Sorry I haven't been posting or visiting you these past couple days - our new puppy Scout is keeping me busy! I've been wanting a Bernese Mountain Dog for so many years and still cannot believe she's finally here! I'm working on the housebreaking (fun!) I will be over to visit you in the next couple days - promise!
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One of the things I've always wanted to witness was a nesting Loon.
It's difficult for 2 reasons: 1. They're hard to find and 2. You have to be extremely careful and keep your distance, if you get too close and disturb them, they will abandon the nest.
These are my Bradford Lake Loons. This nesting raft was made by my fellow friends and Loon Rangers to help them successfully nest after previous nest failures. I believe this will be the 9th year this pair has successfully had babies. The loon chicks will be hatching this weekend but unfortunately I won't be there to witness the event as I have to go home and pick up my new puppy. Alas, there's always next year.
I used a combination of Lenses. I really need to get a tripod for my Sigma!
Here's mama Loon sitting on the eggs while daddy fishes. Later on in the day, they will switch spots so mama Loon can get her fishing time in!
She's constantly on guard for predators - always looking around her nest.
She likes to keep her nest nice and will tidy up while she's sitting on her eggs.
She keeps her mouth open to help keep her cool while she's sitting on the nest. Loons typically lay two eggs. Here's hoping both babies hatch!
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You might be a Birder if...
You might be a birder if you can say exactly where you saw a dozens of lifebirds but don't recall exactly where you first met your spouse.
You cringe when friends tell you they saw a ruffled grouse or a seagull.
The roads around your favorite birding spot are completely covered with skid marks.
No, you don't think all those little brown birds in the field guide look the same.
You try to convince your child to go to college in Southeastern Arizona, for "special reasons".
You might be a birder if you're all the time wanting to stop the car, and your riders are saying "What are you stopping for?"
*Bird humor from Bowman's Bird Stuff
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"Who is that handsome guy looking at me? And why do I hear that Carly Simon song in the background?"
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Doesn't Bob look pleasantly plump? His missus is laying on the nest again which leads me to sadly conclude that the other baby didn't survive and they have laid new eggs.
I have taken down my feeders for right now since that brings the Blue Jays in. I will wait till after the Mourning Dove babies can fend for themselves before I hang them back up. Someone had mentioned on a previous blog post about Blue Jays eating the babies - they don't. They just peck them to death probably due to nest competition.
I am headed out to Tennessee for business and will be back to check your blogs on Monday. By the way - I'm meeting Betsy & Leedra for lunch on Friday! Watch out Ladies - here I come!!!
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Never does nature say one thing and wisdom another.
~Juvenal, Satires
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* I know it's time for these baby Robins to fend for themselves, still I feel a wince of sadness when they are looking and calling for their mommy!
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I'm headed to the cabin this weekend and participating in a craft show on Saturday (in downtown Gaylord, MI in case you're in the area!!) I thought I would leave you with some bird humor! I'll catch up with all of you on Monday.
Burkett's laws of birding
*The Second Law of Birding: There are two sides of a tree; the side facing you and the side where the bird is.
*The Third Law of Birding: When you see the bird that you have always wanted to see, it will be in the last spot you thought of looking for it.
*The Fourth Law of Birding: The best bird seen during a trip is usually seen in bad light, isn't calling or singing, is seen for less than a second, and is the last "trip bird".
-- by Cody Burkett, Phoenix, AZ
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You just might be a bird lover and squirrel hater if... (#6)
1. You always wait for all of the birds to fly away before running outside and chasing squirrels from under your bird feeders.
2. Sometimes you forget to put on your slacks before running outside and chasing squirrels from your feeders.
3. You chase squirrels from your feeders by standing at your open patio door and barking loudly at them.
4. Squirrels run away when you bark at them but the birds at your feeders have learned to ignore the barking.
5. Your neighbor asks how you trained your dog to scare the squirrels away from your feeders by barking loudly at them from the patio door and you don't have a dog.
6. You chase squirrels from your feeders by running through the yard, yelling wildly, and squirting them with the water pistol you bought for your grandson's birthday next month.
7. You decide to keep the water pistol you bought for your grandson's birthday and get him another gift because squirting squirrels is both effective in chasing them away from your feeders and a whole lot of fun.
8. The birds in your backyard have become so accustomed to seeing you chase squirrels that they no longer bother to fly to nearby trees.
9. When running after squirrels and squirting them with your water pistol, you never notice you've forgotten to put on your slacks until you're in the far back corner of your yard.
10. It's laugh-out-loud funny to see a squirrel running away from the feeders and falling head-over-heels over the bird water dish that you placed in the grass between the feeders and the tree.
--- from Anita Riechers, retired pre-birder from the greater St. Louis area
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This baby Robin was relentless! He chased his mom all over the yard begging to be fed.
She complied but told him he needs to grow up and get his own food!
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