It's been a while since we have seen some of the Usual Suspect out in the baren garden and grounds. I was able to finally get out yesterday, and a few times the last few weeks or so with the canon, while I collected many felled twig and branches, what with all the strong gales we've had lately. Not to mention the bird feeders are emptying quick this time of year. I have contemplated getting a heated bird bath, as many birds have a hard time finding a water source this time of year...but will not bite the bullet yet, not to mention I shut the outdoor water off in the winter. For now, I continue with my special mixture of bird seeds, dried fruit pieces and suet bricks. And a week had passed since any more carriage from the hawk. With the drab of winter, and no color at all. no life in the garden except for my rosemary for all things...it looks bleak. Thank heavens for the birds...they are adding the life currently...among others. So many too. They are others I couldn't get a snap of.
I love hearing the chipping of the Juncos.
I heard a new call this week I didn't recognize. Look everywhere till I finally spotted the suspect. Turns out it's a Yellow-Bellied Sap Sucker. Since then, I spotted a what might be a couple.
Meanwhile, speaking of perches...Sophie Lucille in one of her usual spots. I think she must adore the tree. She always lays on the end of the sofa next to the tree. I think she overheard me yesterday saying it will be coming down by week's end.
Sophie Lucille est très adorable :)
ReplyDeleteMon jardin à Deauville attire de nombreux oiseaux migrateurs (couscous, hérons, rossignols, fauvettes, bruants jaunes, rouges- gorges, hirondelles, chardonnerets, et loriots) et j’ai une cigognes blanches qui vit dans un nid sur le toit de ma maison.
Quand les oiseaux chantent, Mère Nature les fait chanter pour nous :)
-Beau Mec à Deauville
Oh là là... ce que je ferais pour voir des hérons, des rossignols et une cigogne vivre ici ! Je parie que ça doit être merveilleux à voir ? Sophie est une petite compagne toute câline.
DeleteYour usual suspects all look well-fed and happy, so you're obviously doing something right! Lovely photos, as always, and I'm glad to see you're a Blue Jays fan, LOL!
ReplyDeleteSome find the call of Blue Jays loud and annoying, but I love hearing them.
DeleteFirst: Sophie’s adorableness makes my heart ache.
ReplyDeleteThe birds are always so beautiful to see and your photos make it even better from here.
Thanks Mitchell. I starting to get more practice in with my new canon.
DeleteSophie Lucille is one little cutie-pie, that's for sure!
ReplyDeleteoh, but I miss feeding the birds! I would start on Thanksgiving morning and continue until spring. How I loved to look out the kitchen window at what was at the feeder.
ReplyDeleteIt does make for nice morning views, I agree Spo. Watching the antics.
DeleteI love that you're into birds, and that you feed them - and know who they are! So you know that you live on an important migratory flyway, I'll assume. Do you know that feeders are the #2 food source for migrating birds in your region? If it weren't for y'all folks maintaining your feeders year after year, that flyway would collapse (source: Roger Tory Peterson is a household god here at the El Apartmento. And here you thought my binoculars were for nefarious purposes.)
ReplyDeleteRemind me to shut my drapes at night!!!!!!
DeleteSophie Lucille wants you to keep that tree ! 🌳
ReplyDeleteLuv me some garden birds and critters.
Our backyard plays host to hummingbirds, finches, wrens, crows, owls and on occasion the tallest white crane I have ever seen. By our neighborhood is a lake that is home to wild ducks, geese and hawks. Among the critters in the neighborhood and at times the backyard are rabbits, possums, gophers and skunks.
Of concern is the low number of bees and lack of ladybugs as both were numerous in other places we have lived.
CA jock
I used to be five minutes from a huge lake, and I miss it daily. It had many cranes and blue heron.
DeleteMy fav is our resident woodpecker who insists that there are bugs inside the aluminum gutters. Nothing like the machine-gun quality of the sound it makes at dawn...
ReplyDeleteOMG!!!!!!!!! I used to have a red-bellied woodpecker that did that every morning on the gutters of my apartment in Bucks County. Your right...it sounded like a machine gun. Talk about waking up earlier than normal.
DeleteI love it that the birds in your part of the world are similar to ours but far more colourful! The blue is the lovliest shade.
ReplyDeleteI still WANT Sophie. She is a sweet little soul. I think the tales of her killing things is just a pack of lies! 😂
Next time I travel you can come here and dog sit!!!! You'll have the bar, Ms. Moorecock and the houseboys at your disposal.
DeleteShe's a murderous I tell ya! Last summer's count was 3 birds, one mouse and a mole.
Would D.T. Let me in though? 😂
DeleteAll birds - well, the vast majority of them - are so very photogenic, and this posting shows just how much.
ReplyDeleteAs for the lovely Sophie Lucille, here's sending her a little transatlantic 'woof'!
She is going to miss the tree when it comes down Raybeard. I'd swear she sits and admires it.
DeleteIt is surprising how many birds winter this far north, spring and happen anytime how.
ReplyDeleteNo... no spring yet. I need my hibernation period!!!!!
DeleteRosita sits in the sunroom every morning to watch the birds and squirrels come into the yard for breakfast; she has this mini meow that is so cute.
ReplyDeleteThe cardinals are out in force, a bright flash of red in the trees!
I know that little meow. Starbooty used to do that and also made a clicking sound.
DeleteWe still have all the stuff up. Can't get motivated.
ReplyDeleteThose jays and cardinals are gorgeous --- the birds here are not so colorful.
I saw some red winged blackbirds and wax wings...but damn they were too fast...or camera shy. They are pretty too. As are the bluebirds.
DeleteNice. I have a number of cardinals who have taken up residence around my house, and I love it!
ReplyDeleteThe cardinals seem to be numerous this winter and couldn't be more red.
DeleteWe had a chaffinch fly into the window of our living room and knock itself out. Fortunately it recovered and is back feeding again.
ReplyDeleteOh dear. Right after we had the new large windows installed a year ago. I had a juvenile robin fly into ours but wasn't as lucky.
DeleteSophie looks so content lying there. I still only get crows where I'm at, and I haven't seen that squirrel since that one time I saw it climb up the front yard retaining wall.
ReplyDeleteThere must be very low food sources where you are in the neighborhood I suspect. Especially birds, who love seeds, berries, and other pods and such and they also love water sources. The more trees, gardens and cover they can get into for nesting and protection all the better too.
Delete