January 2009

I know I've been very remiss and have taken three months off, but I'm going to post a whole month's worth of pictures now. These were all taken around the house this month.

New and old visitors

I looked out the window this afternoon and saw something on the dock! Quick, binoculars and camera!

A green heron! First time I've seen one actually stop at our dock.

You'll have to click the pictures bigger to see him.

Zoomed in
He's looking down at the minnows in the creek
He stops for an itch. He stayed a while, but I didn't see him do any actual fishing. Still a fun sighting.

The previously molting cardinals are looking better!

Molting

No, I haven't been on some wonderful vacation. I've been without internet access for two endless weeks. All is well now, with a new dish on the roof and a new modem--and it's much faster than before which may help with former blogging frustrations.

Anyway, now that I'm back I'll show you some of the pictures I took in the meantime.

Here are some birds losing their feathers in their pre-migration molt. Actually none of these will be migrating, but they still get a nice new set of feathers at the end of the summer. They don't look all that great in the process though.

Birds of the day

Poor Mr. Bluebird--sitting on a house that has the nest ruined in it again. It was sideways as if a wren were taking it over and the heavy, but now cold eggs were on the floor of the house under the nest. This is the second brood they've lost. I hope they try again.

At least he got a big bug for himself.

This was the reddest cardinal I've ever seen. Of course he didn't want to show his front to the camera.

A picture just doesn't show how red he was!

Then she joined him. It was so hard trying to get them both looking up and nice.

Mustn't forget the painted buntings. She looking rather inscrutable and he looking a bit curious about her.


I was ready when Mr. white-breasted nuthatch appeared again!




I saw a tiny bird at a distance in the wisteria. I had the camera rather than the binoculars so I used it to identify a blue-gray gnatcatcher. He proceeded to groom himself. I never knew they had that prominent eyebrow before.




It was quite exciting to have the blue grosbeack on the upstairs feeders!

He and the painted bunting glared at each other for a bit.

But then ignored each other and went back to eating.


It really is a gross, in the size sense, beak!

>
Now three crummy pictures of the indigo bunting who insists on staying far away in poor light where he can only be seen through a tinted thermal window. But he's so pretty!

For size--he's tiny.

Oh, how I wish this shot had been good! Indogo buning on top of feeder, painted bunting to the right, cardinal to the left, and female blue grosbeak at the bottom. Oh well.

I've had no email access for three days while my server supposedly was upgrading. It was only supposed to take half a day. So I posted too many pictures today to make up for it.

Please email any questions or comments to:
bwkrucke@gmail.com

Thanks.