Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: birds


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Once upon a time…

Once upon a time there was a Ms. Hairy Woodpecker, enjoying a peaceful morning searching for a tasty insect among the late summer blossoms of a lovely garden.

Nom, nom, nom.

She was minding her own business when suddenly…

You there! You can’t hide in those leaves, Be gone!

…she realized something was coming up behind her. Why it was that silly little chipmunk!

Back away slowly or I’ll have you for lunch!

Ridiculous that this little rodent would think he could beat her to breakfast! Did he think she was a birdbrain?

Backing away, lady! If I close my eyes you’re not there!

Did he think she’d just give up her favorite feeding location to a little nim-nut like him?

She thought not!

And don’t come back here!

And the little chipmunk scurried back down the tree, toute de suite. After all, there were plenty of treats back on the ground where he belonged. He wondered what he had been thinking anyway.

Whew! That was close!

Ms. Hairy Woodpecker went back to enjoying her brunch.

The nerve of some chipmunks…

And then moved on to another favorite location that advertised being chipmunk free.

This place has the best after lunch insects.


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Late bloomer

A couple evenings ago I was watching birds come and go as we were eating dinner. I noticed a flurry of activity, wings fluttering, branches of the crab apple tree bouncing around. It was happening right at the lower left corner of my view out the window.

I wasn’t sure what was happening. So I kept an eye on that spot and soon a male cardinal shot out of the tree. But the bouncing around continued.

It was a baby! I quickly googled whether cardinals had babies this late in the year. Guess what? It said they had between 3 and 4 broods a year, sometimes into mid-September.

Daddy was over at the flat feeder munching on a bunch of sunflower oil seeds. Pretty soon he zoomed back over to the crab apple tree and the youngster who had waited for his return. The flapping of wings resumed.

Daddy fed junior something (I’m guessing chewed up seed) and sat for a moment and then went back to the flat feeder for more.

Eventually daddy cardinal sat on a branch a bit away from the baby. He looked exhausted. He’s molting and he’s tired and it has been raining for days.

I hope mama cardinal is around somewhere to help so that daddy isn’t trying to do all the work alone. Of course for all I know mama is sitting somewhere else with junior #2, feeding and flying and resting and feeding….

I bet mom and dad are glad this is the last bunch of little ones to bring up! They’re probably just like human parents, glad when it’s time for the kids to get on the school bus.


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Name this bird

As you know I have a lot of birds in my backyard. Mostly because I feed them. They are not unlike Penny in their affection for me based on their feeder fullness quotient analysis.

This week this rather cheeky yet uncertain little guy showed up.

He hopped along the deck railing, back and forth, seeming unfazed by the bird traffic all around him.

He picked at the husks of seeds left behind by previous diners.

He stared at me.

And then, eventually, he flew off.

I’m thinking he’s a juvenile red breasted grosbeak. Maybe male, given the yellowish breast? I’m using the logic that red headed woodpeckers have brown heads when they’re juveniles.

But it could be a female too, they have a yellowish cast to their chest feathers.

What do you think?


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A visitor. Or is it two visitors?

This week I was washing dishes and caught this Coopers Hawk sitting on my deck railing.

I quietly slid away and walked silently to the living room to grab my camera. Amazingly enough Penny moved silently next to me.

I didn’t really expect the bird to still be there when I returned. They generally don’t wait for me.

But he (or she) was still there, seemingly unfazed. I watch it for a long time, even moving to a better window. It picked up one foot and tucked it into it’s chest feathers.

And then suddenly it flew. I expected that to be it.

But it only flew about 3 feet, to the corner of the deck where it could inspect the ground under some shrubs.

We used to have quite a few chipmunks. I haven’t seen one in awhile.

Then it flew away, and I figured that was it. But it showed up again about 10 minutes later, back on the deck railing, watching the back yard, inspecting the ground and the sky.

Turns out he or she was being harassed by bees.

When it left, being pursued by the bees, I was SURE I wouldn’t see it again.

Until about 30 minutes later when I walked through the master bedroom and guess who was on the bedroom deck railing? I didn’t have my camera with me, so these were taken with my phone.

Yep, our favorite (or perhaps least liked, depending on whether you’re a chipmunk) bird.

But…is this the same bird? Or a different one? Perhaps they’re a couple? Or parent and child?

Your call.


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Happening on my deck this week

This juvenile male oriole learned all about bathing this week. When I first noticed him he was standing on the edge while a little brown bird splashed around. He stared at the brown bird. I went to get my camera. By the time I got back he was in the bath too.

So you just shake your feathers?

He seemed a bit unsure, but it didn’t take long until he was fully immersed in the experience. Literally.

Like this, right?

Brown bird: I’m outta here!

That’s OK…more water for me!

Rub a dub, dub. One bird in a tub!

Look! I can draw a heart with my tail!

Oh what a wonderful feeling, oh what a wonderful day!

A little more tail action. I wonder if any girls are around.

Hey…did I hear mom or dad call me?

Time to go!

It’s supper time!


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Got a little damp

I wasn’t going to post today. I’ve got lots of stuff I need to do and posting wasn’t high on my to-do list. But moving the images from my camera to storage was. And I promised myself I wasn’t going to look at them. Because I don’t have time, you know.

But I did. It was raining one morning this week and I was shooting birds (not literally) through the window. This one made me laugh out loud. You never know what you’ve got until you look at them on a bigger screen.

So I’m sharing it with you. I hope you smile too.


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Kids today

Youngster: Dad! Hey Dad! I’m hungry!

Youngster: Huh. Dad’s not listening.

Youngster: DAD! I’m HUNGRY!

Youngster: Well what the heck. Dad?

Dad: Darn! Now there are TWO of them bugging me!

Dad: Geeze. Where’s these kids’ mother? I need reinforcement here.

Dad: These kids need to find their own supper. They’re plenty old enough. Dad out.

Youngster: Dad? Where’d you go, dad?

Youngster: Hey dad! I’m still HUNGRY!

Youngster: Guess I’ll get my own darn jelly. Can’t depend on anybody these days.


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By way of spreading joy

A week ago today I took three people to Kensington to feed the birds. They had never done that before but they’d heard about it and wanted to have the experience.

Hey, toss that peanut over here!

They had to drive almost 2 hours but they thought it was worth it. I do too. Though we arrived early in the morning, when the birds are most likely to be hungry, we weren’t inundated with begging feathered ones. But we had our fair share.

It rained all night and I’m not looking my best, but I sure am hungry!

Mostly it was the woodpeckers, in different varieties that were interested in us. Though an occasional red-winged blackbird stopped by.

I’m really interested in that peanut you have, could you toss it here?

And the bluejays were always nearby.

I’m faster than any darn woodpecker, just watch me!

In fact this visit turned into a ‘toss a peanut’ experience. The red-bellied and the red-headed woodpeckers and of course the bluejays are all very talented at plucking a tossed peanut out of the sky.

We spent much of our walk through the woods tossing peanuts into the air where they were eagerly snatched by a winged one.

Got it!

And of course we walked out onto the boardwalk to check on the blue heron rookery.

Ms. Red-winged was startled as we walked by.

The heron babies are now teenagers, testing their wings and making a great deal of noise whenever an adult ventures by. Just in case there might be breakfast arriving.

I can flap my wings faster than you. Oh will you two just settle down? I’m trying to nap here.

All in all, though we weren’t swarmed by birds I think everybody had a great time and I hope they come back for another adventure!

Thanks for the peanut! See ya next time!