~A Walk Around the Yard on this Autumn Day
Tag Archives: Birding
~A few minutes spent doing what I love most!
It has been awhile since I last posted. Where does the time go? It seems as if we just arrived home from our winter travels and here we are in September. Time to once again begin thinking about heading south.
Before we head south we still have a few more weeks of beautiful, Colorado, weather to enjoy. This summer has been a fun one with the exception of Kloudy’s illness; however, she is doing okay. I plan to write a post on what is going on with her, and she has given me permission to post a few photos. As most of you know, that follow my blog, Kloudy is our almost eleven year old Siberian Husky.
Of course spending time with hubby, Kloudy and Skye River is my most joyful pastime. Doing what I love hobby wise is taking photos. It is hard for me to believe that I haven’t taken very many photos this summer, which truly is my greatest passion.
I think Pickleball, well I know Pickleball, has taken all my time. Since learning the game in late April, I have either play or practiced this sport almost everyday. It is fun and as I have mentioned previously, addicting. Pickleball is great exercise, but the most wonderful benefit of the game is meeting and getting to know other players, which I hope turns into long-lasting friendships.
But, this post is not about Pickleball, it is about spending a few minutes taking photos of a few birds in my yard. Howard and I enjoy sitting on our deck and watching the bird activity in the yard. It has been a very good year for many species, especially the Spotted Towhee. I don’t recall seeing so many young Towhees. The Towhee is one of my favorite birds and it makes me very happy to see that they are doing well. Two new visitors to our yard, in recent weeks, has been the Red-breasted Nuthatch and the Gray Catbird (just one).
Two Red-breasted Nuthatches stopped by for a few days and enjoyed, not only the sunflower seeds, but the suet feeders as well.
Not the best quality photos, but it gives you an idea just how cute these little birds are. I generally don’t like to post photos of the birds at the feeder, but they were just too darn quick for me to capture in a more natural environment. They would fly in, grab a sunflower seed, and fly off.
Another bird we are enjoying watching is the Hummingbird. Feisty little birds that don’t believe in sharing. They sit at the top of a branch or tree and continuously scan the sky for incoming – Hummers! Nope, no sharing of the tasty, sugary liquid they love so much.
One day I was standing out on the deck with, my long lens, trying to capture one of the Hummers. A Hummer decided to check me out and then checked out the entire length of the lens. Too comical and so close. If only I had a photo of that experience!
Until next time, spend time doing what you love to do!
~Daily Post Photo Challenge-My Muse, Birds
Sharing with The Daily Post Photo Challenge – Muse
Birds, Birds, Birds…
I could go on and on, but I will stop with these few birds. Birding is a fun hobby and capturing them with my camera is my muse.
~A few remaining photos from our day trip to Rocky National Park with out-of-town friends
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Notice the beautiful yellow throat, and the yellow patches on the sides and on top of the head.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
This little guy was flitting around from branch to branch and tree to tree, so this is the best photo I could capture of his ruby crowned head.
The header photo is a Pink-sided Junco, which was busy hunting for food in and around patches of snow. I was lucky it decided to get a better view of its surrounding by hopping up on this boulder.
It was a fun day that will be treasured always!
Sharing with:
Stewart at paying-ready-attention for Wild Bird Wednesday
Michelle at Rambling Woods for Nature Notes #312
f
~A new bird, Willows and an old Beaver Dam
On Monday, while visiting Rocky Mountain National Park, I observed two small sparrow like birds in a bush near the water. Turns out they are Brewer’s Sparrows. I was grateful to get these photos; they sure didn’t want to be seen.
I haven’t seen this bird before so it becomes number 386 on my Birding Life List!
Willows are the dominant woody shrub on almost all wet meadow or riparian areas in the park. They establish on point bars, abandoned beaver ponds, and abandoned channels or ox-bows.
Fun Facts:
-
Willows can establish from seeds or from willow roots or stems that implant into the ground. Shoots from the roots are important because they allow existing willow plants and root systems to maintain themselves for long periods of time.
-
They provide shade to streams and critical habitat for a large number of terrestrial and aquatic species.
-
They slow water flow and allow the ground to absorb water and nutrients.
-
They stabilize stream banks.
-
They provide food and construction material for beavers and their dams which benefit ecosystem processes.
-
Willow growth and height in the park is determined by large ungulate and beaver browsing. Willows have evolved defenses against browsing. They can grow tall very rapidly beyond the height of browsing or they can produce defense compounds that make them less palatable to large ungulates like moose and elk.
-
Willow have declined in Rocky Mountain National Park meadows because there are fewer beaver and elk overbrowse their leaves and stems.
Info taken from park web-site:
Wolf Song Blog 