Do You See What I See?

The caps are like a basket weave, or a complex woven chair seat and doesn't it look like bark?  The pattern on the acorn itself forecasts the woodgrain of a future tree.

I love the Fall.

Found

I am a collector.  

Pottery, ceramic chickens, magazines...and lately, things I find when I walk the dogs.  

Like what?  

Well, acorns.  And these lovely pineconey things that look like flowers.  Nuts from my back yard that the resident squirrel eats round the clock. I filled up a glass vase with those for some free fall decor.

 And, after some high wind on Friday, mistletoe.

Have you looked at a acorn?  Go get two or three from different trees.  They come in all shapes and sizes...and the acorns themselves have different patterns on them.  And the caps.  All that lovely texture on the outside, and more pattern on the inside.

Here's some mistletoe.  I loveLOVElove the color.  The texture, too.

Go walk your dog and see what you find.

Hanging' with the Hawk

Sunday, I was sitting on the steps with the dogs when I heard a furious Blue Jay screaming.  I scanned the surrounding trees and saw nothing.  Then a large shadow crossed the ground, and when I looked up, this hawk was crossing my yard and landed here.

Close up:  See his eye?!  This is with my 55-200 lens fully racked out.  This lens is not what I'd call a professional grade lens, but when I cropped the photo, I could clearly see him eyeing me, or probably the glint of the lens.  "You eyeing me, boy?" [Name that movie]

Soon the furious Blue Jay was joined by a crack head Mockingbird who tempted fate by dive bombing the hawk.

And in a fit of goodwill, the hawk forebore ending the Mockingbird's singing career and decided to stretch his wings.

I would guess the hawk on that limb was about 300 ft away from where I was on the deck.

Bird Watching

So, after being out of sight for a while, this guy turned back up and brought all his feathers this time. I know it's him because he has this special way of bullying that the other cardinals don't.

He brought a friend.  See him?

The friend is a heavy drinker.

Okay, check out those tiny little feet.  I don't understand how he's hanging on.

We've been promised rain today.  In fact, one forecast said it would start yesterday (it didn't) and continue through Monday.  It's been a long time since it rained.  My grass is mostly brown, the hydrangeas are wilted and as much as I'm ready for rain for my yard, I'm ready for a rainy day for me.  I've always liked rainy days. They're refreshing somehow.  

Sunday Shots

All summer, the butterfly bush has drawn these black and yellow guys.  And while I enjoyed them, I did wish for more colors.




Today, I got to see more colors.




And a butterfly duel.  Who knew?  They chased each other from flower to flower, fluttering madly, until they shot up into the sky.





Then, just as the duellers were fluttering off, this guy showed up.



And he gave me a nice profile shot.



And a stained glass shot.



Hope you're having a wonderful Labor Day weekend.

Twiggy

Twiggy has been appearing nightly on my screen door.  To get a photo of her is a bit tough since it's usually around 10 pm (no light) and there's only the porch light when she comes over to dine on bugs drawn to the light.  And she's camera shy and always walking away from the camera lens.  But I've not had a chance to take any photos lately and I was missing it, so Twiggy was it.

Hopefully there will be better efforts later this week.

TTFN.

Bad Hair Day

That this is a mini buzzard in a cardinal suit?

Seriously - did you know that cardinals and blue jays lose their head feathers all at one time?  I was so distressed for this guy I googled it to see if he needed help. 

Good thing it's after mating season.

Mockingbird Smackdown!

Snow Bullets

So far, today, as of 9:05 am:

• Gus and Cotton have been outside 3 times since 7 am
• I've taken 75 or so pictures ( lovelovelove digital). the cardinal below is for Merry, sorry it's fuzzy

• I have enjoyed two mugs of warm, rich steaming coffee
• Gus has enjoyed two green, ripe, creamy avocados stolen from the counter

• I made an english muffin with cream cheese and lemon curd
• I took pictures from the front step before any cars went down my street
• 5 people + their 8 or so dogs have been down my street, probably to the park.  We are going for a walk, too, but not yet

• 2 cars have been down my icy, snow crusted street - one was the newspaper man - his car had a 2 foot pile of snow on top and he was riding along with the windows down.  BRRRRR
• Lots of birds ar enjoying the feeders.  Glad I had the presence of mind to fill it yesterday, and put a few cups on the ground

