The creek was a sheet of glass and every surface glittered in the sunlight. Three blue jays visited and one perched conspicuously on the post while another sneaked to the bark butter balls. I don't think they planned it, but they are smart.
Other birds kept flying off just as I got them in focus. The brown thrasher had a tough time reaching the remnant of suet. Bluebirds were active and curious. When the suet was all gone, a male downy hung under the suet cage hoping to find a scrap. The wretched starlings made it disappear so fast that I'm of two minds whether to put another out right away.
An American lady butterfly nectared on a dandelion but furniture was in the way and I couldn't get it in focus. A little spider ran in circles around the rim of a tomato cage. Huge carpenter bees fed on the money plant. The lake turtles spread out from their favorite log to occupy all the fallen trees. We had a thunderstorm at dusk but later the full moon was visible.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Monday, April 6, 2020
Possum!
The changeable weather was what I associate with Easter - showers alternating with bright sunshine. An opossum crossed the patio in front of me to snuffle for fallen sunflower seeds. Then it hustled off around the corner of the house.
Starlings kept interrupting other birds to get at the suet. Downy and red bellied woodpeckers, the brown thrasher, orioles, and warblers all wanted suet. A Carolina wren and white throats foraged below. The cardinals found a way to share the seed feeder perch. Usually their combined weight is too much.
The rain turned the bark butter balls to something more like granola. This didn't bother the bluebirds, but it was too tedious for blue jays. Two male bluebirds came to blows over the bark butter ball feeder.
In the late afternoon, a titmouse sampled each of the feeders. A goldfinch looked around at the feeders and turned up its beak. Clouds tinted rose for sunset.
Starlings kept interrupting other birds to get at the suet. Downy and red bellied woodpeckers, the brown thrasher, orioles, and warblers all wanted suet. A Carolina wren and white throats foraged below. The cardinals found a way to share the seed feeder perch. Usually their combined weight is too much.
The rain turned the bark butter balls to something more like granola. This didn't bother the bluebirds, but it was too tedious for blue jays. Two male bluebirds came to blows over the bark butter ball feeder.
In the late afternoon, a titmouse sampled each of the feeders. A goldfinch looked around at the feeders and turned up its beak. Clouds tinted rose for sunset.
Sunday, April 5, 2020
High tide
The creek was as smooth as glass despite the very high tide. The brown thrasher appeared to be addicted to the suet. The bluebirds seemed very fond of bark butter balls. The junco was willing to eat anything. A Carolina wren appeared more curious than hungry. The male red bellied woodpecker wanted suet. So did starlings.
An osprey cruised overhead, scanning for fish. The molting myrtle warbler poked around. A wasp enjoyed rue flowers.
The night sky was clear so I took pictures of Venus and the moon. They were no longer together.- Venus was sinking toward the trees in the West while the moon was still behind trees in the East.
An osprey cruised overhead, scanning for fish. The molting myrtle warbler poked around. A wasp enjoyed rue flowers.
The night sky was clear so I took pictures of Venus and the moon. They were no longer together.- Venus was sinking toward the trees in the West while the moon was still behind trees in the East.
Saturday, April 4, 2020
White sky
The bright blue breakfast sky turned white when I wasn't watching. And the wind was gusty, though not as fierce as in the last few days. Starlings found the suet, alas. They always show up in gangs that don't get along except when bullying some other bird. Eventually the woodpeckers got their suet back, much diminished. White throats foraged for fallen bits of suet. The starlings were messy eaters.
Cardinals courted. The female pine warbler was fierce in defense of her time with the suet. The molting myrtle warbler tried to intimidate the female downy.
I caught a glimpse of an osprey flying overhead. The chipping sparrow was back! So were orioles, both a female and two males. The female seemed to be molting. Bluebirds returned to the bark butter balls. Juncos were still around. A Carolina wren perched in a dogwood before foraging for fallen suet. A blue jay stuffed itself with bark butter balls. I think they may have been for its mate.
The brown thrasher again had a standoff with a downy and the female downy won. The female pine warbler joined the victory feast. The male downy watched the whole thing and then wanted a share of the spoils. And the last I saw, the female pine warbler was in possession.
Cardinals courted. The female pine warbler was fierce in defense of her time with the suet. The molting myrtle warbler tried to intimidate the female downy.
