After bit of overnight rain and quite strong winds the wind picked up even more from the NW so I wasn't expecting any new migrants. I sat outside on the sheltered Eastern side of the house for a bit but didn't stay long and my ass was damp from leaving the seat inside during the rain.
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| Common Grackle |
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| Northern Cardinal |
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| White-throated Sparrow |
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| American Goldfinch |
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| American Robin |
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| Common Grackle |
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| Gray Catbird |
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| Gray Catbird |
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| Gray Catbird |
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| Gray Catbird |
I got set up in the blind just after 2pm and soon there were 5 Blue Jays, 3 Common Grackles, a Red-winged Black and 2 Starlings all having a good old splash about in the 77F degree heat. Not exactly what I had in mind. I forgot to mention the Robins hurtling about crashing into the blind on a couple of occasions. After saying the Red-bellied Woodpeckers never come down to the waterfall one of the females did a couple of times, even a Flicker. Then it happened. Yay! A Black and White Warbler showed up to my left. My favorite warbler I think. I got a few quick shots of him but he was spooked by the unruly bathers. Shortly afterwards I heard a Baltimore Oriole call and he turned up in the tree above the waterfall, he too didn't fancy getting water splashed in his face by the rowdy Blue Jays. The Black and White Warbler returned once the waterfall bathing area quietened down and gave me quite a show. There were several White-throated and Chipping Sparrows and the Red-winged Blackbird returned for a second bath and then proceeded to preen on the old vine showing his red wing patch. As my attention was on him, I missed the Ovenbird flying in until he was smack dab I front of me. What a lovely bird, you'd hardly recognize him as a warbler from his pose at first. I think this is the first I've managed to photograph in the yard. A fleeting visit from a Myrtle Warbler who only showed me his back and it was time to head inside. Tomorrow is going to be great!
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| Baltimore Oriole |
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| Black and White Warbler |
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| Black and White Warbler |
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| Black and White Warbler |
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| Common Grackle |
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| Ovenbird |
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| Ovenbird |
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| Ovenbird |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker |
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| Red-winged Blackbird |
Things are still a little slow at the moment, it is still early but I can hope. I was sure yesterday was going to be the day but although it was bright and sunny and around 65F it wasn't to be. It's still very chilly at night and the leaves are not fully out making the afternoon light still a little harsh. The evening light however is gorgeous. The Song Sparrow was taken around 4:45 and the Bluebird and Cardinal around 6:30 with the sun going down behind me. Later in the season when the leaves are fully developed the afternoon light will be perfect and nicely diffused.
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| Song Sparrow |
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| Northern Cardinal |
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| Eastern Bluebird |
It was a pleasant 68F this afternoon when I set the blind up in front of the waterfall. I stayed out photographing the usual residents until about 4:30 when I came in to cook dinner. Kelly and I then went out on a date to Dairy Queen for an M&M Blizzard. I know how to show her a good time time eh? As the light looked pretty gorgeous I went back outside and it wasn't long before it started to feel very chilly as the temperature started dropping. I was hoping for a warbler and I'm pretty sure I could hear one ticking away nearby. A Blue Jay dropped in and the light was really nice as the sunlight filtered through the trees at the back of me. A Tufted Titmouse came and perched on just about every stump and root available. The shot I like best has the blue Jacobs Ladder in the background. It was approaching 7PM when a Song Sparrow flew in for a quick drink. He landed on a favorite perch of an old root, I've lost count of the birds that I've photographed on that old upside down root. Thats it I thought, I was shivering just wearing a thin shirt. Just as I was about to take the camera off the tripod and call it a night when this beauty just flew in. He had a good old drink and then a Blue Jay came and spooked him. Brown Thrashers are quite long birds and the first couple of shots I missed his tail. I'm glad I stayed out just that bit longer.
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| Brown Thrasher |
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| Brown Thrasher |
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| Blue Jay |
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| Song Sparrow |
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| Tufted Titmouse |
Saturday was a little on the chilly side and occasionally cloudy and dark. I spent a little while photographing out of the East window and the usual crowd showed up, Bluebird, Carolina Wren, Cardinal and a very beady eyed Grackle. In the afternoon I sat in front of the waterfall for a couple of hours and the Red-breasted Nuthatch paid a visit for a drink. He and at least a couple of his pals have been here since the fall. A regular supply of peanuts, suet and sunflower seeds no doubt have helped enormously. Again the usual crowd at the waterfall. It's still early for the Warblers though a few are arriving. Sunday was much warmer and we spent 3 hours walking around Memorial Lake. Along the way we saw several Palm, Pine and Myrtle Warblers, a good size flock of Bufflehead, Ruddy Ducks, Pied-Billed Grebe, a couple of Osprey and all the regular birds you'd expect to see up there. We did miss seeing a Caspian Tern apparently which would have been nice. The Trout Lily's were blooming all over the place. The Skunk Cabbage was a lovely bright green and I took a shot of those too.
As it was nice in the afternoon too I sat in front of the waterfall hoping for a nice spanking colorful warbler to come and pose for me. Nope. A nice selection of birds did pose so I took their photograph anyway.
Here's some photographs from my weekend, not in any chronological order.
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| Morning in the Backyard |
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| Evil Looking Common Grackle |
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| Field Sparrow |
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| Fishing at Memorial Lake |
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| Red-breasted Nuthatch |
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| Red-winged Blackbird |
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| Song Sparrow |
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| Tree Swallow |
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| Trout Lily |
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| American Robin |
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| Skunk Cabbage |
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| White-throated Sparrow |
The Tufted Titmouse was always a year round bird in my yard but for several years the numbers dropped in this area probably due to West Nile virus. For several years I never saw even one anywhere. This mosquito carried virus not only affected humans it also reduced the numbers of Blue Jays for instance along with several others I'm sure. For whatever reasons the Blue Jay numbers have risen to their previous level and last fall I saw my first Tufted Titmouse. One of my favorite birds, I love their big feet that look like they're wearing gloves. There's at least a couple of pairs and they're singing away so maybe they're back for good. I hope so.
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| Tufted Titmouse |
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| Eastern Bluebird |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker |
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| Red-bellied Woodpecker |
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| Tufted Titmouse |
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| Cherry Blossom |
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| Tufted Titmouse |
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| Common Grackle |
As yesterday's title was Murky Monday and today started off pretty much the same I was looking for a word beginning with T to go with Tuesday. I gave up and checked on thesaurus.com. The best synonym I could find was tenebrous. Never heard that one before, educational eh? So the title was going to be Tenebrous Tuesday, but after what I photographed forget it. I got my first warbler of the year, it was a new yard tick and I managed to get a decent photograph of it. Screw Tenebrous, it's Tremendous Tuesday. The sun's shining now too.
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| American Goldfinch |
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| Carolina wren |
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| Common Grackle |
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| Dark-eyed Junco |
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| Eastern Bluebird |
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| Northern Cardinal |
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| Yellow-throated Warbler |
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| Yellow-throated Warbler |
