Slowing down-Leucistic Female Mallard

We are home from back-to-back trips, three weeks in England and Ireland, and a week with my older daughter and her family. This leucistic female Mallard was quite at home in the fountain at The Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum. Originally taken for a record of birds I saw on my trip, I came to appreciate it more as I looked at the colors and textures. Aspects I hadn't noticed when I initially framed and took the shot, and probably wouldn't have noticed, but for taking time to slow down and look more closely. It's one of the gifts I'm finding in photography and would find in other parts of my life if I did so. 

As always, click on the photo for a larger view. 

National Bird Day - A Day or Two Late

I missed National Bird Day, but the next day made up for it. I've been trying to get a good shot of this fella for a while and finally! #nationalbirdday #pileatedwoodpecker

click for a larger image

Siberia Vortex gifts

As with most of the country, our area has found itself pummelled by rapidly falling temperatures and increasingly higher wind speeds. The wind moaning and howling has not stopped for over 24 hours and promises to pick up tonight. Ahead of the Siberian vortex, the trees surrounding our property were filled with birds. I heard birdsong that was loud enough to rival what I usually hear during migration season. As I ran outside with binoculars in hand to see which species I was hearing, the cold front came through with high winds and the flocks left their trees en mass. A bit disappointed but with a bit of time on my hands, I pulled out a new camera lens to put it through its paces. Low visibility and dangerous windchills meant I needed to stick with subjects close at hand and the birds enjoying their birdseed at the feeders willingly obliged. A caveat or two, these were shot through *ahem* a very dirty window and are not the clearest images. Nonetheless, they brought a smile to my face. House Finches are in the first photos. They are by large my most frequent and most numerous visitors. Scroll through and remember to click on a photo for a larger image. More on the other birds below.

The photo to the right is a female house finch. While not as colorful as her mate, taking a closer look you will see her feathers are just as beautiful.

The photos to the right and below show the two types of nuthatches I see frequently, the white-breasted nuthatch and the red-breasted nuthatch. Bird guides tell me the white-breasted is uncommon for my area, but I see them often.

This little Tufted Titmouse to the left and below gives you an idea of how very cold it was. By the time these photos were taken the temperature had dropped from 20 degrees.  All of the birds were fluffing out their feathers to keep warm. I am still amazed at how resilient and persistent they are. Temperatures that would cause frostbite in humans in as little as 15 minutes seem to have no effect on them. Watching them adjust their wings and flight path to their feeders while buffeted by the winds reminded me of their flexibility as well. 

The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession

 

The Big Year: A Tale of Man, Nature, and Fowl Obsession by Mark Obmascik
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

After watching the movie, I wanted to know more about the Big Year competition. The author does a respectable job of provided background both on birding and the three men the movie is based on. I really enjoyed the historical background, development of birding, and about birding in general. But about halfway through the book, I began to grow weary of the excesses, and wondered why we as a society, and some of us, feel a need to turn an enjoyable venture in to a die-hard competition. The author gives us insight into what drove these three men and, inadvertently, encouraged me to be a better birder to see what I'm missing in my area, but no need to be competitive.

#birding #bookreview   

View all my reviews

Space and Abundance

 “Small events, observed with generous curiosity, yield epiphanies.” *

Marilyn Chandler McEntyre

I am a summer gal. I love everything about it, including the heat and humidity. Not the hot 95 degrees hell heat. Just the normal hammock-napping, fresh tomato sandwich, cicada night-sounds summer heat. Late summer, there is peace unlike any other time of year sitting in the evenings at the pasture's edge, watching the slanted light of sunset gild dragonfly wings. September brought cool fall nights and warm summer days, turning the pasture golden where the early morning dew bends the grasses, dragonflies sit atop tall seed heads, and silver spider webs sway in the cool morning air. My husband had always mowed the acre and a half pasture every few weeks. In his absence, caring for his dad during Covidtide, the grasses grew tall, and we let it go. It gave him less to do when he would return home for short stays, and I had always wondered if birds and other animals would make good use of it if left fallow. In short, they did. 

The deer had plenty to graze and, for the most part, stayed away from my yard. The fawns and does lay near the edges of the pasture, napping during a steady misty rain without fear from coyotes or my curious presence. Flocks of goldfinches, during their spring and fall migrations, made quick work of dried seed heads and were drawn to my feeders. This year, two wild turkey hens set up residence with their eleven chicks. Their numbers are fewer now, probably due to raptors, Cooper’s Hawk, Mississippi Kite, and Red-Shouldered Hawk, who recognized the pasture's abundance as well. Watching all of this, I rarely felt alone or deprived during those solitary months.

When winter came, the pasture provided in a way I could not imagine. Winter’s cold added to the rest of the overwintering birds dark-eyed juncos, a species that only visits during that season. It’s a small sparrow-sized bird, with dark-slate uppers and a gray-white chest preferring to eat seed that falls on the ground below bird feeders. They are often harbingers of imminent snowfall that provides a backdrop that highlights their delicate beauty.

