3 More Babies!

How do you explain this Mary? Two more Mourning doves?! We already have 22 doves in the backyard!

And who does this baby belong to??

Oh please, please let me out to play with them. Really....you can trust me....

Last juvenile Robin of the season?

I think this is it. I think this is my last baby Robin of the season. I'll miss their speckled chests as they run and stop, run and stop and then run and stop some more on my grass. Till next spring my friend....

Talking Chickadee

Chickadee

The chickadee in the apple tree

talks all the time very gently.

He makes me sleepy.

I rock away to the sea-lights.

far off I hear him talking

the way smooth bright pebbles

drop into water . . .

Chick-a-dee-dee-dee . .

-Hilda Conkling (1910 - 1986)

Mourning Dove Army

Shelley, I feel it's my duty to tell you that I think the Mourning Doves are planning a takeover of the backyard. They've had at least 6 sets of babies this summer and their army grows strong....

Plus I'm not getting the peanuts I used to off your bird feeders...

This is Napoleon. I think he's the ring leader. He's always marching around and then hides behind a tree when you come out.
















This is Bob and Mary. They've been plotting in the gutters of your house...












Speaking of gutters....check out this new young addition to the army!













That chipmunk needs to mind his own business! Or else....

Sign of fall approaching

My sign of an early fall approaching in northern Michigan has been the increasing activity of the White-breasted nuthatches at my feeders. They've been busier than the squirrels today in storing their nuts. Some of the trees already have the edge of their leaves tinged with red and brown. Today was a crisp, cool day. Fall is coming....

This nuthatch was stock piling his nuts in the hole of this tree. Hopefully the numerous chipmunks and squirrels don't find his stash!

St. Francis - a bird's friend

St. Francis is very popular with my bird friends.






Mr. Mourning Dove could stand to be a little more respectful...





















I love how all these little sparrows fit in St. Francis's bowl.














Mr. Chipmunk looks like he enjoyed some of St. Francis's bounty as well!!

The Cardinal Bird

A day and then a week passed by:
The redbird hanging from the sill
Sang not: and all were wondering why
It was so still-
When one bright morning, loud and clear,
Its whistle smote my drowsy ear,
Ten times repeated, til the sound
Filled every echoing niche around;
And all things earliest loved by me,
The bird, the brook, the flower, the tree,
Came back again, as thus I heard
The cardinal bird.

-William Davis Gallagher

Where there's a will...there's a way

Guess who was able to fit on my small little bird feeder?

Blue Jays are moving in....

Seems like my only choices in birds this past week are either Blue Jays or my gang of Mourning Doves. The Blue Jays have been visiting more frequently throughtout the day and really loving the bird bath.



What's wrong with this tree?













Escuse me, but I think the Mourning Doves have pooped in the bird bath again. Can you clean this up?

House finch swinging along!

My goal was to find a feeder small enough to detract the Grackles and Blue jays so that my littler bird friends could eat. I was happy to see this House finch able to eat in peace.

Giant Swallowtail or Canadian Tiger Swallowtail?

I really need to pick up a Michigan butterfly field guide. I was looking online to try to identify this butterfly - and I decided he's either a Giant Swallowtail or a Canadian Tiger Swallowtail. What do you think? Any help appreciated from my blogger friends!

UPDATE: The verdict is in - Eastern Tiger Swallowtail!!

Posing Blue Jay

Listen, she wants a picture of me, not you. So please move over.

Okay, now how do I look?

Angry Goldfinch

Is it just me or does my goldfinch look angry? Look at the sneer on her beak!

Juvenile Rose-breasted Grosbeak

One day at the log cabin I was so excited to count 7 grosbeaks flying around my bird feeder. Of course as soon as I retrieved my camera - they all disappeared. Later on, this juvenile male grosbeak appeared in the tree. I hope he hangs around...I have more sunflower seeds....

Ducks in the harbor

Here's my disclaimer - I know this isn't a good photo of the ducks. But on a recent visit to Northport, Michigan I wasn't having any luck finding birds to photograph. But there were all these beautiful boats. Now if the ducks could just stay off those docks we all like to walk on...

More Grosbeak

If I keep a green bough in my heart, the singing bird will come.
-Chinese Proverb

Baby, baby

I went to check on the baby mallards and was sad to see they were down to five. Originally there were seven. Hoping these little guys make it.

Speaking of babies - can you believe THIS?!

Mrs. Mourning Dove is having more babies! I think this is the 5th or 6th brood - I've lost count. (Unless some other dove is using her old nest.) I just want to ask her "Seriously? No, really - seriously more babies?"

What kind of bird is this?

Do you think this is a juvenile tufted titmouse? Once again, I'm stumped!

Little Angel

I dedicate today's post to Birdlady at Wings n Things http://wingsnthings07.blogspot.com/. I loved her chickadee post on Thursday and it reminded me of the black-capped chickadees that have been so trusting to eat out of my hand up at our log cabin. They are truly little angels!

Hello Mrs. House finch!

The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up. ~Mark Twain

Bird Butts

I don't think the house finch and grosbeak meant to moon me. Or did they....?

Male Rose-breasted grosbeak

The male rose-breasted grosbeaks don't seem as brave as the females. The females will eat with me right there and let me snap photos. This handsome guy was being shy in the tree just watching me.

What kind of duck is this?

On my kayaking adventure to find my loon family, I saw this duck with her 7 ducklings swimming in the shallows of the lake. This was taken at dusk so I've tried to brighten it up a little bit. Do you know what kind of duck this is? I'm at a loss.

My sweet Grosbeak

I have a bad habit that some of you are already aware of - I attach human characteristics to my birds! But believe me when I say that this female grosbeak is just so sweet and trusting. I was trying to handfeed the chickadees and she stood on the railing just inches away observing me. And then proceeded to stay there and pose nicely while I snapped photos. (I snapped about 50 photos of her - she is now competing with the Loons for my heart!)

Big Gulp!