Tag Archives: Birds

January

Hibernation sounds like a good thing. I’m grateful for down comforters and cozy quilts, crocks of soup and stews and the warmth of home. Simple things like watching birds and light and shadow, reading and coffee seem to fill the days while chores sit and the list of things I planned to do on snowy days is long forgotten in what seems like a never ending winter – and it is only January <sigh>.

The amaryllis has been such a joy and I will miss its cheerful greeting as the blooms begin to fade.

A few years ago we left our winter snow and went south. Far south. Where it is cold in summer. I decided to share a few photos from that January when I didn’t mind wearing my winter coat.

And yes, the birds in the background are penguins!

These are Magellanic Penguins. They nest in burrows. January is summertime in Punta Arenas, Chile but the season is short; the chicks grow fast and the parents take them down to play in the water’s edge.

The most wonderful thing was that we walked on a simple path marked out with sticks and twine right along the edge of their mounds and they didn’t seem to pay the slightest bit of attention to us as they went about. They, however, had our full attention!

Such amazing creatures hidden away in a remote part of the world waiting for eons for people to even know of their existence, delighting their Creator.

Carolina’s morning visit

A sweet new visitor for us. This Carolina Wren is very quick and this is my first photo capture. Leaves continue to fall and blow about and this energetic little bird barely stops for a photo op as he races around turning them in search of a juicy bug. The other day, he plucked a stink bug from the door. I don’t know if he ate it, but I do hope he has an appetite for them!

I’ve mentioned it before – this is such a great site – Cornell Lab of Ornithology Click and you can hear the song of this wren which is what draws me to the window! These little guys are loud and distinctive from the House Wrens that nest here in summer.

I haven’t put out a suet feeder in a while because the squirrels and crows are adept at stealing them. Today, I’m plotting where to put one to entice this visitor to stay a while.

Do you have a favorite bird in your neighborhood? Do you feed birds over winter?

Wren Day

Things seemed very quiet when I opened the door around 6 am. Then Momma Wren showed up and breakfast was delivered, and received with the usual enthusiasm!

Then I noticed one of the nestlings at “the door”. I decided to go out and sit near in case this was The Day.

I didn’t have long to wait! What a thrill to watch first one and then another fly about seven feet into the oakleaf hydrangea! The next youngster was unceremoniously pushed by the eager one behind him and down they both fluttered into the shrubbery and then took a short flight into another hydrangea nearby. Such a privilege to watch the story unfold!

I know, they all look alike! But this one seemed more chubby. And reluctant to leave the nest. Mom coaxed with chatter and a bit more breakfast but it was back and forth to the doorway.

Then I watched amazed as its siblings flew up onto the tree trunk and join the chatter of encouragement! You can see the tiny one on the trunk while mom sits on the roof top.

Five to ten minutes of indecision and then flight! And the nest is empty.

Chatter continued through the day and from the lower level windows we see the parents feeding their fledglings gathered in the branches and stems of the hydrangea. I’ve read that the parents will continue to feed the young for about two weeks.

And finally the quiet of late evening after such an exciting day! In the many years we have had bird houses, I’ve never seen any actually fledge before. Such an exciting day for me too!

waiting

House Wrens nest each year in this tiny house hanging in the magnolia tree. Their cheerful song seems larger than such a small bird could sing. The rains have kept me from the gardens lately so I didn’t realize till just yesterday that they have a full house. The chatter of the hungry young while they wait and their eager greetings of their hunter parents is also very loud. The more food, of course, the quieter things become. When the meal service is done, I hear the parents again singing cheerfully from a branch in the tree. Lucky them, no kitchen clean-up!

I’ve been doing a lot of waiting lately. Waiting in designated waiting rooms. I’m at a loss to understand why medical facilities feel the need to blare stressful programing at those waiting long waits. How much nicer if they might offer water or coffee or tea, or soothing classical music to feed the hungry soul.

Do you wait well? What helps you to wait?

May’s visit with us

“Every spring is the only spring, a perpetual astonishment” Ellis Peters

I quite agree, every spring is so amazing! The sweet woodruff loves it here, matting itself around and through so many plants. Giving us delicate white bloom in May and a carpet of green until frost.

Fiddleheads are intriguing ans so visible on these large ferns. They grow under the Fragrant Viburnum carlesii. White Flower Farm says, “This is one of the most gloriously fragrant shrubs known to man. The dense flower heads, which measure up to 3in across, produce white flowers from blush pink buds, and the perfume, which is a sweet, rich, spicy vanilla, carries a considerable distance across a lawn or garden.” And this is so true! I like to stand near and try to drink in the fragrance of it. All too soon the bloom is gone. But then it is time to search the shady nooks for sweet Lily of the Valley. Little clusters in a tiny bottle on the kitchen table bring such joy.

