Keeping in the theme of birds enjoying a bath, one afternoon this week I noticed two orioles in the bird bath.
By the time I got my camera and returned there was one in the bath and another observing. As you can see, Daddy was busy out on the feeder stuffing his face with grape jelly.
I don’t know if these two are this year’s juveniles or last years young ones, or maybe two females just enjoying a relaxing spa day.
But it was sure was fun to watch the one in the bath splash around.
So I’ll share the rest of these without comment. Enjoy.
I have other photos of this week’s shenanigans in my back yard, but those will have to wait for another day.
Edit: I was just outside to hang the oriole feeder up after cleaning it and refilling it with grape jelly. One of the two bathers was back, standing on the railing. He (or she) started flapping it’s wings at me, supposing that maybe I had something to feed it. So I think these two really are juveniles, and not adult females. So cute!
Mom says she has lots of photos to edit from her trip, but I keep asking her to do stuff with me so she hasn’t had time to mess with those old photos. I did let her edit the images in this post, cause they’re about me and I know how much you all want to see me.
This is mom’s favorite back yard weigela bush. It has three different shades of pink blossoms, that all bloom at once. This was the bush Mom was asking Katie to pose in front of in June of 2022 when she and dad noticed how sad Katie was.
Mom says that’s when she and daddy decided it was time to let Katie’s soul fly free. So when she sees this bush in bloom she always thinks about Katie and that day, and it makes her sad.
But did you see what’s on the bush, just to the left of my right ear? Go ahead and look again. Maybe make the image bigger on your device.
See it?
Yep…a butterfly! Mom had been out taking pictures of it earlier, from a good distance away because she didn’t want to scare it off. And then, when she thought it was gone, she took me out there to get my picture with the blooms, and the butterfly flew right around our heads and settled down eating and drinking.
It wasn’t afraid of us at all!
It stayed out there, flying around near us the entire time Mom was taking my picture. Do you think maybe it was Katie come to visit?
Once again I’m jumping online late at night while my mom snores over there on the sofa. She says if I want to write I should go get my own blog, but I say why do that when she’s already done all the groundwork?
This is mom’s garden. It might be the reason she’s snoring on the sofa.
Hey! Did you guys know I have a niece? I sure do! Her name is Sarah and she lives with my Mama S, the lady that delivered me and my four sisters two and a half years ago. My dog mom, Vivian, and her best friend Olivia live there too.
That’s me on the left, Sarah standing in back, my dog mom Vivian next and then Olivia.
She’s almost one year old and I love her so much. Last month my mom and dad took me up to Mama S’s house for a playdate with Sarah who is a bundle of energy.
Sarah loves to chase me, but I’m FAST! She’ll never catch me, no siree!
All four of us dogs and the three adult people went into the big fenced in back yard to play. Mama S had a bright orange tennis ball that Vivian and Olivia get very excited over.
Throw the ball!!!
She’d fling that ball toward the back of the yard and all four of us would chase after it, a few of us (not me) barking wildly the entire time.
Somebody get that ball!
I never once got the ball, it was mostly Olivia who did the ball handling, but sometimes one of the other two would get a chance to take it back to Mama S so she’d throw it again.
It’s a race back to Mama S!
And then we’d be off again!
Get it!
My mom and dad laughed at us a lot. Mom was busy taking pictures too of course.
A passel of shelties.
Mostly Sarah and I just ran and ran and ran. She loves to chase me and between you and me I could beat her but I let her get close once in awhile.
Sarah and Oliva the ball handler.
Then when she gets almost to my tail I take off again.
Nope, Sarah, you’re not going to get me!
We were both worn out when my folks said it was time to go home, but man, what a wonderful time we all had!
She’s gaining on me!
I’m just the luckiest sheltie girl in the whole world! I hope you enjoyed the pictures as much as we all enjoyed playing!
You’ve got snacks…right Mama S?
Signing off now to dream of running in a big yard, your athlete girl Penny.