One particularly bitterly cold morning in February, when temperatures were below zero and snow covered everything, I bundled up to walk the puppy down the long gravel drive that borders the pasture. The prolonged bitter temperatures only added to the isolation I felt on this silent, gray morning. Birds, my faithful visitors, had disappeared from their feeders. As we quietly walked, I heard faint rustlings and saw the grasses stir and then watched as flocks of sparrows and dark-eyed juncos rose quickly above the pasture where they had gathered underneath in caves of snow-laden grasses. So, that’s where they were. Our "neglect" of the pasture gave shelter to them and granted me an unexpected and welcome sight. 

I planned none of it. How could I? I didn’t know then birds could burrow and shelter in grasses. Even if I had known, I’m far from being able to predict during the summer, when we let the pasture grow, birds and others would need it in a mid-winter polar vortex, much less herd the birds to safety. It happened on its own, due to a little intentional neglect and plenty of curiosity on my part. I only gave space.

Great Horned Owl

Great Backyard Bird Count

This is the first year I am participating in the Great Backyard Bird Count. My view is pictured in the photo of my blog header and I can look out over my patio, as well as birdfeeders in two other places easily seen. In fact sitting here typing, I can see shadows of birds as they fly to one of my feeders. With those views I have little excuse and more than plenty of reasons to join in the fun.

All of the data is used to help answer questions such as those listed on the GBBC website:

• How will the weather and climate change influence bird populations?
• Some birds, such as winter finches, appear in large numbers during some years but not others. Where are these species from year to year, and what can we learn from these patterns?
• How will the timing of birds’ migrations compare with past years?
• How are bird diseases, such as West Nile virus, affecting birds in different regions?
• What kinds of differences in bird diversity are apparent in cities versus suburban, rural, and natural areas?

Also, here is a map that show, in real-time, lists being submitted all over the world.

For me, it is simply a time to sit still, watch, and let the wonder of birds take me over for a short time. I always come away with a sense of awe at their beauty and diversity, and that awe always leads to worship and gratitude.

I'll be listing my observations for the next few days and if you want to join. Click on the link above for more details. In as little as fifteen minutes for one day you can participate ( in that short amount of time I saw 2 of the beauties pictured above) and add to our understanding of these remarkable creatures.

Observations for February 16, 2018

Species	Count
Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus)	1
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens)	2
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus)	1
Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata)	2
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos)	1
Carolina Chickadee (Poecile carolinensis)	2
Tufted Titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor)	1
Carolina Wren (Thryothorus ludovicianus)	1
Eastern Bluebird (Sialia sialis)	3
American Robin (Turdus migratorius)	10
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis)	2
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys)	1
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)	1
Northern Cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis)	2
Common Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula)	20
House Finch (Haemorhous mexicanus)	4
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis)	2
Hairy Woodpecker (Picoides villosus)	1
White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis)	1

Birding Lifelist

1. Eastern Towhee  March 5, 2014
2. House Finch or Purple Finch (working to Id)
3. Red-bellied Woodpecker 
4. Black-capped Chickadee
5. American Goldfinch
6. Barn Swallow
7. Northern Cardinal
8. Dark-eyed Junco
9. Carolina Wren
10. Mockingbird
11. Blue Jay
12. American Robin
13. Downy Woodpecker
14. Pilated Woodpecker
15. Hairy Woodpecker
16. Eastern Bluebird
17. Tufted Titmouse
18. Cedar Waxwing (migrating)
19. Painted Bunting
20. Egret
21. Mallard
22. Canadian Geese
23. White-throated sparrow
24. Hooded Merganser January 20, 2018 
25. Cackling Goose January 20, 2018
26. Red-shoulder Hawk January 20, 2018
27. Ruby-throated Hummingbird
28. Northern Flicker
29. White-breasted Nuthatch
30. Blue-gray Flycatcher
31. American Crow
32. Pine Siskin

Eagle Watcing-

Double click on the photos to see the detail.

We took a little drive today along the the Great River Road
to take advantage of the warmer temperatures




and do a little eagle watching.

Birds and Birdfeeders

We've had birdfeeders for a few years, but I have not kept them filled due to a little problem...squirrels. They will eat an entire feeder full of seeds in half a day or less!!! So I've tried something new and it seems to work. I spray the seeds and feeders with a hot sauce/water mixtures and it seems to be working well so far. I've enjoyed watching the birds, especially since it snowed over the weekend and they are more active at the feeders and easier to see. We have a great place to watch the birds and I'll post photos later this week.

For now I wanted to post a list of birds that I identified at the feeders yesterday.

Caroline Chickadee
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
Song Sparrow
White-Throated Sparrow
Red-Breasted Nuthatch
Tufted Titmouse
Pilated Woodpecker-more on them later
Red-Headed Woodpecker