The sweet yellow bloom is trollius or globeflower which seems to love a shady area along our fence.

This was a very cool spring for us; I thought I would never put away my heavy fleece! I think it delayed the arrival of our hummers. Last year the territorial war seemed a bit vicious so I found another of these bottle feeders in an attempt to have everyone be nice. The newest one has the most interest right now but I would like to dine among the iris myself! It will be interesting to see if the popularity of the feeder changes as the Iris wane and the daylilies bloom out around our porch area. Not a traditional porch but with our swing, small table and chairs outside our kitchen door, It serves us well as one. We enjoy many pleasant hours there.

Birding

We live in the country with acreage around. Birds are, in general, a blessed part of life adding mostly cheery song, some flashes of color and insect protection to the yard. We use bird feeders to supplement diets and provide our own entertainment from those who visit. (Today I saw the first Hummingbird for the season!)

I’ve never kept an official bird list but I do know many of our visitors. Some of the more interesting ones belong to the woodpecker family: Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, the little Downy Woodpecker and the large Pileated Woodpecker. This last one was an uncommon and thrilling visitor who demolished some aging stumps for us a few years ago.

The Cornell lab of Ornithology is a wonderful resource for identifying birds and learning about their lives. They also have several nest cams. I watched Red-tailed Hawks and Great Blue Herons today. But back to my story…

We have several old and large Leatherleaf Viburnum near the house. Very early this spring, I noticed that some of the stalks sported brown leaves, a bad sign in an evergreen. As more brown leaves appeared we inspected the shrubs and saw neatly arranged holes and rectangular gouges. We took a section to a garden center and the manager identified the damage as the work of a sapsucker, a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker! Isn’t this amazing! The rectangular holes are called sapwells and I learned that these woodpeckers have specialized brush tipped tongues to lap up the sap and and any insects that might be in it. They also feed on the inner part of the tree or woody shrub. If the holes girdle the branch or trunk, it is likely that it will die. We have a bit of work ahead of us pruning and clearing away the calling cards left by our visitors – shy visitors I never saw!

Leatherleaf Viburnum bloom

Geese can amaze me

I decide to drive through the reservoir on the way home. As I approach the dam, I can see the water spilling down, wave-like. I continue on the winding road and I’m amazed that geese are standing atop the spillway!

I find a place to park, walk back and hear them chattering as geese do. I image them all offering encouragement to each other to stand strong or paddle against the current, but I do have to wonder why, in such a large lake, they are here.

What fun are they experiencing or is this a kind of late afternoon strength training exercise?

There are no answers from them so I move on to my favorite place and into the golden glow.

And I find that the drive and the beauty and the brisk air are strengthening for me today. I hope you have a place to soak in the golden glory of late afternoon sun.

Hummers

Sometimes, they are still. I needed to use the photo program to bring them in this close for you. Such tiny birds! They truly hum with their wings.

We can recognize several different birds this year. One is never still and hovers the whole feeding time; another bird lights nearby and after looking all around, comes and sits still to drink. She almost always chirps a bit after feeding as if to say how much she enjoyed the treat. And another we call “Dip and Sip” for her constant in and out motion – so amazing to watch them fly backward! Only the mature male has the ruby throat. He will usually sit still and drink.

We were blessed to have rain yesterday and this morning the whole yard was alive with song to enjoy as I waited to photograph these little marvels.

Like a magic trick!

I find it quite difficult to capture birds at the feeders on film. But I couldn’t resist trying to hold onto my surprise. The goldfinches stay all winter but the feathers are like olive drab uniforms as they stay undercover. Then the suddenly happens – and there he is in splendid color! So much wonder happens in spring. I want to clap and shout, “Bravo!”

Happy New Year

I’ve read some posts the last several years on choosing a word or words to frame the coming year. Recently I read the added suggestion of choosing a picture to focus your view. I’ve been pondering these thoughts and the words that seem to have chosen me are Fearless, Joy-filled, and Colorful. I liked the idea of a picture but had no idea of how a picture could represent this.

As I sat at the table this morning and gazed out into the early morning light I was astonished to see robins pecking away at the frozen birdbath. I smiled and thought, The perfect picture!

If you are interested in this concept please read Bonnie’s post http://www.faithbarista.com/2011/01/what-builds-your-confidence/