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!