A FEW BIRDS, A FEW FLOWERS, A SQUIRREL

These are birds taken from the deck at the back of the house.  All are daily visitors.  The Cardinal was the first to show itself.  

I have seen more American Robins up in the trees than ever before.  I only ever used to see them hopping around on the ground in the springtime, but the last couple of years they have stayed longer and pick a branch to sit on.  I'll often look up to see one staring down at me.

The Blue Jay call to their families, and a few minutes later they arrive.

This one looks young.  I saw another trying to get its parent to feed it earlier, but was being encouraged to feed itself.  The lessons of life had begun. 

A crow always visits during the day, to see what seed we have to offer.

On this particular day there were no others. Some of these photos were taken through glass and screen.  They give an interesting effect.

The female Cardinal turned up soon after the male.

She really is a pretty one, a lot of beauty in her  more muted colors.

Another American Robin on my neighbor's fence post.

My last bird is a Mourning Dove.  Their soft cooing first thing in the morning is my favorite alarm clock.

Lastly, a squirrel was once again chattering and urging us to go inside. The weather was perfect, warm but without humidity, and we had been sitting outside on the deck longer than usual. After we left three others joined him at the birdfeeder.

There has been a bear sighting not too far away. There were photos of it hanging over someone’s fence, stretching to reach their bird feeder.  We are in a heavily populated area, so this is unusual. I saw the photos on our neighborhood app. I think it may be time to stop filling the feeders for a while.  I suppose with staying at home longer than usual, I have been delaying it.  When the warmer weather arrives, I know they have enough food in nature, so our friendly neighborhood bear 🐻 is a good reminder. 

My neighbor's peonies always look stunning.   There are lots of our roses in bloom also. This was one of the better photos I was able to get below.

May you all have an enjoyable day, and thanks for visiting.

  

OLD DECK CAMERA PHOTOS OF THE BIRDS

I will be setting up the deck camera soon but in the meantime here are three from last year.

Today we have a Mourning Dove, a Cardinal, maybe a juvenile, and a Red-headed Woodpecker with a Blue Jay at the back.

I hope you are having a good start to the week.  Thanks for stopping by.

DECK CAMERA PHOTOS

~Chipping Sparrows~

~female Brown-headed Cowbird~

~Mourning Dove and male Northern Cardinal~

~Female Northern Cardinal~

This link is a little different, in that it explains why the cardinal got on the uniforms of the St. Louis Cardinals, the baseball team.

~Mourning Dove~

~Red-bellied Woodpecker~

~Blue Jay~

~Eastern Grey Squirrel~

Always love checking the deck camera to see what it turns up.  I hope you have enjoyed my backyard critters today, and thanks for looking.

GOLDFINCH DECK CAMERA PHOTOS AND VIDEOS

When I downloaded the photos from the deck camera, I was surprised and delighted to see that we had been visited by the American Goldfinch. This is another bird that I hope will come back.

A small finch with a short, conical bill and a small head, long wings and short, notched tail.  It is smaller than a Tufted Titmouse.  I read all this at the link in red above.

You can hear its call on this page.

"One thing is certain, and I have always known it.  The joys of my life have nothing to do with age.  They do not change.  Flowers, the morning and evening light, music, poetry, silence, the goldfinches darting about."
~Mary Sarton~

A lovely poem that I found.

He often in the trees did sing,
With lively notes light as wings,
And to all the other birds he brings
Happiness and delight.

His song as lively as his yellow hue,
The bird I know is never blue,
Unlike the somber birds that flew
Around during the night.

The Mourning Dove with its mourning call
Does call a call, the saddest of all
And the wind does blow, and the rain does fall
And the skies aren't blue.

But the Goldfinch sings an upbeat song
So that all the chipmunks scamper along
And the sparrows search for the iron lung
Of the once dull bird they knew.

But now that spring has come to the fields,

The Goldfinch has laid down his brown winter shield

And now a yellow coat he feels

Around his happy heart.

And all the birds say, "sing again!"

And the Goldfinch chirps for all his friends 

And they all erupt in a happy blend

Of music, and of art.

~Telemachus~

And I thought I would show you this, one of my gifts from our son and daughter-in-law for Mother's Day.  I love it!

Beautiful flowers from Gregg, along with a pretty card which is on the mantle shelf.  This card from son and daughter-in-law. 

Thank you My Darlings!  My Mother's Day was very special.

Have a great day everyone, and thanks for stopping by.

DECK CAMERA PHOTOS

The Dark-eyed Junco's disappeared at the beginning of April, no doubt flying north for the summer.  I miss seeing them and they are always a welcome visitor. It is a sign that the cold weather is on the way when they return towards the end of the year.  In their place the Chipping Sparrows have arrived.  They are a very small bird.  The Mourning Dove is keeping an eye on them.  My photos today were taken on April 27th and April 28th (2019). 

An early visitor arrives on the deck rail the next morning at 5.14 a.m.  Each photo is time-stamped on the bottom, but I normally crop for a closer look.  Just a little light in the sky.  He looks like a male Cardinal.

There is more light for the Chipping Sparrow.  It is now 5.45 a.m.  Slim pickings as I am still asleep and there is no birdseed, just a few tiny leftovers.

At 7.26 a.m. the female Cardinal discovers the person inside the house is apparently having a slow start to the day. The dawn chorus is in full swing, and a favorite sound in the morning.  Some days, however, you just don't feel like hurrying to start the day, even if they do.

A welcome sight when I checked the photos.  I don't usually do that until the evening when all those feathered friends have gone to bed.  A Gray Catbird turned up at 7.52 a.m.  No seed to be found.  I do hope he will be back as I haven't seen one out there in a long time.

A female Cardinal leaves in disgust at 11.05 a.m.  There is still no food at this deck-side restaurant.

The Chipping Sparrow is back at 11.13 a.m.  Hungry birds have sent him to find out what is happening.  Where is she?

At 1.37 p.m. Big Bird has arrived.  "Sorry about the late start little dudes.  I had to go to the store to get more birdseed."  

And all's well in bird world, for now.

Have a great day everyone, and thanks for stopping by.

DECK CAM BIRDS

A few photos and videos from the deck cam out back.  This is a male Brown-headed Cowbird with a Mourning Dove behind him.  I've noticed that they don't seem to mind sharing the birdseed.  

The female Cardinal makes an appearance in the next photo.  It seems like she is checking out the camera.

In the video you will see the Cardinal pop in and in the background there is a Red-bellied Woodpecker and a Blue Jay that flies in.

       :

I added this photo as I liked the pretty feather pattern from the back.

Another video showing her back feathers.

Here's her mate.  I get a lot of Cardinals visiting every day.  

They are a bright little bird with lots of personality.