I caught a glimpse of an osprey flying overhead. The chipping sparrow was back! So were orioles, both a female and two males. The female seemed to be molting. Bluebirds returned to the bark butter balls. Juncos were still around. A Carolina wren perched in a dogwood before foraging for fallen suet. A blue jay stuffed itself with bark butter balls. I think they may have been for its mate.
The brown thrasher again had a standoff with a downy and the female downy won. The female pine warbler joined the victory feast. The male downy watched the whole thing and then wanted a share of the spoils. And the last I saw, the female pine warbler was in possession.
Friday, April 3, 2020
Suet drama
Except for a gusty wind, it was a perfect Spring day. Of course the cat had to spoil it. Fortunately it soon gave up and left. Then a male oriole came out of hiding.
K put a new block of suet out. A Carolina wren got a bit before the brown thrasher took over. It spent more time watching for trouble than eating. Eventually the female pine warbler got a turn. Bluebirds and a blue jay went for bark butter balls instead. The grape jelly I put out for the oriole was licked clean by a squirrel.
An osprey used the wind to soar over the creek. Gulls flew lower. The choppy water didn't bother a female bufflehead. A tiger swallowtail, a black swallowtail, and a cabbage white defied the wind. I saw a skink mosey along the edge of the retaining wall. The turtle log was full.
One hickory was way ahead of the other. The hackberry put out flowers and leaves. I found a little brown mushroom next to the front walk. A rusty-colored bracket fungus had grown into a juniper branch. The coral honeysuckle was loaded with flowers, just waiting for an early hummingbird.
A male downy confronted the brown thrasher on the suet. It did not go well. But then the male red bellied woodpecker did the same thing to the brown thrasher. The female red belly expected a turn. And then the downy was back. A male pine warbler watched and yearned for suet.
K put a new block of suet out. A Carolina wren got a bit before the brown thrasher took over. It spent more time watching for trouble than eating. Eventually the female pine warbler got a turn. Bluebirds and a blue jay went for bark butter balls instead. The grape jelly I put out for the oriole was licked clean by a squirrel.
An osprey used the wind to soar over the creek. Gulls flew lower. The choppy water didn't bother a female bufflehead. A tiger swallowtail, a black swallowtail, and a cabbage white defied the wind. I saw a skink mosey along the edge of the retaining wall. The turtle log was full.
One hickory was way ahead of the other. The hackberry put out flowers and leaves. I found a little brown mushroom next to the front walk. A rusty-colored bracket fungus had grown into a juniper branch. The coral honeysuckle was loaded with flowers, just waiting for an early hummingbird.
A male downy confronted the brown thrasher on the suet. It did not go well. But then the male red bellied woodpecker did the same thing to the brown thrasher. The female red belly expected a turn. And then the downy was back. A male pine warbler watched and yearned for suet.
Thursday, April 2, 2020
Just tired
The morning light made everything beautiful A female pine warbler sampled the suet. Then the male red bellied woodpecker came for his breakfast. A male Baltimore oriole showed up.
PT left me stiff and sore and too tired to think. But I did capture a blue jay after bark butter balls. The myrtle warbler was a molting mess. The brown thrasher was disgusted that there was hardly any suet left.
At supper there were no birds. Eventually the feral cat sauntered up to the door. I hobbled over to yell at it. The cat moved down the steps, then rolled over and displayed its belly. I guess I've been caught bluffing.
PT left me stiff and sore and too tired to think. But I did capture a blue jay after bark butter balls. The myrtle warbler was a molting mess. The brown thrasher was disgusted that there was hardly any suet left.
At supper there were no birds. Eventually the feral cat sauntered up to the door. I hobbled over to yell at it. The cat moved down the steps, then rolled over and displayed its belly. I guess I've been caught bluffing.
Wednesday, April 1, 2020
High winds
Low tide looked like high and high tide was a flood. And this was the first quarter phase of the moon when it and the sun are at cross purposes for tidal attraction.
A heron stalked around the dock. Two pairs of bluebirds came to the feeders when there were lulls in the wind and rain.
The sky cleared in the afternoon. When I went out to close the seed feeder at dusk, Venus was bright in the West, but there was too much light to make out the Pleiades. The moon was further away, almost overhead.
A heron stalked around the dock. Two pairs of bluebirds came to the feeders when there were lulls in the wind and rain.
The sky cleared in the afternoon. When I went out to close the seed feeder at dusk, Venus was bright in the West, but there was too much light to make out the Pleiades. The moon was further away, almost overhead.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)