Not his day

This guy is struting around very proud in my parents yard (no, he's not a pet, he is a wild turkey), because he knows that typically Easter Sunday is not a Turkey day. But he better be careful, because it is turkey hunting season and the next time he gets shot, it may be by something other than a camera.

The Birds Are Hungry

January and February are probably my least favorite months of the year. Winter seems to just drag on. The beautiful and colorful changing leaves have all turned brown, died and fallen to the ground. Everything looks barren. Most of the nuts and berries are gone and the new sprouts haven't quite struggled out from the winter sleep. This is the time of year when wildlife also has trouble finding food. Now is the time to fill the feeders and offer the little critters a free lunch - because the birds are waiting and they are hungry. Click on the bird for more pictures.

For a good idea on how to add a little extra something, something to the food and avoid throwing a good source of calcium for birds. Check out the latest tip from Smell Like Dirt by watching Carol's latest "Down and Dirty Quick Tip" at the following video link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiNRNw7yfE8&eurl=http://smelllikedirt.wordpress.com/

Of course some of the birds may prefer an afternoon cocktail on a sunny beach...(single click the image to enlarge it for a better view).

Backyard Birds

As mentioned in an earlier post, we have bird feeders hanging all around our back porch and I love to sit with my camera and see what birds will be brave enough to approach the different feeders while I'm sitting there. I've never really thought of myself as a "bird watcher" and still don't. (My favorite sister-in-law, Laurie, is the true bird watcher. I am in awe of her ability to pick out birds just by their song. I can't even pick them out by their looks.)

Some birds haven't learned to trust me yet, so they will do a "fly by" and then sit on a branch in a nearby tree much like the pretty blue bird in the picture. (My description will explain to the avid bird watcher just how much of a non-bird watcher I am - since the pretty blue bird is actually an Indigo Bunting - not a "bluebird")

Indigo Buntings prefer brushy slopes, abandoned farmlands, old pastures, over grown fields, forest edges that are adjacent to fields. Whatbird.com states that they are actually black, but the way the light is diffracted through their feathers make them look blue. Audubon.org doesn't confirm that, but states that it takes a male bird three Springs to reach the rich indigo color. They use the pattern of stars nearest the North Star to guide their migration at night. (whatbird.com)


Sometimes the birds sit in the trees and talk to eat other - if you listen carefully you can almost hear the plan being discussed. I can just image the male Goldfinch telling the female that he will pose on a nearby branch to distract the lady with the camera while the female takes the food from the feeder.


The American Goldfinch usually doesn't start breeding until late June or early July, after most other song birds have finished. The Goldfinch will change from the winter plumage to a breeding plumage thus molting twice in one year. (All About Birds.com)

Click on the image of the two birds talking to each other for more pictures of the male distracting me by strutting his stuff while the female gets the food. More birds will be added so check back again if you're interested.