Bird Watching

When your camera starts doing stuff like this


and this


it's time to get a new one.

In the meantime, I've been taking pictures with the video camera, mostly of the birds who always seemed to be seeing me, see them. And thanks to my friend Sandy, I now have a bird book so I know who they are....mostly.

(Robin)

(Gray Catbird)

(White-Throated Sparrow)

(Blue Jay)

(female Cardinal)

During the fall and winter there was a small flock of bluebirds eating seeds from this tree.

(the red one is a House Finch

and the other two are American Goldfinches
- the male is the brighter yellow)

On this particular day, I counted 15 Goldfinches! That's a record for us. Every year more and more birds come, different kinds and more of each kind we already have.



The other day I caught a brief view of an Indigo Bunting. What a beautiful bird! Bright, electric blue against black.

In January, I saw something really rare - two Pileated Woodpeckers. They're huge! I thought I was recording, but apparently I never hit the record button. Grrrrr! Fortunately, I did accidentally snap one picture though.


We also had a Hawk of some kind hanging around. I was washing my hands and happened to see it sitting right out front searching for a meal.


This bird used to show up every day and sing outside my studio window. I can't seem to identify it though. Anyone know? (click the picture to make it bigger)



We also have lots of furry little nibblers.



I adore the chipmunks. Now that the cats are gone, the chipmunks have a chance of not being a cat-snack. I saw this one gathering food in the front yard.


And then there was this.....sitting in the corner of the laundry room. Gives me the heebee-geebies just looking at it again. This morning I checked my shoes before I put them on.


We explained to it that we were going to catch and release it outside. Thankfully it cooperated.

We're so good to the bugs.....we always catch them and put them back outside. We have a hard time killing them. Even if they're little and annoying or big scary, still doesn't give us the right to take their life. There are always exceptions to the rule though. When we do have to kill something (ants, ticks, etc.), we always say, "Sorry." Maybe we're weird. If so, I don't want to be "normal."

I haven't been arting much. Been feeling really blissfully domestic. Doing some gardening, cleaning, eating lots of fruit.

But I have some fun plans for the very near future........

~make some magick for yourself today~
Meliss