past few weeks....watching the French Open tennis, working every evening at our church's VBS this past week, and doing a lot of sewing on my nature quilt.  I am really focused on working on these blocks right now, so I thought I would show what I am working on, even though it should be in my quilt blog :-)

 I'm making a total of 12 nature blocks with mostly birds, but a few flowers and animals for the main applique.  I recently picked out some fabrics for sashing around the blocks and have been experimenting with it on the four that are almost finished.

I am really enjoying doing these!  These four blocks are "in progress".  Very little stitching done on them yet.

 I just appliqued the Blue Jay over the weekend and actually have a bit of "tweeking" to do on it yet.

 The Cardinal has nothing on the block yet except the branch that he is sitting on.

 The Chickadee block is done.  I am enjoying looking up wildflowers and trying to embroider them around the birds.  This one got a Sunflower, some Queen Anne's Lace, and some Black-eyed Susans.  The rest is just imagination at work :-)

 The Goldfinch got a few favorite foods....the Thistle, the Sunflower, and some Coneflowers, as well as the wheat/grass he is sitting on.

 This started out as a Pansy block, but I added the Hummingbird.  Bluebells below.  This one isn't finished yet, but close.

 My needle is attached to some pinkish Clover blossoms that I am working on.  Pine, Violets, so far on the Squirrel block.  He needs some acorns, but I haven't figure them out yet.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker got some fall leaves, some Asters and some Lilies.

This is what is keeping me busy at the moment.  I have four more blocks to do....a raccoon, a Lily, and an Iris, and a Carolina Wren....hopefully!  Haven't managed to draw a cute wren yet.

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Maybe I will get some real birds and animals  photos soon :-)

Things that fly.....

I always head out looking for butterflies, but end up with mostly dragonflies and a few birds. 

I did see a very nice Pipevine Swallowtail female right at the end of my own driveway!

 Kingbird on the wire at the park.

 The Mockingbird is still playing greeter at the fence when we drove in.

I found a very nice site for identifying dragonflies that you might like to check out.  Click here.  I don't promise that I am always right....especially on females!

This is a Blue Dasher female....she has a striped thorax if you manage to see it.  Usually they are facing the wrong way for me to see the colors.

 I think this is also one, but not sure.

 The Eastern Pondhawk male.

 Two shots of the Halloween Pennant male. I'm still looking for a female, which is more yellow and doesn't have those bright orange bars at the top of the wings.

 Just for variety...another Kingbird way up at the top of the tree. 

 This one I am not sure about....it is so non-descript and the angle doesn't show much.

 This is a Slaty Skimmer male.  I had to look up what a female looks like and she is similar to the Blue Dasher female.

 Another Slaty Skimmer.

Finally, a Widow Skimmer male!  One of my favorites.  The white and black on the wings is such so pretty when they are flying around. 

At least 5 different kinds at one park!  However, I would really like to find some butterflies!  Will keep looking.  It is so dry that there aren't as many flowers as usual.  Or maybe I'm just looking in all the wrong places!