On this Mother’s Day I’m reminded how much my mom loved birds. She kept a life list of birds she’d seen, and they figured prominently in her descriptions of travel around the world.
A busy morning at the feeders.
In the last week, here in Michigan, the summer birds are arriving. I have photos of some of them, taken in bad light, through a dirty window.
Still, I know if she had been here she’d have been just as thrilled as I am to see them return.
Mr. Oriole is a very nervous eater, twisting his head this way and that to see what we’re doing inside.
Whatcha looking at lady?
But he’s also a pig and can’t resist stopping for another bit to eat. Frequently.
Yum!
Mrs. Oriole is a frequent visitor too, a bit less nervous, but just as hungry.
Good morning lady!
Yesterday I saw the season’s first male rose breasted grosbeak. This morning he hung out at the feeder for a long time, not afraid at all even when my camera lens hit the dirty window separating us.
Don’t bother me, I’m eating!
And last night, with camera focused on the feeder, we had another visitor to our yard.
Backyard streaker!
Mom would have gotten a kick out of that too.
So…though I don’t have a recent picture of her, I still think of mom every day, especially as I share with her the wonders of my backyard.
Just like she shared with me her love of everything wild and beautiful.
Happy Mother’s Day mom. We miss you.
Another mom hanging out in my backyard.
Change Is Hard 
May 14, 2017 at 11:30 am
A fine mother’s day post, Dawn. Birds of a feather, you and your mom!
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May 16, 2017 at 5:15 pm
Yes we are quite alike. Of course growing up I never thought we were, but it became obvious with age (mine).
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May 14, 2017 at 11:34 am
Lovely Mother’s Day post, Dawn. 🙂 I laughed when I saw your streaker. We’ve had a few of them here, too, and they always remind me of my mother.
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May 16, 2017 at 5:16 pm
They’re cute, those streakers, until they eat most of your garden. Still, she would have enjoyed watching them play in the back yard.
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May 14, 2017 at 12:28 pm
Dawn, so exciting viewing the feeder. I went for a walk while visiting my daughter in OH and found a pair of yellow warblers making their nest. I hope to return soon to video the chicks. I videoed just a little of them bringing in the makings for the nest. Maybe tomorrow I can get more footage.
Your mother left you with a legacy.
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May 14, 2017 at 3:11 pm
My mom really likes birds too and always has at least one bird feeder set up wherever she lives. I remember being about five years old and learning what chickadees and juncos were because they visited the feeder outside the kitchen window.
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May 16, 2017 at 5:17 pm
My mom too. I have realized recently that the only birds I really know are those that come to my feeder. I’m continually surprised when I see some other bird out in the woods and don’t have a clue what they are.
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May 16, 2017 at 6:21 pm
This made me chuckle because I know exactly what you mean.
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May 14, 2017 at 4:24 pm
Happy Mother’s Day, Dawn! Love that the birds are back — Dallas would have wanted to chase that streaker though!
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May 16, 2017 at 5:18 pm
Lucky for me Katie-girl was asleep at the time.
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May 14, 2017 at 9:29 pm
Happy Mutter’s Day, hope it was fantastic.
Love the pawtographs of the birds. We don’t see many of the birds that Dad grew up with in Key West.
Dog Speed,
Sherman & Gemini
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May 16, 2017 at 5:19 pm
I bet the birds are all different down there! My mom always liked to find out what birds were local when she was in a place far far away from home. She’d often buy a bird book from a location just to figure out what she was seeing when she traveled.
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May 15, 2017 at 8:47 am
Our Baltimore Orioles are eating grape jelly faster than we can buy it! Your first picture of Mr. Oriole made me giggle… great caption!
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May 16, 2017 at 5:19 pm
They certainly love that jelly. I’ve read it’s not that good for them, but when they have a choice on my feeder between jelly and real oranges, they always choose the jelly. Until it’s gone, then they eat the oranges. Just like kids.
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May 15, 2017 at 11:38 am
Your memory of your mum and tribute is certainly not faded by the window
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May 16, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Thank you Abrie! I tried to go out to the yard to photograph them, but they weren’t happy with that…and the background was still the dirty window, just from the other side. So I’ve resigned myself to shooting through the window. They’re so pretty I don’t mind.
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May 16, 2017 at 2:52 pm
A lovely tribute to your mother. And such cute birds, beautifully captured.
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May 16, 2017 at 5:21 pm
Thank you Otto. Birds often remind me of her. Sometimes I think she even sends them to me. You never know I suppose.
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May 22, 2017 at 9:14 am
We love all the pictures of the birds and the deer too. Our mommy got herself a used bird clock. A different bird chirps on the hour. It is making her happy.
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May 22, 2017 at 10:27 am
We’re glad your mom got the clock. We have one like it down at the cabin in Alabama. It was my mom’s. Enjoy your clock! 🙂
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