Birds that tease me

Do you have birds that tease you? Well I do! Come meet some of my bullies.....


Why oh why does the Oriole have to hang out in the tops of tall trees, far, far away from me? One good close up photo, that's all I ask....






And this guy! He teases me with his incessant calls. Hush already! Your voice isn't that great!





And come on Mr. Purple Finch! Can't you look at the camera for one second so I can get a full frontal shot of your handsome face?


So, who are some of your bird bullies?? :-)

Broken Heart

See the 2 beautiful Loon eggs in the nest above? It breaks my heart to know they will never hatch due to the unfortunate (and dare I say it - IDIOTIC) actions of a person who got too close to the nest. On the day I found the nest, I posted signs at the boat launch warning everyone and to please give the Loons their space. According to one resident on our lake, it was the first time in 30 years that the Loons had attempted to nest on our lake.

I found the nest last Sunday, came back to the cabin on Thursday and found no Loon parents. After investigating, I inadvertently found out who the culprit was who got too close (I'm pretty sure, but have to admit other factors go in to Loons abandoning the nest) and was just devastated. I admit, I went inside my cabin and cried. (I know Bird Girl will know how I feel, I still remember when her bluebird babies died.) My heart is completely broken...

What happens when a Loon sees an Eagle......

Loons will give a yodel or tremolo call when they feel threatened. They will also rise up out of the water, possibly row across the water too while doing a penguin dance. If you see a Loon do this and there is no other danger around, then it means YOU are too close and need to back off. These particular photos I shot from a distance as an eagle flew overhead. Eagles are a big predator of Loon chicks.

P.S. Some fantastic news, the Loons are building a nest right at the end of my dock at the log cabin. It's on a grassy tuft that is about 5 feet away from shore. I never could have dreamed that something this spectacular would happen to me! (By the way, our log cabin is named "The Loons' Nest" - ironic, eh?

Look what I found!

I'm in Loon heaven right now! I'll be posting more photos when I return from the cabin tomorrow. Looking forward to catching up with all of you. The Loon Lady is back!!!

Baby Mourning Dove

For the past 4 years, I've had baby mourning doves hatch in our home gutters. They make a huge mess but they still bring smiles to our faces. Check out my new addition!

Well hello baby!

You're so vain....

Stalking the Evening Grosbeak

I went to Hartwick Pines State Park in Grayling, MI a few weeks ago. The highlight of the park is the forest of virgin white pines. Another highlight FOR ME is also the visitors center where they have window bird feeders.

From 2010_04_16

So I go to the window and I see this bird sitting INSIDE the feeder. I must admit, I first thought it was dead and was ready to start crying in front of 100 other people that would recognize that there was a crazy bird lady in their midst.





Then, a glorious thing happened, she turned her head to look at me! No, this female Evening Grosbeak wasn't pretty (she had seed shells on her face and what looked like to be eye disease in her left eye.) But she was alive, I was happy! (And of course I start talking to her, and people in the visitor center have now confirmed I am a crazy bird lady!)






She flew down to the pond to clean herself - thank goodness! She isn't going to get a mate looking like that I don't think.





I just couldn't stop watching her. I kept thinking about whether she would survive with this eye disease. Would she find a mate? Would she keep herself clean and not leave seed shell remnants on her face anymore? I think she was getting ready to file a restraining order against me...






She wasn't as pretty as the other Evening Grosbeaks that came to feed on that day. But it was her who captured my heart.