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| Can You See the Flicker? |
When my son sends cards, nine out of ten times, there are birds on them. Last year at Christmas, he gave me bird seed. Now HOW Sweet is that!! (well not just birdseed..he is simply, very thoughtful and knows my feathered weakness))) If you look around the house interior...Nova Scotia carved Folk Art birds watch our every move! So it goes without saying, the last few weeks have been pretty awesome in the garden, with Northern Flickers feeding their young, feasting on the bazillion ANTS... INVASION of the century! They love those tiny little morsels and I love them for that! Well not just for that..they are beautiful.
After having a drink at the pond, this one flew to the corner of the workshop and likely had 'afters' of spider and earwig. Yummmm. Sadly, I never seem to have a camera in hand during opportune bird sighting moments, and, if I do, the photos are inevitably blurry like the one above. Still, I persevere. The bird cam has been a success but with our focusing on finishing the deck and finally having summer arrive....well you know (((.
We did have robins nest in the Wisteria but they made off without sharing their big day! Woodpeckers have been coming to the feeders, and all are loving the birdbaths. We lost one this year...birdbath that is, and poor ole Stink (our dog) just about got clobbered by the pedestal. Fortunately, he had just left the workshop when..ahem..."someone" on the upper floor moved something which knocked something causing a reaction and down the pedestal fell, through the lift hole crashing twelve feet below. Course no one fesses up to these things until one must...when weeks pass and the bird bath doesn't appear... "Ah...well...ahem....I didn't tell you this...well you see...etc etc." So there, I'm over it...you can tell.... right?
We've had a lot of American Gold Finches, Juncos (stalwarts of the garden) ....Crows with their young, Mourning Doves and Ruby Throated Hummingbirds but there is something about 'red' birds in the garden... they light up your eyes. Think this one is a male Purple Finch but heh..it's really RED!
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| Eating soft snails...as far as we could figure out anyway! |
Birds love a fresh water source in a garden to drink and bathe...and if you are able to feed them all summer, they will reward you by eating lots of bugs as well as singing their hearts out.
p.s..I was mistaken..the Robins are still feeding their young..and they sure didn't like us near the pond tonight!
Birds know no borders :) And its wonderful to note that the birdie are extened to your home in the form of gifts. It always nice to see the different birds, such colourful wings. About 10 minutes ago, my husband went down to the garden to refill the water bath, the sunshine has come out today - yay.
ReplyDeleteDo hope you and the Captain are well.
Flickers are one of my favourite birds. When I discovered they were a woodpecker I was astounded. How could such a pretty bird be a woodpecker?! They always seem to me to have blush on their cheeks.
ReplyDeleteI have a bird thing too. I always liked birds but learned a whole lot more about them when I worked in an ornithology lab at Duke and went out with some very enthusiastic and experienced birders.
ReplyDeleteHi Bren, We have feeders hanging in a tree within sight of the window overlooking the kitchen sink. Often, I will look up from routine kitchen chores to see a jay or some chick-a-dees. I find the woodpeckers love suet and so it has become a winter staple.
ReplyDeleteP.S. Stink is a great name for a dog! And my Mum carves birds. There are lots of Nova Scotia folk art birds in my house too.
Oh, this is such a wonderful post and certainly one that touches my heart! I enjoy our birds so much. I have several bird bathes around the yard. What is it about watching birds splash around that is so fun for us humans?? Also, kitty cat Katie loves to watch them splash around .... she pays no attention till she hears the splashing ... then she rushes to the window. Do you have any trouble with the woodpeckers leaving holes in your house? We had to stop feeding, as they had really taken a liking to our cedar siding. The Flicker is one of my favorites and the past two summers I have been lucky to watch one of their nests on my morning walks.
ReplyDelete~Michele
The edge of your pond is lovely Bren and I so see the Flicker and a bit of it's reflection too (I think.) Birds do reward us throughout the garden season. Sweet post! Robins just have to adjust to our being about, if they choose to live so closely. ;>))
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