The Brillance of Purple (?)

They (?) call them Purple Finches.    "Beautiful Beautiful Beautiful"

Things That Go Bump in the Night

A few years ago, well after dark, I heard my darlin say.."What was that? I just heard something. Go outside and see what's out there." Being the great protector that I am, I responded with a very polite "yes Dear" and grabbed my camera and out the door I went. It didn't take me very long to "see" what was making all the noise. I got a quick picture and went back in the house..quickly. And I mean quickly. My darlin asked, "See anything?" I said "Nope, nuttin honey". Then I showed her the picture I had just taken. 

It only took a few hours for her to settle down and go to sleep. Wonder why...

Sunny Turkey Wednesday

After yesterdays rainy miserable day the weatherperson said this morning was going to be sunny and warmer. Well for once they got it right. The local flock came back and gave me quite the show. My Turkey picture library received an abundant addition. Here are some of my favorites. The sounds of nature that filled the backyard while these beautiful birds were doing their thing added to the lasting memory that filled my camera lens. Music from the Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Cardinals was deafening. The sound of that chorus was accompanied by the sweet song from the Tufted Titmouse and the thunder Gobble from big Tom Turkey as he tried to keep his hens in order, and let his rivals know he was in charge. It was indeed a beautiful morning.

Rainy Turkey Tuesday

It's a pretty rainy day here in Chemung, NY today but that in no way means it's going to be boring. My visitors this morning were a bunch of Turkeys...pun intended.

Am I Lucky? or Who Wouldn't Want to Be Me.

 From a furry and feathered viewpoint, my wife and I have been very blessed with the "guest" that we have entertained and, in some cases, fed. I probably should say our guest have done more entertaining than we have. It amazes me that I can honestly say that the list that follows are animal/bird species that have graced our property and have been viewed by my family from the comfort of our deck or computer/living room. It is common knowledge around here that one never knows what they will see at any given time in our backyard. We are indeed blessed. I have "at the ready" 2 video cameras that are connected to my PC that I can activate within seconds. I have another video camera that fits nicely into my pocket in case I have to hike further out into the yard. I always have my much loved Nikon D-60/zoom lens camera within arms reach. My video library and picture folders and albums are my treasures. I am so very very thankful for being where I am and being who I am. Thanks Honey for letting me make this paradise happen.

These Creatures have been to our yard....

Birds                                          Wildlife

Baltimore Oriole                         Bear

Barn Swallow                             Chipmunk

Bluebird                                     Coyote

Blue Jay                                     Deer

Canada Geese                            Fox (Gray)

Cardinal                                     Fox (Red)

Carolina Wren                            Mink

Catbird                                      Opossum

Cedar Waxwing                         Rabbit

Chickadee                                  Raccoon

Crow                                         Skunk

Dove                                          Squirrel (Flying)

Duck (Mallard)                           Squirrel (Red)

Duck (Merganser)                       Squirrel (Gray)

Duck (Wood)                             Woodchuck

Evening Grosbeak                                                                  

Flicker

Gold Finch

Hawk (Cooper)

Hawk (Red Tailed)

Hawk (Sheep skinned)

Hummingbird (Ruby Throated)

Indigo Bunting

Junco

Kingfisher

Nuthatch

Phoebe (Eastern)

Purple Finch

Red-wing Blackbird

Robin

Rose breasted Grosbeak

Ruffed Grouse

Tufted Titmouse

Turkey

Turkey Vulture

Woodpecker (Downy)

Woodpecker (Hairy)

Woodpecker (Pilated)

Woodpecker (Red bellied)

Crunchy Peanut-Butter and a Carolina Wren

I read an article (  http://www.wbu.com/barkbutter/birdlist.html  ) a while back regarding Bark Butter and found it to be quite fascinating. While I was waiting for my order, I got a little brainstorm of my own. We do a little burning of firewood in our fireplace during the winter months. Mostly for atmospheric conditions or just to take the chill off our computer room. Nonetheless, I took a couple of fireplace logs and drilled a few 1 inch spade bit holes, maybe a half inch deep, around the log. Filling these holes with crunchy peanut-butter mixed with birdseed has proved to be quite the attraction for a wide variety of my feathered friends. Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers, Red-Bellied Woodpeckers, White-breasted Nuthatch, Tufted Titmouse, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Black-capped Chickadees have had a good time feeding on my logs. The one bird I most enjoy watching on the log is the Carolina Wren. This amazing creature has developed an art at plunging its beak into the soft PB glob and poking around until it finds a piece of nut and than pulls it out of the hole. It is very interesting to watch. It, more often than not, will have sticky PB stuck to the sides of its beak after this operation, and goes through quite the antics to relieve itself of this substance. Again, it's interesting to watch.

Now, if I can just get this sticky stuff off my beak.

Isn't bird-feeding, bird-watching, bird-loving great? If you haven't caught this "bug" yet, you'd be amazed as to how refreshing it is.....Try it, you'll like it.

Twice I've failed to get "The Dream Picture"

I have "The Dream Picture" in my brains' photo library. Actually I have 2 pictures now. And both brain photos happened when I was preoccupied doing normal daily duties. The first time, last fall, I was on a walk with my faithful dog Sam. We were busy playing I'll throw this ball and you go get it and bring it back to me and I'll throw it again and so on. On one of the throws, as I watched the ball sail and the happy and slowed gait of an elder Lab that still, at times, thinks he's a puppy, I noticed a flash of white up and off to my left. I turned and was shocked to see a beautiful Bald Eagle flying down the course of the creek that flows behind my house. Now, my wife and I, like most homeowners, have put a lot of effort, time, love, and money, into our homestead to make it pretty and cozy looking. We are both very proud of our accomplishments in that regard. Our place looks beautiful. However, seeing that eagle, that day, flying down the creek behind our house, was one of the most beautiful things this pair of eyes has ever seen. I cherish that memory. The sadness of that event is I was able to share it with no one except Sam the Lab. He had a mouthful of ball and could of course cared less. Bummer. I'm sure he sensed my happiness, but probably thought it was because he brought the ball back to me. I was on cloud nine. Reality set in when I picked up the slobbered, slimy tennis ball and threw it again. A few hours later when my wife returned from where ever she was, doing whatever she was doing, I was able to relive that minute of joy again. I described in detail for the next hour how beautiful that 60 second event was to the point of boring her, I'm sure.
And than, this morning. Sitting at my computer desk, on the phone with our heating oil provider, ordering fuel, it happened again. That beautiful Bald Eagle, once again, was flying along the course of the creek, no more than 25 or 30 feet off the ground. What an amazing beautiful site. Poor CiCi. That's the gals name I was talking to on the phone. Our business conversation went right out the window as I immediately started to describe to her what I was seeing. Sam was with me again, only this time he was on the floor behind me, sound asleep. My camera was within arms reach, my chair swivels, the door is right there, BUT.....I can't just drop the phone....can I? No I didn't. I watched in awe as that beautiful bird continued his flight up the creek and faded out of sight. Twice, I've been privileged to see this majestic creature fly by my home, and twice he has failed to appear in the lens of my camera. My "Dream Picture" remains just that....
Oh, BTW...My wife is working now.....I can't wait until she gets home later today...What's the quote from Yogi?...deju vu all over again.