Robins, juncos, chickadees, white-breasted nuthatches, downy woodpeckers, rock doves, English sparrows (lousy sassenachs), mourning doves, song sparrows, crows, fifty grackles in a small tree all facing in the same direction, all evenly spaced like some strange decoration in a macabre store window, red-winged blackbirds, cardinals, gold finches, starlings, a fat tom turkey strutting right under the grackle tree, a couple of leftover Canadians winging it up the river, some small drab flycatcher that is not a phoebe, nattering from a bush by the barn, a phoebe snagging cluster flies by the big windows in the living room...all at the farm during this after storm day. Last week we saw our pair of purple finches, house finches, turkey vultures, assorted gulls, and a loon up on a little pond in Johnstown yesterday. (He was pretty big for such a small puddle.)
A great blue heron, pterodactyl ponderous, flapping over Randall, two horned larks showing their double collars perfectly as they flew in unison by Bellinger's apple orchard, a gaggle of mallards on the bike path, a kestrel lugging with no little difficulty a huge mouse or vole up where McClumpha's pile their straw....all seen on a trip to the FSA office today (and up around the "block" of course, to check out what was going on with farmer neighbors).
But my favorite is the woodcock, who is back at it in the horse pasture next to the house. I guess he is as glad as I am that it has stopped storming at least for the moment.
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8 comments:
A phoebe? I just can't imagine having a phoebe as a close neighbor. Lucky you.
There is always a pair between the house and the barn, but it has been just wonderful having them come right to the windows looking for flies and spiders. Normally we don't have snow now so there are bugs out in the fields, but now I guess they need whatever is attracted to the warmth of the house.
Surprisingly there are quite a few birds here in Broomfield, CO. I wish I had the time get out and photograph them. But I doubt I will this trip.
It seems like you have an abundance of birds and a great variety. How wonderful.
You ain't kidding about the heron! I had one "buzz" me a few feet over my head on a late-night peddle-boat ride a few years back... and it TRULY was like having a neolithic creature burst over your head... scared the beejeezers out of me!
... sigh... Spring soon, right?
Hi laurie...we are lucky to have so many spring birds around and I am grateful for them. I was real sorry to read that Dale was having some difficulties. I hope things improve quickly.
Matthew, they sure are huge....and slow.
But not a single Guinea hen?
Pterodactyl ponderous - just a perfect description!
Hope your chickadees stay to make a home. Their babies are exceedingly cute!
Jan, I wish, I wish, I want some so bad, although I wonder if the coyotes would get them. I hope Charlie comes back!
Laurainnj, we just love our chickadees! They are so tame and full of personality. I guess it is the nature of the bird as even at camp they come out of the woods to observe our activities and scold our insufficiencies. lol
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