Dog tired!

Yesterday was spent pulling up weeds, digging wild onions, watering the lettuce and deciding what I am going to do with all the hosta I have in pots. Today, I am so tired, no make that dog tired(whatever that means). My poor fingernails look terrible not to mention my aching back...lol.

Here's my new squirrel proof birdfeeder that a guy in Lowe's talked me into buying. Said he was on his 3rd one and that it was really squirrel proof. He even demonstrated how it worked. Got to love those old "birding" type men. He started telling me what to do to attract all kinds of birds, didn't want to hurt his feelings and tell him I pretty much already knew, so I just stood there and listened, nodding my head. But $19.99 later I owned this little baby. It took several days for the birds to try it out.


This goldfinch was actually on another feeder and I couldn't get up to close with scaring him off, but most are already starting to turn quite yellow! Just click on the picture and it'll make it big enough to see him.


In addition to all the goldfincheds today, we've also had pileated, downy and red bellied woodpeckers on the suet. Lots of bird chatter and action today!

Read more...

Chowing down!

In the past several weeks, we have been inundated with goldfinches. So much so, that we are refilling our bird feeders every day practically. The flit and fly in every minute or so, sometimes perching and scrambling for position. Add in the cardinals, titmouses, chickadees and the occasional squirrel and we have a smorgasbord of activity! Our little bird visitors, so beautiful in their winter plumage, provide a spot of color in the otherwise drab winter landscape.

It doesn't take much to attract them. Hang your bird feeders filled with sunflower seed or sunflower hearts for the majority of birds or use a thistle feeder to attract the goldfinches. Once they find your feeders you'll certainly enjoy the show!


This little guy popped in this morning, cleaning up leftovers on the ground. He looks like a goldfinch, but actually is a pine warbler.




photo credit goes to hiltonpond.org

Read more...

Visitors

Female Rose-breasted Grosbeak

Now, I'm not saying the fountain had anything to do with this, but I do have to wonder if the sound of water brought these guys in for a visit. Yesterday afternoon, we saw 2 new species of birds in our yard. Aaron, of course has seen them before, but we just hadn't caught a glimpse of them until yesterday. I noticed the female Grosbeak, seeing first the bold eye stripes. I knew immediately it wasn't one of the usual birds I see out in the front yard. It had a seed beak like cardinals, but what struck me was the large size of the eyes. After Monty got a good look, and checking our bird guide, we were sure. It pretty much hung out the rest of the afternoon, flying in and out at the sunflower feeders.


American Redstart

Right after seeing the Grosbeak, I began to see a small warbler like bird flitting quickly about in the top of the birch tree. I could tell it was eating insects by the way it was moving about from limb to limb, barely staying still long enough for us to get a good glance. We were patient and pretty soon both of us got a really nice view of it as it sat for a few seconds on a branch. A very pretty bird, the American Redstart showed off the beautiful yellow stripes on his tail along with his soft gray head. At one time, we had two out flying from birch tree to birch tree.



Our Ranch

And lastly, Trev cut the lower limbs off the bottom of the birch trees yesterday and boy does it look nice. You can now see through them, down the middle of the bird garden to the front porch stoop. He then cut the grass, and well, I have to say the Steed ranch looks pretty awesome.

It's beautiful today and I'm loving it!!

Read more...

Aaron and the Owl

E.T. the Owl came to visit the bird store where Aaron works. The owner of the owl, an older lady, has had this owl in her possession for 26 yrs., hence the name, E.T.(I believe E.T. came out in 1982?). She travels around with this bird and three others, giving seminars and showing the birds.

First, I can't believe that E.T., the movie is that old....

Second, I couldn't believe the same person has owned this bird since it was a wee thing.

Lastly, Owls are so cool and one of my favorite birds for sure!

Read more...

News FLash

Yesterday, out of the blue(no pun intended) we saw a male Blue Grosbeak in the birch tree in the front yard. He flew down to the sunflower feeder, paused a moment and then took flight across the yard where we lost site of him.

