Sunny Sunday 2

Welcome back!  After driving past the Peach Orchard I arrive at Carolina Sandhills National Wildlife Refuge...Im fortunate to have this awesome place close by...We have rambled it's roads for years.  

A Bachman's Sparrow was seen here a few days ago...I have no hopes of seeing it as this is a huge place 45,000+ acres!  I strain my neck backwards and find the singer...a House Finch!

or two...

Everybody is pairing up time to replenish the supply of birds! 

Eastern Bluebird

I walked around the area listening and looking and found White-throated Sparrows, and Chipping Sparrow, but no Bachman's showed.  An American Kestrel soared over, heard and saw a Red bellied Woodpecker and then a not so familiar woodpecker chip chirp and rattle...

The Female Red Cockaded Woodpecker! And..in a tree nearby the male, 

First time I've ever gotten a photo of one of these and first time seeing one in many years...

note the big white cheek patch this is the main diagnostic to look for...

This male has a band on his left leg...I can't read it, I can make out it's like aluminum....I only reported 2 birds but I'm almost 99.9% sure there was 3 birds...as they left I swear I saw 3 swooping shapes.  I stood still and was no bother to them they took their time, I took a bunch of photos...these are the best from the distance I stood away.  The Male was on a big tree on the right and the female on a small tall tree on the left so I saw them both pretty good, the 3rd bird came into view as they moved off...he was probably behind me.

I was thrilled! Not just for me for these BIRDS!!
This is an endangered species,,,,it's only alive due to being protected and provided for in places like Carolina Sandhills!   There is hope.  Of course we have to get Trump out of the White House or all our endangered species will lose their protection! 

 

rice n beans with cilantro and cold coffee

 After eating my sack lunch I drove over to the Oxpen Lakes...on the other side of the refuge road.  They have recently burned this area...I saw one Canada Goose, and one Pied Billed Grebe in the South Pond, 2 mallards flew off the North Pond when I drove up....

More Song Sparrows hopped around in the brambles...

A tree line of American Robins formed...

Then I realized my Sunny day had turned sour...

Clouds rolled in the wind picked up and it began to drip rain...A Yellow Rumped Warbler peered down  from a budding Maple tree...

And that was the final bird of the day...it was such a primo day even the rain didn't seem to matter, it was a fitting end...and a gentle reminder that home was waiting.

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

3 Stop Challenge

I'm getting ready for a simpleThanksgiving by cutting some of my herbs, drying it, then chopping it up in a coffee bean grinder....nothing is better than fresh herbs. This is sage..I'll be putting that in my cornbread dressing...it's called dressing when it's served on the side, not stuffing. So I learned on a cooking show I watched. It's going to be a small affair this year my family is in Colorado! BUT my son will be here with me. :o)

ebird has a monthly challenge each month...you can win stuff normally it's a Zeiss Scope which I would LOVE to win --this month enter 3 checklists all from one day and you are in the drawing to win a Cornell Labs Ducks ID workshop...so I checked out all the birds at my place first, got 16 species, in the  yard, woods, and the field.  Here is some of what was around.

This bird was here a few days back he is not on my checklist for this challenge...but I wanted to add him to this post so here he is...the

 Hermit Thrush.  

    hermit thrush

Also not on this checklist was this:  I've been hearing a Screech Owl...I love the way they make those little soft trills...not the whiney but the little trill... to me I visualize little circles going up into the twilight as they trill away...One wintered in a tree cavity around here a couple years ago and when I sat outside at dusk I could hear him/her.  So I've been doing Cavity Searches!! 

                                   

                                                     UGH no owl here ....

Or here either!! GRRRRR these fuzz balls are taking over all the cavities in the yard!  So I'll have to keep looking...other birds in the yard were busy making a living...like  a pair of House Finch in the poplar trees out back

Still having major problems with the zoom on my camera so trying to deal with it, was hoping for some big Black Friday Deal but so far, nope.  

But things are looking up as I continue to be able to keep using my old camera, it's just not as awesome as it was when it was new!  Speaking of looking up and new...my wintering Pine Warbler is here to hang out right in the same area where he is every single fall/winter, in the exact same trees.  He is outstanding! Welcome home my friend.

                                                        pine warbler

It's nice to be outstanding in your field...that's what I was doing, out standing in my field, when I saw this little guy flitting around up there...and then this next shot I  thought I'd missed the bird, but he is there do you see him?



                                                 chipping sparrow 

We had a cold snap so the Eastern Bluebirds come to roost back in the bird houses where they nested in summer...caught this one out catching some sun rays...these bluebirds live in family groups so there was males, females, and some first winter young. 
                                                                           

                                                                   Ruby Crowned Kinglet 

I felt I had seen all I was going to see in the yard so I left to look for a horned grebe that had been reported at the Wateree Dam.  I didn't find the grebe it would have been a good  one for my county, but not a lifer.

Along the way I pulled off the road when I spotted this Logger Headed Shrike hanging out in a young pine tree tract...this one didn't count toward the challenge cause the deal is you start a new checklist when you get out of your car...like you stop bird, get in the car get out bird, etc...so this one I took from the car it was just sitting there!

I was on my way to the Dam, but I decided to stop and photograph a cemetery!  A small one but it needed to be done, It was on the way so I stopped...and low and behold the area behind the cemetery was birdy so I found..

More Ruby Crowned Kinglet, 

A few Carolina Wrens, an Eastern Towhee, a Northern Cardinal, a White Throated Sparrow, Blue Jays and before you know it I had 6 species for my second checklist!

Once I finished up the cemetery it was past 2 pm so I continued on to the Lugoff River Access just below the dam of the Wateree River.   Here is the dam and the Duke Energy Power Station attached.  

