Sunday, May 29, 2011

Our Bluebird Family

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New Spring/Summer Rental Listing!
Don't let the rugged appearance fool you!
This snug one bedroom has been the home of many happy families over the years.
It comes fully furnished with carefully selected local grasses and is
Anchored in the strong branches of a Blooming Pear Tree. 
No worries about harsh wind or pouring rain in this protected location!
Mature fruit trees nearby, as well as a huge lawn featuring fat, tasty bugs and worms,
Perfect to feed a growing family!!
(Lawn maintained by landlord.)

This one won't last long!  Fly by and take a look!!

Snug in the branches of the Blooming Pear!




The landlord's home is in view, but is occupied by CBOs: Certified Bird Observers.
Documents are on file, should you wish to confirm that this is a Safe House.


UPDATE!!
This little tree house has been rented and is no longer on the market.  We urge you to check other parts of the neighborhood, and  please consider us next year!!

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The CBOs keep a trained eye on the goings on with the current residents...
Who have been very busy!
April 8, 2011




April 22, 2010
Three little....uh....unfeathered, stickly bodies.  Sadly one blue egg did not hatch :(



Thank goodness the parents think these are going to grow into handsome, flying birds!


April 25, 2011
FEEEEEED  MEEEEEE!!!
This picture is blurry because I had to snap fast...See next picture.



To avoid an air strike attack from the vigilant mama and papa!

It's unsettling to be under surveillance  from a 5 inch fluff of feathers, because they Mean Business!!

From sun-up to sun-down, all manor of flying and crawling insects sacrificed themselves to create...
Can you see him??  
Yes, I left this picture small, so you'd have to search for Waldo!
 
 AHA!!
There he is!
You can tell he's a youngster because his beak is still yellow.


Poor guy...looks a little worried about the big, big world outside of the nest. Didn't want to get any closer for fear of sending him fly-falling onto the ground.

It was a stroke of luck to get these photos, because there is no long good-bye in the Bluebird world...the youngsters leave the nest suddenly, roost for a few minutes and then, urged by their demanding parents, flap-flap-flap-flap to another branch or tree.  As you can see, they blend in very well.  They need to, because they can't join any high wire acts yet, having short wings and just about no tail.  They continue to pursue mom and dad and beg for food for several more weeks.  And the parents give in...to stop the sqwawcking, I would think!

Now that the babies aren't in the  Bluebird House, wouldn't it be time to advertise for new tenants??
Not at all!  Their contract is for the entire Spring/Summer season  because after they get through the teenage weeks.................

May 28, 2011 !!
The next family begins.


Hope you had fun seeing this family saga.....remember to smile whenever possible :-)

 

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Meet Some of my Fine Feathered Friends

Here's the Goldfinch!
Well, that's what he looks like in January...just hints of gold.   But when Spring rolls around...


WOWzer!!  Here's the Spring version...


Not too long and there are three males and their potential nest-partners...

These little yellow fireballs have no problems with the Big Boys at the dinner table...

Picking up an empty sunflower husk.  Look at that bright color and deep black eyes...

Finding a whole sunflower.
Always try to match a flamboyant outfit with the appropriate accessory.

Posing.  Knowing  you look good.

And take a look at this beautiful little Indigo Bunting...this pic doesn't really do it justice because I had to take it through the dining room window with a long zoom.  I was walking past the window and SURPRISE, this little guy was sitting there so I did a mad scramble to find the camera, knowing he would fly away before I could get the photo.
But he didn't!!


These would make some great team colors!!
I'm sure they already do, but I have no idea of the team...any guesses?

This is a visitor, migrating north.  A Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and I'm so happy to have gotten a picture of him.  He stayed for a couple of days.  Maybe he'll stop by on the return flight south.

A male cardinal warms himself in the early morning sunshine.

Mourning Doves.  Soft grey.  They are lovely.  But they give new meaning to the phrase Feather-Brain.
The Cardinal is giving  them the 'head tilt' of "Are you really birds??"

This female cardinal seems to have an issue with this dove.  I think she looks very puzzled.
As if the dove has just said 'Life is like a seed.  Don't you think so?"


 And this is the bold, brash, funny Tufted Titmouse.  He loves peanuts.  Here he's looking in the window to see where they all are...He KNOWS that when I go outside I put them on the window sill.

He's bright and doesn't sit still for very long.



Here's a little video to show how quickly they flitter around...

Here's my favorite shot, from back in January.

Thanks for visiting!  Until next time.............smile whenever possible  :-)

Friday, May 13, 2011

White Things in the Yard that are NOT Snow!


Our Flowering Dogwood Tree...


The Flowers of the Flowering Dogwood Tree...!.......



Hedge-at-the-side-of-the-Driveway...
(That's the Technical name.  Yes it is.  I'm sure of it.)





A flower of that Hedge...


The Fringe Tree (far)
and Azalea (near)
from the middle bedroom window...



That's the window.  There's the Azalea.  The Fringe Tree lurks behind my left shoulder.


The Azalea Buds...



And Blooms.......







Thankfully, this is as close to snow as we get in the Spring.
It is called the Snowball Bush ...


And this is why!!
Fits right into your hand!






The view along the driveway side of the house.
Those are the windows to the 'side room'.
It belongs to the dog and cat and some storage!!
I put this in because I love the way the shadows are falling.


Hey, hey, we've got White Siding, too!!  And if you look back a few pictures, you'll see the White Shutters!

Looks pretty now, doesn't it?!



Thanks for visiting.   I'll have different colors next time!

Friday, May 6, 2011

Are you There???

Uh, excuse me....Hello???    Hello???    Are you still behind that window??
Haven't heard from you in forever...


"I mean, we're talkin' at ya here...Don't ya think ya could say somethin' back??"


"I KNOW you're in there...I've been sent to get your attention..."
Here me tap, tap, tapping?
They'll send The Raven, next time!


I mean, look what happened...
I am Spring!  I am HERE!
Worms fear me!!
So should you or I won't show up next year!



And did you notice that this winter scene...


Has morphed into....

 So get back to work on this bloggy-thing, you hear!!  
We pose, you take pictures....
We demand to see ourselves caught on the 'net!!


Whew!!!  Guess I better try to post a little more than once every 6 months!
Heck, I don't want to be in the remake of Hitchclock's 'The Birds"! 

See ya next time...sooner than later, I hope!