2008 - A Year of Surprises!

I firmly believe that this year is going to be a Great One! Not only do I believe it's a year of Possibility and Promise, but it's begun as A Year of Pleasant Surprises!! :-)

I must tell you that I only just joined Project Feederwatch... a little late. My thoughts, as I submitted my first two-day bird sighting results the evening before, were that I could probably list all the different varieties I'd be submitting each week "by heart." I could only hope that perhaps the numbers of each would increase. (They seem to be.)

So... yesterday morning (Thurs., January 3), as I walked by the basement window, I glanced out at the bird feeder "station." That in itself is not unusual. However, what I saw out there Was! I did a double-take. Actually, I think it was a triple-take! ;-)

I saw an Eastern Rufous-sided Towhee! It IS a Year of Pleasant Surprises!!! I have Never seen one before. An illustration of the bird was on the poster that I'd been sent. I went from basement to upstairs in a breath and was holding my Peterson's guide before my next breath had been taken! (That's fast, folks!)

I had seen the male. As I stood before the window, it flew from the feeder to the yew just next to the window. The birdbook tells me it likes wooded areas (which we have) and brushy areas... we have that, as well.

Here's a great site, gardenauthor, I know you will enjoy! Once you leave this page, click on the title for the homepage to enjoy the other postings! The bird song is supposed to sound like "Drink your teeee." (A fact I was delighted to read, as I'm a tea drinker!)

Of course, I didn't have my camera, so you'll have to take my word for it. Please.

I may be the "Shady Gardener," but I always tell the truth! :-)

Winter Wonderland

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow... :-)

When I woke up this morning, it was snowing "to beat the band!"

The photo above was taken around 9:00 a.m.

The photo at left was taken from the dining room of "out back."

This photo was taken out a family room window... do you see the junco?I noticed the birdfeeders were getting low, so I trekked outdoors to fill them.
As I stood there surrounded by the variety of bird and song, I decided to try feeding one from my hand.
I held the food on my extended glove. One brave little junco decided to see if the food was any tastier from the new "dispenser!" To say the least, I was thrilled.
What a wonderful experience. I'll do it again! :-)

The bushes standing in front of our front door seem a sanctuary for birds that have been frightened from the birdfeeder.










A Christmas gift from our daughter and son-in-law is this new birdfeeder (below). It's a "Yankee Flipper!" You may have seen some You Tube videos about them! Motorized by a rechargeable battery, it's guaranteed squirrel-proof! (And provides entertainment, as well!)I'm waiting for the opportunity to take my own videos of the squirrel/squirrel-feeder in action! ;-)

Below are two photos taken from our dining room window into very nearby trees. The first contains two cardinals... and probably other hidden birds, as there were many.

This second has a nuthatch. My version of a Bevy of Beauties(or a Bevy of Beauty)!

:-)

What a Shimmery World!

I didn't have my camera with me today... sorry.

Because there were so many hungry birds the other morning, about all I got done was watching them and taking pictures! I'm sharing a couple of photos I took from my kitchen window. The day was not bright and shimmery. It was cold and icy! At least one of the following photos was not compressed, so you can better appreciate our ice!
I like the above photo because I caught a junco and a goldfinch in flight (you can tell by the white sidebar on his wing). Mr. cardinal is looking our way.
The one below shows a flicker on the birdfeeder (with goldfinches and sparrows), a male cardinal in flight, and a female "up front" waiting her turn.
I just had to try to take a photograph of the cardinal and blue jay on the ice branches.

Here's the cutest little fellow... a downy woodpecker!

The flicker is not at all intimidated by other birds. In fact, he's pretty mean about making sure no one invades "his space!" You can almost see the little sparrow using his "air-brakes" when he sees the flicker heading his way! The female cardinal turns her back.

Our female cardinal and little downy, side by side... watching - and I'm inside... watching! ;-)There were nuthatches, black-capped chickadees, house finches, red-bellied woodpeckers, and a hairy woodpecker, too! My what a fine morning.

:-)

December 10 at 7:30 a.m.

Good Morning!

It's still a little dark outdoors, but plenty light enough to see this normally-raucous group!

(What was the name of the comic that did this routine years and years ago? I don't remember.)

You could call 'em Ray, or you could call 'em Ray-Jay...

or
"a band of jays", "a cast of jays", "a party of jays", or a "scold of jays," and on occasion, they're each of them.

But, today, they're merely a Band of Blue Jays because they're actually sharing space!

At one point, a missed photo-op, they even allowed a red-bellied woodpecker to join them!

Below, you'll notice two downy woodpeckers. One is on the suet feeder and the other is waiting its turn. At this moment, there was no one on the feeder in the background.