.
Posted on 03/05/2005 8:07:37 AM PST by sweetliberty
As far as birds, I have found they like shrubs and shrub like trees to hide from predators while they eat. Half of my acre is still wooded and I have many birds. I put out seed, suet and have a small pond that they drink water from.
Our robins who refused to go south for the winter were out in force today. They are one tough bunch.
All your pictures are beautiful. Very busy feeders when it snows. I love Red-breasted Nuthatches. This is the first year they stuck around for us.
.
Glad you liked them.
Then, this morning, I got up and as I was making coffee I saw the Pileated Woodpecker again. First time I'd seen him since I mentioned it before. He was on the ground and really hammering on something. Old stump I suppose. Whenever one of the squirrels that was nosing around would get close enough to annoy him, he'd spread and flap his wings the way a goose or a swan does. I just HAD to at least try and get a picture. He was there for a good long time. Of course, I couldn't get close enough to get a good picture without scaring him away, but you can kinda make him out in this one. This thing is as big as a chicken! Just to give you and idea of his size, this was probably shot from nearly 150 yards away with a camera with a worthless zoom.
.
.
And finally, I got to see the Yankee Flipper dismiss a squirrel. It was a hoot. I only ever get to see this cool stuff on the weekends. The rest of the time, I'm not schedule coordinated enough with the birds and I'm always on the run.
How exciting it must be to see a Bluebird in your birdbath! I'm going to see if I can see Bluebirds, at a nearby sanctuary, this year. They have the houses set up for them in a field. Fingers crossed.
This is a tulip from last year. Tulip Angelique. I planted many this past fall. I hope the little critters didn't take them all. Last year, tulips were popping up where I didn't plant them.
That's a tulip? Wow. That is really pretty. Looks almost like a rose.
I posted it because I'm looking through garden pictures remembering what flowers look like. Winter is taking it's toll on me now. :) I can't wait for spring. They are saying possible snow at the end of the week. Oh, no!
I know what you mean. After that beautiful, 83 degree day we had Saturday, we had another freeze last night. I am SO sick of these weather swings. It is time for Spring to get here and STAY here!
The Pileated Woodpecker is back hammering on the ground this this morning. I can't imagine what is so interesting over there that he is staying on the ground for so long at a time. Whatever it is, the squirrels are finding it interesting, too. He had an altercation with one of them this morning. He gets hisself all fluffed up and flaps his wings. It is pretty funny. Comical bird. I hope there are more of them around. I think where there is one, surely there must at least be a mate.
I keep hearing people say that they are endangered. I thought that was just the Ivory-billed ones (which I don't know if this is because I haven't been able to see his beak that close), but I could be wrong. Either that, or perhaps people are mixing them up with another species. How many species of woodpeckers are there anyway? I think I have representatives of most of them. LOL!
Junco?
Is that a Downey or Harried Woodpecker?
It is! And it looks like a cartoon character in real life too. LOL! I was almost late to an important meeting this morning, I got so busy watching him. Fortunately, some kids scared him into the trees. I did take a peak at what he'd been working on so intently, though. I was right about it being an old stump, but it looked like an excavation operation. Sheesh! That bird must have some power behind that beak! I hope he is there again in the morning.
What kind of clippers do you have? I have a Himalayan Cat that I cut to look like a lion. His undercoat fur is dense and his topcoat is not particularly pretty. His personality changes when he is shaved but I go through clippers too fast.
I have both. I get them mixed up. I think that one's a Downy Woodpecker though.
Andis Detachable Plus AG. I have the blades sharpened once a year or so. You would use quite a bit different size blade than I probably. I mean this golden has the fur of a grizzly bear with a super dense undercoat.
I am so glad you started this thread. I enjoy reading about the birds and weather, etc. I am in Michigan and there is still snow on the ground. Can't wait to get outside. I will soon put out my hummingbird feeders and oriole feeders although I had oriole's at the hummingbird feeders last year.
I wish there was some answer to the mess under the feeder that builds, germinates and molds. I do not feed the birds in the summer because of my flower garden. Weeding is enough let alone the germinating of feed that goes all over.
The dreaded the tree seeds that pop up all over the flower beds will soon be here!!
http://sjr.state.fl.us/welcome/screensavers/screensavers.html
Wildlife screensavers
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.