• I'm watching snow fall off the branches of the trees when the wind blows, or a bird lands
• I was surprised by the bluebird that appeared at the suet feeder, and he's back right now
• All my friends have visited: both woodpeckers, the towhees, the tufted titmouses, a sparrow, blue jays, doves, a mockingbird

• Snow in the South is magical, but it is also scary.  I'm thankful that enough fell to be beautiful but didn't bring down tree limbs and then power lines
• The dogs are barking, I bet the black cat is on the prowl

New Faces

There have been some new faces since the pinecone birdfeeders have come and gone.  Seems like the big feeder and the suet feeder attract a different clientele.

I haven't seen one of these red-winged blackbirds in years. 

A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Work

So I was slowly driving along, enjoying the morning.  It was Friday, so it was take the dogs to run-around-wear-yourselves-out-so-I-can-do-what-I-want-Friday-night day.

My Stars!  What was that?  I stopped the car and looked back - yep, that was no ordinary mailbox.  It had a hawk finial.  So I backed up, whipped out my trusty camera while the hawk looked over it's shoulder and eyed me---until I lowered the car window.  Then it barely twitched it's wings and sailed about 10 feet to this tree.

'I vant to be alone.'

'Are you gone yet?'

'I vill change branches.  See my fierce talons?'

'Still there.  How rude.'

'I vill permit zee profile shot. Now, kindly begone!'

So, I've looked up the hawks common to the area, and none exactly fits.  Any ideas?  There was no rust color on it's front and the down on it's legs isn't spotted.  And there's no red on it's tail. 

Still, so very fierce and beautiful.  And a lot of fun to spot sitting on the mailbox post at 9 am Friday morning.

The Inevitable.

As I watched them race around on the ground, looking up at the pinecones, I knew.  As they stared with their beady, black eyes, I knew this day would come.

Have I ever told you my brother and I had a baby squirrel as a pet?  We did.  Named, originally enough, Skippy.  After the peanut butter we used.

And this morning, I awoke to no Pinecone Cafe hanging in the tree.

The greedy rascals had broken the line that the Pinecone Cafe hung from.  But I heard that a new Pinecone Cafe stash may be under construction.  Hang on, Pinecone patrons...we'll be back!

Return to Pinecone Cafe

I am still loving these pinecone feeders.  This is the last one, and as you can see, it's getting pretty cleaned out.  It's fun to watch the birds work out that more than one can feed at a time.  I'm will get the big feeder cleaned and filled up and hung, but I'm going to have to find some more things like this so I can keep seeing my woodpecker friends.  Do those suet feeders work?  Has anyone tried them? 

Woody Woodpecker

Red Bellied Woodpecker:

Downy or Hairy Woodpecker

(note the smudge of peanut butter on Mr. Woodpecker's beak...don't be embarrassed Mr. Woodpecker, it's part of loving peanut butter)


I've loved these pinecone feeders...I have one more left, and will put it out in the morning. I learned that female woodpeckers have a white circle around both eyes and that is what distinguishes them from the males.

More Birds

Remember I said there were two woodpeckers?  Here's #2.

This is pretty fun to watch - two dining at once, I mean.

Here's the second woodpecker again...Yes, his head is upside down.

I just love the birds that can hang on the pinecones.

And finally, mystery bird.  Anyone recognize this?  Sorry it's blurry.

Everyday Beauty

Beautiful things are all around if you stop and look.  This was on my car two mornings in a row - the first day I was unprepared to capture it. The second day-today-I was prepared, and this is what I caught. 

I bet it's not there tomorrow.

Snowman

I think this photo would be a great "name this photo" candidate. 

My entry would be "Hangover" or maybe "Can this Snowman be saved?"

What title would you give it?

Another Satisfied Customer

I caught a relatively clear shot of this guy dining at the Pinecone Cafe...isn't he beautiful?  Anyone know what he is?

Edited to add: I looked him up - he's a Hairy or Downy Woodpecker, the only one with a white back.  But I think I have a second one visiting also.  I'll try to capture an image of him too.  Woodpeckers, pelicans and bluebirds are my favorite birds.  Do you have any favorites?