More Birding

[intertext]

I did manage to get this relatively decent shot of a red-breasted nuthatch this afternoon. I've had two of them hanging out at my bird-feeder. I always know they're coming, because I hear what sounds like a very faint sound of geese calling, then they're unmistakable on the feeder, like wrens wearing makeup. While I was waiting this afternoon, my friend the tricky hummingbird whizzed by, long enough for me to get a blurry shot of some wings and his bum, but otherwise nothing that is going to win any photo contests... Then there's the darling chickadees bouncing around cheekily. It seems that if I just put peanuts out, all the birds, sparrows and all, would come to the feeder. I put this fancy niger seed out and noone will touch it. The millet gets thrown all over the deck and noone seems terrible interested in the suet except the starlings. But I love them all.

Comments

[pickledginger.livejournal.com]

That's lovely! And the pose is so typical.

I was sitting out in the front yard this afternoon, watching the finches (dozens had descended on the newly-matured grass seed), and a pair of youngsters flew over to return the favor.

At first, I just noticed the one fellow, who was perched on the arm -- presumably intended to hold a house number, but these days used only to hold suet cakes, in winter -- that extends from a defunct post light that rises from the center of a huge yew.

It wasn't until he'd flown away, then back again, that I noticed his more-clever companion, who sat motionless atop the late lamp, behind its finial. They kept an eye on me for about 7 or 8 minutes before regoining their cheerful chittering companions.