This is what the Cornell Bird website has to say about this sharp looking bird:

"A beautiful blue bird with silvery bill and chestnut wingbars, the Blue Grosbeak is an uncommon bird of shrubby habitats across the southern United States."

I have no idea why he stopped by, but I sure hope he will be back to visit!

Read more...

The Eagles are Parents!

Norfolk Botanical Gardens has a nesting pair of Bald eagles who laid 3 eggs back in Feb. The incubation period for eagles is 35 days, so on March 18 the eggs were expected to hatch... however, only in the last day or so have they begun to hatch and as of today the 3rd egg had pipped. So tomorrow all 3 eaglets should be visible.

Really cool. Take a look.

http://www.wvec.com/cams/eagle.html.

Once there check out the latest blog from the biologist on the top right side of page.

Read more...

Bird Identification

Aaron has been teaching us how to identify birds by referencing several bird guides. We've been trying to follow his instructions, but we still revert to our old ways occasionally and try to identify them by color only. The point is now that we have been watching the pine siskins at the feeders, we realize how different they are to the goldfinches. If one didn't pay attention to the differences, then I can see how goldfinches, pine siskins and yellow rumped warblers do all appear to be similar. He would not agree with this because he can easily see their differences. But to me, I can certainly see how at a glance it could be confusing. So here they are for you to check out. These sweet little birds are loving the sunflower hearts, seeds and thistle - so if you would like to attract them, place some feeders in your back yard and enjoy the show!

Read more...

Procrastination 101

I am having a hard time getting motivated this morning. The weather is a little on the chilly and gray side, so I am not really wanting to go out and move my raised beds as I had planned. Pair that with Aaron's attention to March madness and I can just about hang up getting anything accomplished today. As I write he is watching the Fla.St. and UNC game. Oh well.

On another note my chickens are laying again to the tune of 4-5 eggs a day. I had planned on taking in 3 dozen to work to sell and dang if I didn't forget them yesterday morning. So now I am going to have to "float" them again before taking them on Monday. The theory is if they float, they are bad and if they sink, they are good. I don't take any chances and chunk them if they if remotely stand on end rather than sink and lay on their sides at the bottom of the bowl. Pretty high tech- huh?

Aaron identified a Pine Siskin at the bird feeders today. Monty and I had seen one the other day but we thought we were looking at an immature Goldfinch. We should of looked in our bird guide. They are only similar in the fact that both are yellow and black. Just read in the paper this morning about how Salmonella is killing the pine siskins and gold finches. So tomorrow I am going to wash the feeders with a bleach solution and refill them. Don't want to take a chance and spread it among my feeders.

Supposed to rain tomorrow so I think I'll finalize my order to the seed company and get that out in the mail on Monday. Time's a wasting.. so I better get to the laundry at least. More later.

Toodles!

Read more...

The Real Deal!

Well, just let me say this, I thought the immature Baltimore Orioles were great looking birds with their orange-yellow breasts but they in no way compare to a mature male Oriole!

We had just arrived home when I saw the male fly in to our suet feeder. He was so bright you couldn't miss him. And if you haven't guessed it - I had never seen one before today. He is absolutely stunning with the bright orange breast and black markings.

Sooo, I can now add this gorgeous bird to my list. He didn't stay long but I'm betting he'll be back, hopefully with a few more!

Read more...

Birding News

Birds, Birds and more birds!

The feeders in our front yard are just a flurry of activity. Today I saw the Baltimore Orioles back! or maybe they never left? Arriving before Christmas I saw them everyday for a week or so but since then only sporadically. They have such beautiful breasts of orange you just can't miss them.

The Goldfinches are absolutely killing the shelled sunflower hearts and thistle. I guess there are at least 30 flying in and out - filling every perch on the thistle feeder with others perched and ready for a turn.

Throw in the black capped chickadees, tufted titmouse, house finches, cardinals, doves, downy woodpeckers and it's just amazing not to mention entertaining!

Read more...