BITS AND BOBS

I am sharing a few photos that I have had in my folder and hopefully there are no repeats.  I haven't been to any gardens lately, so I am glad I can share these.  Hopefully there are no repeats.The bridge, the Canada Goose and the reflection of people, was taken at Meadowlark Gardens on our last trip.  I love watching the few geese that take up residence.  I don't think too many are encouraged but it's very nice to see the few.The Golden Ragwort is always very pretty.  I am not sure what the white blooms in the middle are.

I am thankful that we still have a few trees at home.  We hope to replace the ones we had to take down last year.  I saw a hawk sitting on a branch a couple of weeks ago in our neighbor's yard, but nothing since.  I always keep my camera with the zoom lens on the table next to where I am sitting, just in case.  This was the only photo I could get before it flew away seconds later. Unfortunately, its face was obscured. You may remember I stopped filling the bird feeders and the smaller birds have been scarce.  The photos of our feathered friends are before I stopped feeding them during the summer months.  I find myself eager for the autumn as I miss them. 

 The Catbird is always a welcome visitor.  I cropped the one above and here is a closer look.The Mourning Doves were enjoying the rain.  At least I think they were, they didn't seem to want to seek shelter.Enjoying a good preening session too, still raining.This is a female Rose-breasted Grossbeak.  I never did see her mate.  The first time I have ever seen one in our garden was this year. 

Family stayed overnight recently. We enjoyed catching up as it had been a while and it was a fun visit.

I got these last two from Pinterest.

That's about it. Thank you for your visit.  I hope you are staying happy, healthy and I wish you all a great weekend.

SATURDAY MORNING AT THE BIRD FEEDER

 

SATURDAY MORNING AT THE BIRD FEEDER

 

CONTINUING OUR WALK AROUND MEADOWLARK GARDENS ON 5-5-22

The Canada Goose is always present at the garden, but not in great numbers.  I didn’t see any nests but may have missed them.  I don’t actually go looking for them.

“The gander is a fierce defender of his mate and offspring, and will charge any suspected enemy, even one as large as an elk. Mated pairs can be together as long as 20 years.”  This, as I once found out, applies when nests are being built.  I wasn’t charged but definitely warned away when coming across a nest unexpectedly.  You may have your own stories.

“The nest is a large mound of vegetation such as grass and cattail stems lined with down.  It is usually located within sight of water. 4 to 7 white eggs make up a typical clutch and incubation is done solely by the female.  The gander (male) zealously guards the nest and will attack any intruders. Incubation takes 25 to 30 days and the goslings are led to water within a day after hatching. The goslings stay with the parents until the following spring.”

If you have young ones in the family, there is a website for kids at this link. It is where I found the above information.  

We were delighted to find a Catbird posing long enough for a photo.  These are also regular visitors at our home.  A site where I found the following information, also with young people in mind, can be found here.  “The North American gray catbird lays anywhere between one to five eggs.” and “Catbirds are a group of 14 different birds that are found basically all over the world. These birds belong to four different genera from three different families. The Ptilonorhynchidae family include Australasian catbirds of the genera Ailuroedus and Scenopooetes. Black and gray catbirds are from the Mimidae family, and the Abyssinian catbird is from the Timaliidae family. Catbirds have been given this name because of their cat-like and wailing calls.  Australasian catbirds are endemic to Australia and New Guinea, black catbirds to the Yucatán Peninsula, Abyssinian catbirds to Ethiopia, and gray catbirds are North American birds.”

We are walking around Lake Caroline and will often visit the gazebo if it is quiet.  Today we decided to carry on to Lake Lena, but first took a few more photos along the way. 

I can see phlox here, a white flower I am not sure of.  I should have taken a closer look.  

The yellow flower I do know is Golden ragwort. Its botanical name is Packera aurea.  Another name for it is Golden groundset. It blooms in spring and summer, and is a perennial.

One of my favorite areas is where the peonies bloom.  There were a few reds and pinks, but it was still relatively quite as far as blooms were concerned. Their botanical name is Paeonia lactiflora.  Another name for it is the Common garden peony.  

We arrive at Lena Lake and there was more Azalea blooming, but I will stop here for now.  That part of our walk will be in another post when I get one together.

THE EXPRESSIVE CATBIRD

 I am happy that the Gray Catbird has decided to drop in.  I haven't seen one since last year.  It particularly likes the suet feeder.  It took her a little while to get used to it.

One of the interesting facts about the Gray Catbird is that while other birds are tricked by the Brown-headed cowbird who drops its own egg into another bird's nest, the Catbird isn't so easily fooled.  It is able to recognize its own eggs by memorizing the first one it lays, and then will toss any non-matching egg out of the nest.

Catbirds are native to most of temperate North America, east of the Rocky Mountains.  They migrate to the southeastern United States, Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean in winter.  Except for the occasional vagrant they always stay east of the American Cordillera.  (The Cordillera is a complex region with three distinct mountain ranges: the Rocky Mountains in the east, the Coast Range (California Borderland) and Klamath Mountains on the west, and the Sierra Nevada and Cascade Mountain ranges just inland from the west.)

Yes, I am indeed very happy the Catbird is back again, and also I am very happy you dropped in for a visit.  

Thanks so much and I hope your Saturday is a great one.