Thursday, April 4, 2013

Those Special Moments


Ladderback Woodpecker
After a nice day hiking, it's great to sit down at someone's birdfeeder and watch the birds come to you!
American Robin
It's relaxing and fun!  Several of these birds featured today were at feeders while others just plopped out of nowhere for a nice viewing.
Painted Redstart
Everything is starting to green up around here and the wildlife is alive and HUNGRY!
As limbs start budding on the trees, squirrels begin eating the new growth.
Today it was about wings and flight.  I sat lazily at the feeders enjoying the wonderful weather watching the Yellow-rumped Warblers(below) treating themselves to some bark butter.
Yellow-rumped Warbler
There's something very special about watching nature up close. 
On this day, I'd introduce Kathie to Mary Jo at Ash Canyon and Mr. Beatty at Miller Canyon. The photo below is from Paton's House near Patagonia.  All of these places ask for donations starting around 5 dollars.  It helps them feed the birds around their properties.
Lazuli Bunting, Lesser Goldfinch
Sometimes finding birds doesn't have to be difficult at all.
Sometimes sitting from a nice chair with a cold drink is all you need to find those normally elusive little birds.
Bushtits
Some pointers for feeding birds in your own yard.  Orioles love fresh oranges, jelly placed in a container, citrus flavored suet, or just plain ol' hummingbird nector(sugar water).  They even make Oriole bird feeders!
Scott's Orioles
The Scott's Orioles were such a fun find at Paton's House.   The male is above and very colorful.  We found the female below at Ash Canyon Bed and Breakfast.
Here you can see a feeder at my Grandmother's house in Wisconsin.  She is wonderful with her birds.
 And she LOVES her Orioles.  Please send positive vibes her way.  She had a stumble over a week ago and while she is doing better, any positive thoughts you can send her way would be appreciated.  While the Orioles pass through Arizona, she awaits their arrival in Wisconsin.  They are, along with the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds, just a couple of her favorite birds.  By the end of May, they arrive back into her garden and enjoy her feeders again.
House Finches
Thistle feeders attract your finches and siskins.  Regular seed=the sparrows.  Sunflower seeds attract your cardinals/finches.  And all seed on the ground attracts your doves:)  Peanuts=woodpeckers/nuthatches.  And dried fruits, bark butter=warblers, tanagers, orioles and every bird.  Sugar water=hummingbirds, orioles and bees:) Dried worms=thrushes, bluebirds, thrashers.  Nasty birdbath water attracts them all:)  Your wallet?  Empty:)
Pine Siskin
But the trails call.  And look who we found.  More to come......
Mexican Spotted Owls
For more fun, head over to Birding Is Fun! where you'll find my latest write on birding in Panama!

17 comments:

  1. You do get some beautiful coloured birds Chris - love the Squirrel photos too :)

    Am sending plenty of positive vibes to your grandmother - do hope she feels better soon.

    Off to visit Birding is Fun now :)

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  2. Sending healing thoughts n prayers for your Grandmother Chris.
    Congrats on the awesome bird sightings and shots I see here.
    Happy bird seeking Chris.

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  3. Mogłabym zapłacić nawet 10 dolarów, byle się znaleźć w takim cudownym miejscu i podziwiać piekne ptaki oraz wesołe wiewiórki. Pozdrawiam.
    I could pay up to $ 10, so long as to be included in such a wonderful place and enjoy the beautiful birds and squirrels happy. Yours.

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  4. I enjoy looking at the vast array of birds that you've shot. Its a beauty body of work you that you have collated here. Happy birding.

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  5. Positive thoughts focused to the North. I don't think I have ever seen a House Finch that red in color. I do love their song.

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  6. I'm pretty sure that if we had the selection of birds that you do, I would never be inside on the computer. Outside with my camera that's where I would be.

    Jen

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  7. wallet = empty is right! :) i hope your grandma will be okay...

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  8. Hi Chris, NOW--you are talking about my love for birds ---the ones that come to my feeders, where I can stay inside and watch or take photos... That's the extent of my bird watching --but I LOVE it...

    I recently bought my Bluebirds (and Carolina Wrens) some mealworms.. What a treat for them --but one I can't afford to do year round...

    Have a great day.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  9. I hope that your Grandmother makes a speedy recovery, Chris. The birds to the garden feeders in your neck of the woods look terribly exotic compared to ours. Amazing pictures. You won't be surprised to hear that the Mexican Spotted Owls is my favourite - followed by the Ladderback Woodpecker. Thank you for sharing.

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  10. Qué espectacular rayado del Pico.. es precioso.. Un saludo..

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  11. Although it is fun to go out looking for birds it's also nice to just sit and wait for them to come. As always, great captures.

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  12. Great post Chris, we are so lucky to have all these beautiful creatures around us aren't we?

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  13. Such beautiful shots, Chris. Sending good, healing thoughts to your dear Grandma.

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  14. Wow you have quite a wonderful selection of bird shots here.

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  15. Firstly and most important...can you feel the good vibes coming from Perth for your Grandmother, hope she is well soon..it's always such a shock a tumble at that age, my Mum had a few.
    Secondly this post has been so interesting for me Chris, because after a little work I'm having done at the front of the house I do want to hang some feeders to attract the smaller birds that I know are in the trees there, I hear them in the morning but it's too hard to see them, so it was useful to know what to put out for them..the big birds like the Corella and the Galah's are easy and they're mainly in the back garden. The tree at the front is right by my bedroom window, so you can see why I want to encourage the smaller birds.

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  16. Oh and did I forget to mention :) fabulous shots above, was just so excited about your feeding tips!

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  17. Nothing more peaceful than watching nature. Great captures and look forward to more on those owls!

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Thanks for stopping by!