Thanks for all the kind comments for our dear departed Muscovy duck, Squishy. Gordon especially appreciated that!
On a brighter note, the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are here for their annual invasion, and I got some decent photos yesterday...
Blowin' in the breeze! It was very windy yesterday.
"I can see you sticking that long lens through your window, you know!"
These guys are so strikingly beautiful, with a lovely song.
"Make sure you get my best side!"
Oh! Hello, Downy woodpecker!
I managed a picture of one of our resident crows, too. The other day, when I was at my beehives, I heard a crow screaming blue murder from the black walnut trees. I look up to see a large fox sauntering out from behind the barn, right where the duck and chicken runs are. He was obviously looking for a free meal, but couldn't penetrate the five-foot fence. I thanked the crow for alerting me!
And these are the lady Grosbeaks, who look utterly different from the boys!
I was out working on my garden today. I planted five types of sunflower seeds and two kinds of kale, plus two more blueberry bushes. I have a lot of other stuff to get in, and I started tomatoes and peppers indoors weeks ago, along with some basil.
Hope you are having a happy weekend!
Various bloggers have shown pictures of these very showy grosbeaks. We have them but don't see them that often.
ReplyDeleteWhen crows and jays are hollering, you always pay attention.
You sure do!
DeleteSuch beautiful birds, and such awesome pictures!
ReplyDeletecrows are extremely smart. Ravens are the smartest in the animal kingdom. They make excellent friends :)
We have ravens around here but I see them less often. I love those big black birds!
DeleteOh yes, we re having a happy weekend,made even more so by the incredible amount of birdsong!
ReplyDeleteJane x
I went for a walk to the back of our property this evening and all I could hear was birdsong. It was beautiful.
DeleteHappy USA Mother's Day wishes from all of us at the Katnip Lounge! I miss the northern birdies so much. But not the snow!
ReplyDeleteMy ingrate pets got me nothing for Mother's Day. NOTHING!! :)
DeleteYou have your own amazing birdies down there!
Never met a birdy, never met a birdy like you
ReplyDeletedoing all the things doing all things you do..
You're a whole lotta grosbeak!
Ah Bon would not have sung about a large lady had he seen a grosbeak!
Excellent!!!
DeleteHe was visiting our feeder, too for a couple of days.
ReplyDeleteYeah, we boys look good, don't we!?
Sorry about Squishy.
You boys are all the same. Flashy and showy!
DeleteWow! Just found your blog yesterday as I was hunting a photo of a whiptail lizard to go draw in my journal.Super photos! I am also enjoying the songbirds. My husband and I set out nesting boxes for them and the Black bellied Whistling ducks that arrived 3 days ago.
ReplyDeleteAny ideas about wild turkeys? We have 2 females and 1 male. We moved to central Texas after living in Germany for 9 years and are so happy to have so much land, peace, and wildlife around us. Truly a joy!
Suzanne
Thanks again for the beautiful shared photos!
Hi Suzanne and welcome! Did you manage to find a whiptail lizard somewhere? :) I had to go Google Black-bellied Whistling ducks. What gorgeous birds!
DeleteWe get lots of wild turkeys here! We've had up to 50- 60 in our fields at one time. Lately I've been seeing females wandering around by themselves, although I wonder if they had babies nearby? Today I saw a male in a field with several crows, which was a bit odd! Sometimes they come in our garden and a few years ago, we had them coming to our bird feeders.
You must love the wide open skies of Texas. :)
My first grosbeak! Great photos. Sorry about Squishy.
ReplyDeleteThanks Janet! He is missed.
DeleteWhen we lived out west in BC, we got Evening Grosbeaks. They are showy but I think the Rose-breasted ones are more dramatic!
Some of those birds look a little angry! Pretty but angry!
ReplyDeleteThey really squabble with the woodpeckers over suet!
DeleteThat is all just swell. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteMy pleasure, Stephen.
DeleteYour photos on the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks are pretty !
ReplyDeleteWe don´t have that kind of bird in Sweden , but we do have Crows :)
I wonder if there is anywhere in the world that doesn't have some kind of crow? :) I bet you have lots of beautiful birds in Sweden.
DeleteWow! Sweet and beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteThank you! I love watching them outside the window.
DeleteFabulous photos!
ReplyDeleteThanks COg Dis. I'm jealous of your Sandhill cranes!
DeleteGreat photos of the grosbeak! Glad you took heed at the crow's warning.
ReplyDeleteSorry to hear about Squishy...
Thanks Elisabeth!
DeleteThe male grosbeak is beautiful, and you got some great photos of him. I saw my first hummingbird yesterday and was very excited that they have returned. Impossible to photograph, though.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I got some decent hummingbird photos a while back when I had a feeder that suction-cupped to the window. Here, check out this blog post from 2007!
Deletehttp://knatolee.blogspot.ca/2007/06/turtle-eggs-in-septic-field.html
Wish we could have a feeder, but we don't have a place to put it that won't be in reach of the cat.
ReplyDeleteLove the pics. Beautiful.