A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day....1-24-06....A Birders' Eye View

GodBlessUSA

[GodBlessUSA]

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day

Free Republic made its debut in September, 1996, and the forum was added in early 1997.   Over 100,000 people have registered for posting privileges on Free Republic, and the forum is read daily by tens of thousands of concerned citizens and patriots from all around the country and the world.

A Few of FR's Finest....Every Day was introduced on June 24, 2002. It's only a small room in JimRob's house where we can get to know one another a little better; salute and support our military and our leaders; pray for those in need; and congratulate those deserving. We strive to keep our threads entertaining, fun, and pleasing to look at, and often have guest writers contribute an essay or a profile of another FReeper.

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We're having fun and hope you are!
~ Billie, Dutchess, Dolly Cali, Mama_Bear, GodBlessUSA ~

One beautiful spring morning shortly after we moved in to our home, my 3-year-old daughter pointed at a bird and said, "Look Mommy." There on the tree was one of the most beautiful birds I'd ever seen--one I had never noticed before. I now know that it was a Redbelly Woodpecker. We were so thrilled to see such a beautiful bird in our yard, we jumped in the car to the store and we bought feeders and food for the birds.

Since that day, backyard birdwatching has been a passion of mine which I have a combined with my passion for gardening. Now my daugher and I garden for the birds, and my yard has become a place for everything from the common, but still beautiful, Robin to rare Warblers, Rose Breasted Grosbeak, and flocks of Chickadees.

I’m not an expert on birds or gardening. I’m always learning. I’d like to share the wonderful facts and stories I have learned in future threads. So many of us love spending time with nature, please share your stories of anything you do that gives you peace and enjoyment. Here are a few pictures from my backyard.

       Redbelly Woodpecker                 Blue Jay

Flicker Woodpecker     CatBird       GoldFinches

"I'd rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck". Emma Goldman

Recently, my kids and I took a trip to a bird preserve. This is a tranquil place with easy-to-follow trails. Once out of the wooded paths, there's a trail to follow and you reach the beach and have magnificent views.

The truly unique part of this preserve is, the birds will land on the palm of your hand and take seed. You will know when the birds are there because the birds will call to you. Holding a few sunflower seeds and nuts, they love the peanuts in winter, out in your palm and wait for the chickadees to land on your hand and grab the seeds. It's incredible to experience a small delicate Chickadee, Nuthatch or Titmouse picking through seed in your hand. This is a very special place for my kids and me.

Woods Path to Beach                   A View From Beach

Chickadee                                     Downy Woodpecker

Chickadees on my daughter's and son's hand.

Mallard Ducks

A Rabbit and Robin, they think we can't see them. :)

Nuthatch                                     Tufted Titmouse

"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment, while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance that I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn."    Henry David Thoreau

12-28-05 ~ Hall of Fame #14

Click on the photo to view the album. To submit your photo, please contact dansangel or .45Man at danbh59@yahoo.com and include Freeper Photo Album in subject line.

Opinions by our own 'King of Ping' Every Thursday at the Finest The guy's good, folks!

[cripplecreek]

[A Cyrenian]

Thanks for the post. Really enjoy seeing the pictures.

[DollyCali]

Ornithology Quiz

Try very hard to see if you can determine which is the male & which is the female loon in this picture.

[GodBlessUSA]

LOL! Ah, the one gabbing is the male right? :)

[GodBlessUSA]

Hi Sweetliberty :)
Thanks!
Excellent picture. I love the Cardinals, They are such handsome birds. :)

[MEG33]

LOL!

[GodBlessUSA]

Hi Cripplecreek
Great shot of the Jay. They leave my yard, for the most part this time of year because the Hawks come late fall to early spring. I can still hear them from time to time. I sure miss them.

[snugs]

Looks a lovely place

[snugs]

As we use one ping list on the dose I suspect we all ping ourselves each time we put the thread up.

[GodBlessUSA]

Good Morning Snug :)
It is a favorite place to go. The wild life is so tame that my daughter has even fed the Chipmunks. It's a wonderful place to escape to for peace. A little piece of heaven on earth.:)

[MEG33]

I love this thread! I went back to look again at your beautiful presentation..wonderful backgrounds!.

[sweetliberty]

"Ah, the one gabbing is the male right?"

But of course. What did you think?

Now I really do have to run. Y'all have fun!

[GodBlessUSA]

Thanks Meg!
I was so nervous when I was doing this thread. All the kind words make me feel so terrific. :)

[GodBlessUSA]

LOL :)
Thanks Sweetliberty
Have a great day!

[MEG33]

;)

[Hot Tabasco]

Thats a trick question. Those aren't loons they're seagulls.....

[DollyCali]

"Ah, the one gabbing is the male right?"

well, ladies I was privy to the conversation. the bird on the right IS THE MALE ... he is "discussing" her driving flying skills.

off for a good part of day. Will try to check in between my outing today & date tonight. Busy, busy, busy.

GeeBee I have a TON of bird pix from biking, hiking, kayaking.. many varieties of goose, duck, heron, birds of prey. I don't believe I will be around enough today to work them up in "acceptable" size to use here . drat.

One of the sections of my book is on "duck tails" and many of those pix are already earmarked.

[DollyCali]

ah,, I did NOT take that pix.. the label said loons. sorry. They looked a bit like gulls to me. I have rehabbed 3 from lake Erie over the years. They were fuller than these birds but I never did take an ornithology class & do NOT claim to be an expert

Gotta run!

[Hot Tabasco]

Cool eagle photo! BTY, I live in S.E. Michigan and have a friend who lives in New Baltimore on Lake St. Clair. Right before Christmas her husband yelled to her to come to the living room window and when she got there she saw a bald eagle sitting on the top of one of the pilons on their seawall.

Then she went on to tell me how one of her neighbors had a habit of leaving their miniature dachsund in the front yard teathered on a leash. Well, the dachsund ended up as somebody's lunch, either he eagle's or another bird of prey, possibly a red tail hawk since they are all over the place.

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

Hello, Lovely thread:)

I have enjoyed my bird watching hugely this winter. I have seen several types that I've never seen in the past. Brown Creeper, Hairy Woodpecker, Northern Flicker, and my very favorite one, a Yellowbelly Sapsucker.

It took me awhile to identify him, because he is a juvenile and won't get his adult colors till spring. I am so hoping that he hangs around till he has changed. I am not in his summer territory. He is the coolest bird to watch. The first time I saw him I thought he looked ancient. I call him my "old man" bird:). He is very slow moving, very diliberate in his movements. When he comes down the same tree he always does to get a drink from the bird bath, he backs a ways, then turns and looks, backs some more, turns and looks. Then when he's in the right place you can see him gather himself up for the leap from tree to birdbath:). The oly thing he seems interested in to eat is the peanut butter I have smeared on several trees. Most generally I see him several times a day, but every once in a while he disappears for a day or two and I worry about where the old man is:)

I will try to get a picture of him, once he lands at the peanut butter he stays along time and doesn't seem to take off in a panic over much like the other birds do. But my camera.s zoom isn't the best so it may be hard to see him.

Thanks for the thread.

Becky