Go Blue!

At one point yesterday, our bird feeders were a flurry of blue between the Blue Jays and the White breasted Nuthatches. The jays can sometimes be bullies on the feeders but I was glad to see the Nuthatches were persistent. Now that I'm back home it's time to catch up with all my bloggy friends!

The best nuts are at the bottom

This male downy was making me laugh. Never seen a woodpecker so particular about which nuts he was going to eat. In the 2nd photograph he is almost laying in the feeder to get the nuts at the bottom. Gotta love him!

Hope all of you had a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are up at the log cabin, winter advisory and already shoveled over 2 feet of snow!

Bob The Mourning Dove - Part III

Me: Um Bob, I've noticed quite a few Mourning Doves in the yard today, is something going on?

Bob: Oh, I'm just have a little get together, nothing special.

Me: Okay, but I've had to clean the birdbath 3 times today.

Bob: I'll talk to the other doves about it. Don't worry!

Me: Um Bob, how big is this get together of yours? Bob?!

I've got Guinea feathers!!

Eve at Sunny Side Up was kind of enough to send some of her Guinea feathers! If you haven't seen her Guineas, I suggest you check them out. Especially the post with them knocking on her door! They are hilarious and beautiful! Thank you Eve for these feathers - I have put them in a little vase and they remind me of your kindness and your wonderful Guineas!

Marvin the cat went into ecstasy when I let him sniff one of these feathers.

A beautiful photo card from Eve!

Aren't they beautiful?

"Please, please invite the Guineas over Shelley! I promise to be good!"

Is that a big enough seed for you?

St. Francis dilemma

Some of you are familiar with my St. Francis statue that I use as a bird feeder. Ever since some culprit has beheaded him (Either Bob the Mourning Dove, the squirrel or the tattle tale chipmunk) - I can't decide what to do with him. We can't find St. Francis's head to glue back on (I'm going to check the yard one more time but I think he's been raked up.) So the question is - do I take the chance and get a new St. Francis feeder? Somehow it's not bothering the critters that they are eating from a beheaded saint but I do think my neighbors are worried about me.....

Liking that suet plug feeder

Mr. Downy is gorging himself today.























Mrs. Red bellied decided to give the telephone pole a rest and partake of the suet as well!

What's the telephone company going to think?

This is not a snag or an old tree. This is a telephone pole. I thought you would like to see Mrs. Red bellied Woodpecker's handiwork this past year. She's quite talented, don't you think?

My little friend

I believe the flock of Black-capped chickadees that have made my log cabin their territory numbers about 8 birds. But of course they move so fast that I haven't been able to get more than 2 in one shot. I think I'm starting to recognize a couple of individual birds - especially the one that seems to like to land on our shoulder first. He (or she?) is going to need a name. This particular bird is in the photo below. Any ideas?

A Snowbird's Arrival

Now that my Dark-eyed Junco has arrived, I know that winter is here.

'Winter came down to our home one night
Quietly pirouetting in on silvery-toed slippers of snow,
And we, we were children once again.'

~Bill Morgan, Jr.

Baby it's cold outside!

I was hosting a Black-capped chickadee festival this weekend at the log cabin - and I was the only one that brought food! As soon as the snow began falling, it seemed liked the Chickadees got louder with their chickadee dee dee calls! A couple landed on my shoulder and one ate from my hand - it was a great day had by all!

That's not mine

My Black-capped Chickadees like to use the top of my deck posts as a place to "relieve" themselves. I don't mind cleaning it. It's a good tradeoff in order to enjoy their company.



No, that's not my poop.


Out of luck today!

The 2 sides of a Blue Jay

I have found that a Blue Jay has 2 sides to his personality.....



Good Blue Jay.......














BAD BLUE JAY!!

Downy Woodpecker at the buffet

Mr. Downy Woodpecker thinks he's at an all you can eat chinese buffet.

"One suet plug down.....one more to go!"

Wet Chickadee

"I'm singing in the rain........what a glorious feeling......I'm happy again!"

Little Puff Ball

This little puff ball finch was the only one of his flock not to fly away when I came outside with a camera. This one is a brave one...I bet he can teach those Tufted Titmouses a thing or two!

No love from the Tufted Titmouse

The tufted titmouse bird is driving me crazy! From what I've read - they are suppose to be one of the easiest birds to tame to feed out of your hands. Instead - all I hear is noisy protests (which sounds like a duck being strangled) and flight so fast that I think a stealth jet went flying by my head! Don't they see the chickadees are accepting me? But I have patience....and winter is just beginning.

Snow Falls

When snow falls, nature listens.

~Antoinette van Kleeff

Neighbor to the birds

Ever since we built our log home in northern Michigan, I feel a different relationship with the birds than I do at our place downstate. I love the birds in the suburbs no less, but I feel closer to them when I am up in the woods - in what I perceive to be a more natural setting.



Reminds me of a passage in Walden:

"…for I found myself suddenly neighbor to the birds; not by having imprisoned one, but having caged myself near them. "

- Henry David Thoreau

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Goldfinch Activity

I have a gang of about 6 goldfinches hanging around the log cabin- they are rivaling my chickadee crowd. Something about the finches song makes my cat want to fling himself against every window until he has brain damage! I'm happy to have them!

Bird Butts!

What seems to be your kitty's problem?

Friendly Visitors

It has been close to 70 degrees the past few days up at our log cabin in northern Michigan. The bird activity has been wonderful. I think one of the nuthatches is considering eating out of my hand - he keeps buzzing around my hand but hasn't landed...yet!

Here were a few friendly visitors....

Evening Grosbeak still hanging around

Went to visit Hartwick Pines State Park in Grayling, MI this past weekend and was pleasantly surprised to see the Evening Grosbreak still hanging around.

Hartwick contains the largest stand of virgin white pines remaining in the lower peninsula in lower Michigan.

Guess who my chicadees like now?!

I've been working on getting the Black-capped Chickadees to eat out of my hand when we are up at our cabin. I'm hoping the quiet wooded setting and my numerous birdfeeders would make them my permanent friend. This morning one grabbed a seed while flying by my hand. My husband says let me try it. Within 2 seconds, they are landing on his head, shoulders and hand to eat seeds. I told him they must know he's my husband. I must admit - I'm a jealous woman now!

Mourning Dove Worries

Upon hearing that Shelley would be going out of town to her log cabin for a week:


Richard the Mourning Dove expresses concern - "Well who will feed us? And I like dumping your seed on the ground." I told him he would be fine, there's plenty of other food resources around that will get him by for a week.











Eve, Muse, Tina, Helen and Jayne asked "Well who will keep the birdbath cleaned and filled? Especially after Bob has been in it?"











Ladies, unfortunately you're on your own for that one.

Bob!!!!!!!