Ibis

I had no sooner written the post below when Carlita came to the feeder (I always hear the cardinals before I see them). I went to the widow to look, and there was an ibis in the yard!

Do you have ibis's where you live?

Lack-o-posts

Sorry I haven't been as active on here! My birding is severely limited to the feeders out front these days. My 10yo nephew is visiting from California, and he's never seen a cardinal! I told him that if he gets up early enough, he can see one at the feeder. This was met with a polite smile. ;-) So far, he's seen a female but not a male.

For Phyllis

Phyllis (currently in Russia) wanted a picture of her new favorite bird. Here it is! It's called a Bluethroat.

Tail White

I just saw a mourning dove with a pure, white tail! I tried to get a picture of it, but the dog scared it away.

I'm going to keep looking for it.

Mixed up Birds

What is it about birds and one o'clock in the morning?

Don't ask me why I was up that late, but I was. The birds were singing like the sun was coming up, and this went on for hours!

Hmmmmm. . . . .

Saw what looked like a female cardinal, but her beak wasn't orange. Could this be a juvenile? The male cardinal was friendly enough with her, so I wonder. Carlita was nearby, so it wasn't her. Hmmm. . . .

I guess it's time to break out the Birds of North America book and get some answers!

Big Jay the Seed Slinger has been back every day. He's got an ecosystem of his own going on. Everyone gathers under the feeder when he's around!

Walking around

Just went for a walk with the girls and the dog. We saw a ton of white ibises, which are kind of cool.

The WOW thing was seeing a red tailed hawk! It was so huge, sitting on a power line. I know they eat things like chickens you're trying to raise and exotic birds you happen to leave outside on a perch, but these are SO amazing to look at.

Update: We have rain this afternoon! I'm so glad. Of course, this means all the seed I put out is soaked. Hmmm. . . will have to re-evaluate feeder placements.

Dry Times

It's so dry out there. We're supposed to have rain every day in the summer! Today, I actually saw a squirrel on my birdbath, getting a drink. That's when you know it's REALLY dry!

What are some things you have done to water the critters?

Our front hose has a small drip, so I put a terracotta saucer (that goes under a terracotta pot, usually) to catch the drip. The birds have loved this SO much because it's shallow. They drink and bathe in it all the time.

I have a birdbath, but I have to remember to put fresh water in it every day. The mourning doves love this one the most for some reason. I would think they'd like the one on the ground by the hose, but I see them at this one all the time.

There's also a spot below the rain gutter spout. The AC makes condensation, and this drips all day. I now have a little pot to catch the condensation and it's always full for the critters. I'm also thinking of a way to direct this drip into a small vegetable garden. The AC's always on, so there's always a drip. Why not?

There's a woman in Carlsbad, CA, who has placed 68 rain barrels around her property. Carlsbad only gets about 11 in. of rain each year, but by doing this she is able to collect enough water for a small swimming pool and koi pond! I wonder what I could collect with even ONE rain barrel?

Carlita

Ok, since I seem to have only three types of birds (see previous post) visiting, I thought I'd talk about one of them a little bit.

Carlita the Cardinal loves the bench feeder on the front porch. Usually, Carlos swoops in first to make sure it's safe, then he sounds the "all clear" and makes room.

Last night I was treated to Carlita on the bench feeder. She eats so dantily and NEVER flings the seed like Big Jay the Seed Slinger. Last night, though, she seemed a little nervous. I realized she could see both me on the couch and Jack the Schnauzer on the stair landing. She perched facing us, which made it look like she was sitting on the little "bench" while she ate. She kept looking from me, to Jack, and back again, crouching down on occasion like she wanted to fly away, then settling down to eat. It was really kind of funny!

But not as funny as what happend after she left.

Himself could see me sitting here. He "flapped" past my window, flapped over to the feeder, then left again.

Yes, that's why I married him.

Opening Day

This is my new Birding blog!

Yes, I have become a birder. Uncle Lloyd will be so proud! I have feeders in the front yard, water available for the birds, and plenty of "hiding spots" for them when they're not feeding. To find out how to make your yard bird friendly, check this out!

The main purpose of this blog, aside from my own enjoyment, is to record the birds I see daily and their antics. One day, I'll have a digital camera of my own have have fun posting pictures. Maybe for now I can borrow some off web sites, or at least post a link.

Under the eave of my front porch, I have a feeder that looks like a red porch swing. The cardinals have claimed this as their own. Just now, a male cardinal tried to feed, but my resident cardinal, Carlos, chased him off. Big Jay the Seed Slinger (a bluejay named by Glenna) took advantage and hopped on to feed. He's one messy bird, flinging seeds left and right. Of course, the mourning doves love this and move under the feeder when he's around.

I'm working on planning for school next year and have set up my station on the couch, near the window. Right now the feeder is occupied by Carlita, the female cardinal. She's such a dainty eater. She never flings it about like Big Jay the Seed Slinger.