I am not too proud to accept a free peanut! — Nuthatch in flight
So here you go. I’ll try to limit this to some of my most favorite from that early morning walk in the woods a month ago.
Excuse me, if everyone else has had enough, I’d like to approach the hand. — Titmouse
But it’s hard. I have so many favorites.
I’m a little shy, but I’d really like a bit of breakfast, lady! — Chickadee
As I study each of these I’m transported back to that cool morning, surrounded by hungry birds, the deer watching from further back in the trees, the squirrels hurrying so as not to be left out.
Thanks lady! Sometimes we get overlooked cause we can’t fly. — Black Squirrel
The chipmunks hoarding, the sunlight shifting.
I’d like a little more please! — Chipmunk
It’s always a magical time at Kensington, no matter what part of the park you visit.
Too busy to eat, I’m building my future family a new home! — Mrs. Red Belly
But if you want to experience wildlife in a more intimate manner, get there in the morning on a weekday before the crowds and walk the trails at the Nature Center.
It’s the interior decorating that takes the most thought.
Or early on a holiday morning. That works too.
You got to really get in there for the deep spring cleaning required prior to babies’ arrival!
Well, I am, for one. I haven’t eaten breakfast yet, and it’s mid-morning on a beautiful day here in Michigan. Lots of garden stuff to do. Places to be. People to see.
Early morning light through spring skunk cabbage.
But I’d rather be here with you.
Remember when I was out at the heron rookery in Kensington Park on Easter Sunday morning? You didn’t think I’d just leave the park after seeing the herons, did you?
Did you???
A busy neighborhood.
Well of course not.
When I could finally pry myself away from those big nests I went for a walk through the woods. And as soon as I was off the boardwalk I heard this cardinal just singing his heart out and enjoying the morning light at the very top of a tree.
Will sing for food.
Of course when he spotted me, perhaps the first automated bird feeder to arrive that morning, he shot right down to a branch directly in front of me.
Right at eye level.
You DID bring breakfast, didn’t you?
Now cardinals don’t generally come down to my hand to eat, though one did many years ago. But I think this one might have if I hadn’t accidently dropped some seed on the ground.
He was very interested in that.
What? You dropped my breakfast?
So was Mrs. Red Winged Blackbird.
I see an opportunity here.
And so was this squirrel.
I can be faster than all of you!
And this chipmunk.
But my cheeks can hold more seed than any of yours!
In the end I dropped some more for all of them and went on my way.
I remember that some of you have requested more bird pictures. Well of course I have some. Coming right up.
I was looking at my most recent posts and realize that almost all of them revolve around birds. Even Penny has noticed my obsession.
Kensington Metro Park rookery, as viewed from the boardwalk.
But I can’t help it. They’re so beautiful, and interesting, and entertaining. I could watch them all day.
Reflecting on her anticipated brood.
Wait!
Sometimes I do watch them all day! Like Easter Sunday when I went out to Kensington on my own. I figured it wouldn’t be busy because everybody else would be getting ready for church or family dinners or both.
There’s more than just the rookery to look at, lady!
I was wrong. There were plenty of people, mostly photographers, out there. But we all work around each other and it’s fine.
Outta my way, I’ve got places to go!
I started out walking on the boardwalk near the heron rookery, an island with huge trees filled with heron nests. Every year the heron couples choose a nest and then have a set of little herons there.
It’s fascinating to watch.
Ready for takeoff!
Easter Sunday there was much heron coming and going as the couples updated their fixer-uppers in order to make them meet current esthetics. They definitely favor wood floors over carpet.
This couple appears to be going with a new build v.s. a fixer upper.
I spent a long time out there on the boardwalk watching all the work being done, and then I wandered back into the woods to see what else might be around.
This guy was snapping sticks off the tree, tossing them aside and snapping another until he found the one he wanted, then he flew back to the rookery with his prize.
Change Is Hard 