This morning I had to grocery shop...ugh! I'd rather work 5 hrs in the field to grow my own but until then I slug off like everyone else! Then later I ran the mower over Mom's front and back now Im sitting on my sofa, with my feet up and watching a Ruby Throated Hummingbird sip the sugar water I have hanging in the tree outside. Life is good! He didn't have to slug off to the IGA but his sip came from there same as mine!! Too lazy to get up and wait him out for a photo here is one from times past...
The month is half over...we've had some good weather lately so I've tried to get out as much as possible and enjoy it while it's here!
My birding has slowed down a little as I feel like I've peeled the onion about as deep as I can in the 5 mile....of course that is not true! LoL..but I have slowed down a wee bit...same old problem-----> no access! And now with the trees fully leafed out my vantage view points are being blocked and ticks and snakes are out...so even roadside can become more hazardous in this tall grass.more and more I'm attracting unwanted attention, from roadside interlopers...then I have to listen to their "bird" stories, you birders out there know the stories I'm referring to. Ugh. OKAY so anyway... an ebird reviewer got under my skin when he wanted a PHOTO to prove I had seen a Purple Finch female at my feeder last week...HELL! No habeas corpus! That Purple Female did not show up the next day...oh well what ever. How about ebird Prove I didn't see it? LoL.
No demands for more information on the Red Eyed Vireos that hover over me to see what all the movement below is about I try like crazy to get a decent shot of one, and yet they want a photo of the Purple Finch...**crazy giggling** LOL. SO very common, but not 2 weeks after the prom!
Wild Plums are nearly ready...life does not come in neat little bundles like plums do...too bad eh? LoL
A week of hot weather and I'll be picking!
This is a nest hole it's in the clear cut so that's fun to scan each time I pass by there..
red headed woodpecker
In our Cemetery travels we always find an out of the way spot to get some french fries and a cold drink and last week we hit this little spot...good iced tea and great service!
Get Your Kicks on Route ...341
You can almost hear this "M-I-Crooked-Letter-Crooked-Letter-I-Crooked Letter-Crooked Letter-I-Hump-Back-Hump-Back-I" Kite saying, "what you looking at?" We had to learn that mnemonic in grade school in order to remember how to spell Mississippi,
Have seen so many Mississippi Kites since their arrival...really could watch for hours...
Carolina Wrens have fledged their first batch of youngsters and now they are teaching them how to sound the alarm!
Good Job guys!
On the 5 mile count...its full moon I went outside and heard the Eastern Whippoorwill (#108) calling, my nocturnal got me another tic in my 5 mile...and soaring over one of my cow pasture visits I saw 2 Tree Swallows! (#109) No photos of either. Took a drive to one of my spots and while there I got dusted...
Literally!! I felt so bad for the 20 kites soaring above who just had their diet poisoned by this yellow menace...I shook my fist at him oh well, I can't save the world...
BUT my reward for putting up with that assault from the air... was this, see on the wire?
BUT my reward for putting up with that assault from the air... was this, see on the wire?
...course the plane scared everybody including me...and he flew over to this tree
Painted Bunting (#110) not just one but 3 of them; 2 males and 1 female..
I wasn't even expecting to see one let alone 3 in my county. County Bird!
SAY WHAT? Happy Dance!
...All week I had been trying for the Yellow Billed Cuckoo. I was pretty sure I heard one but I wanted to photo it also...I used playback on one of the dirt roads Ive been birding from...and then this guy stopped... long drawn out convo about his experiences with birds...I endure, after I have to completely explain my weird behavior. "Hi, what you looking for?"
Birds...well we kill turkeys, dove, and quail pretty regular...not that kind of bird hunting mr....ugh
Birds...well we kill turkeys, dove, and quail pretty regular...not that kind of bird hunting mr....ugh
ok then he says, "I had this weird bird hit my window died right there on the spot"... he pulls out his phone and shows me a photo...damned a
Yellow Billed Cuckoo, so I said in plain English but with a smirk..."It's a Yellow Billed Cuckoo." ...so he says in typical redneckese,
"A yellow billed whattttt?"
Yellow Billed Cuckoo, so I said in plain English but with a smirk..."It's a Yellow Billed Cuckoo." ...so he says in typical redneckese,
"A yellow billed whattttt?"
When I finally got rid of him I gave up and went home...sat on my porch later and bingo heard one, ran out with my camera and Bingo
Yellow billed Cuckoo (#111)
More Happy Dance!
PEACE
Every day is a new Adventure.
Oh man, enduring birding stories can be rough, especially when they're all about the birds they hunt. Nice find on the Painted Buntings and you definitely earned that cuckoo!!
ReplyDeleteYes I almost thought that guy was making fun of me when he whipped out his phone with a freshly dead cuckoo on the screen. The cuckoo was my target for at least a week...and now IM after an oven bird, haven't heard or seen one in years but others are seeing them so....off to seek n find!
DeleteI think that some eBird reviewers can be a little over the top, too impressed by their self-conferred sense of importance.
ReplyDeleteYep me too, I really don't need the stress of it.
DeleteOh the painted buntings are so beautiful. What kind of snake was that didn't like the shape of his head, well didn't like any of him period. Sorry about the mighty bird hunter ugh. Be careful out there now that creepy crawlies are about. Love the video of the songs.
ReplyDeleteIt's a black rat snake, and it's not venomous but they will bite if given a chance.
DeleteI would be staying clear of hedgerows and ditches with snakes about, venomous or not. You've done really well on the 5 miles radius bird count, just as a matter of interest how does your total count compare to others birders who have done the same project.
ReplyDeleteWe're away in the van in Europe and have come across birds not seen in the UK, like black kites and redstarts. Lots of cuckoos around which is good as they are declining back home.
Hi Dave...so happy you are on a trip! Look forward to your posts...No one else in my area is doing the radius...in fact there are only 3 other regular birders one of them has 117, and the other 124 species for this year and they are birding the whole county. A black kite must be awesome to see!!
DeleteHello, Just thinking about the ticks has me itching. after coming in from a walk, I feel like they are crawling on me.. I love the Painted Bunting and Cuckoo. The Kite is a cool sighting. The Redheaded Woodie is a favorite too. Great sightings. Happy Birding, enjoy your weekend.
ReplyDeleteHi Eileen! Yes it's time for the dogs to get their flea n tick drops they hate it but they gotta have it!
DeleteThe Kite is a beauty! I must admit i'd be horrified if someone started telling me about the birds they kill, i'll never understand hunting!! Very nice to get the Cuckoo from home, that would never happen with a Cuckoo here for me!
ReplyDeleteMe either Pam, its such a horrible thing to even try to understand! I steer clear of anyone who is a hunter!
DeleteWow ,.. the kites, the cuckoo, and the painted bunting ... and so many others. And you say you’re slowing down? You see so Many birds! But People can sure be annoying!
ReplyDeleteHi Sallie, yep it was slowing and now its like dead! All the usual suspects are present but hard pressed to find new species...hopefully when the young fledge I can snag a couple more for my radius.
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