And I got 19 species there!  Which was fun.  Nothing new and like I said no grebe but I did enjoy poking around.  

The Wateree River:

Lots of Great Blue Heron's fishing and this one swallowed like an 8 inch sunfish! See the huge bump in his upper neck area...he just flipped it up and down it went...

Flickr Ate my Photo

This Great Egret found a honey hole and he stood there just gorging on minnows...one right after the other like eating Nacho Chips!

Flickr Ate My Photo

Watched this Osprey watch out for the wires!

Duke Energy has declared war against this bird...

                                                                  The Black Vulture...

I saw these horrible things...and I just don't see how they honestly think this will help?? It's just plain stupid!! 

Embrace the bird, encourage more birds of prey to the sight or just leave it be!

 That's the effigy...a dead Black Vulture hung up to rot in the sun...The USDA...in the bird eradicating business?  

This made me sad and mad I'm in a constant state of FLUX'd these days...

I try to stop yelling and move forward...

to the good stuff I found...I was happy to see all these GB Herons against the fall colors..

Flickr Ate My Photo

And other birds I was able to photo the Northern Cardinal 

And the River Cane was hiding great numbers of White Throated Sparrows just arrived for the Winter here in the SC Midlands scratching around in the leaves. I caught this one just barely.  Center just below that white leaf.

And a cute little Tufted Titmouse all fluffed up to the oncoming evening, as it now neared 4:30 and it gets dark at 5 so away I went...

Flickr Ate my Photo

That's it for now Hope you all have a great visit with your family...if you celebrate the holiday. We will not be having a bird on our table but we will walk away from it stuffed!! 

LoL, it's not working...in fact they seem to be sitting there enjoying the antics of this inflatable as it twists and turns in the air. A place to roost with entertainment too!

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

GLORY DAYS

ALL last week I was sporting 2 black eyes and fire ant bites on my left foot!! Course the 2 black eyes were not on my left foot they were on my face! AND still are but not as bad this week....I called it the week from Hell..the grass bagger fell on me while I tried unsuccessfully to slide it on top of the tool shed...and while I was engrossed in photographing some butterflies I stood in a fire ant hill...they let me know right away I was NOT welcome there and since its the south and summer flip flops are the favored footwear...SO OUCH!!

BUT NOW...FOR the first time in a LONG time the windows are open! Finally a  beautiful cool day; sunny and breezy - just perfect.  Had a great girls night out last evening with my best girlfriend at Outback, blooming onion and garlic mashed potatoes, and all the beer I could guzzle and still drive home... yeah I had some  amazingly bad breath this morning...lol

and then I did some birding today...YES Sondra,  there is a Santa Claus!

IN the trees of the pasture I spotted this pair of what looks like immature pine warblers, but it turns out this is a yellow throated vireo...

Prairie Warbler, 

Upside down and gorgeous was the brownheaded nuthatch..

More nuthatches feeding high up in the canopy...

I heard summer tanagers, hairy and red bellied woodpeckers, chickadees every where, and white eyed vireos but too quick for photos...did manage a shot of this busy northern cardinal with a turn at the feeder..

A tufted timouse scolded me for a while then went on his way..

AND WTHECK is this thing? Found it devouring one of my potted plants...had to get my butterfly n moth book to look it up...

 LOOKS like graphic art.....Its called a saddleback caterpillar, and it turns into a rather dull brown moth...amazing, book says its a STINGING caterpillar ouch..I did move it but it didnt sting me, also had some black swallowtail larve eating the devil outta my parsley!

Flossie was showing off her beautiful tail in the breeze, she moved just as I pulled the trigger on this one but her coat was so pretty I let it slide...SHE's a tough keep cause of this heavy long coat its a grooming nightmare!

ANNIE was around but not in the mood for picture posing...see this house finch (below)....well I walked right up and grabbed her off this feeder, she is almost blind! So now she's in infirmary and receiving treatment for conjunctivitis...she should be fine a few days..

                                                              Good as new in a few days

Here she is in the treatment cage its small but I'll need to be able to catch her everyday and treat her eyes so smaller is better in this case I can catch her without a big "chase".

 

THE star of the weekend bird watch was a pair of Red Breasted Nuthatches that are hanging out in the yard !! ITS been fun to watch them...and thats NEW to my yard list! Usually see them a bit farther north, but they DONT know that....LOL..

NEXT weekend my MOM finally returns from Colorado! She went to stay a month and stayed a Year...lol  my sister will be driving her back and she will be with us for a month...and MY sisters and I  plan to do at least one waterfall hike...3 of us are having birthdays too..

One of us will be 56, one of us will be 59, one of us is 63, and one of us will be 88...

YA'll can figure out who is how old 'iffin you want to.

Im enjoying good times while I can! Hope you're doing the same where ever you are!

PEACE

Just Stuff--

I caught her!! YEP the female house finch with the eye infection!  I was able to just sneak up on her while she was on the bird feeder-- reached out and grabbed her! SHE was not too happy..but she will be happy in a few more days when HER sight is returned to her!  Look at the poor thing the first day...and then with Only ONE day of treatment--

I was off work today for one reason or another and we spent the entire morning bleach cleaning all our feeders, water stations, and suet holders too...Although I dont think the problem is here...They just appear suddenly like that! The poor Goldfinch was only passing through he was here for One day only wish I had been able to catch him...
Meanwhile Check out this very bug-eyed butterfly who enjoyed some of my potted plants on the deck..

                                                                Palamedes Swallowtail


THE heat is still on...all of us are panting as we go about our Daily Chores in the outdoors....

AND NOW I know what's happening to my Hosta Plants!! THIS freeloader has outstayed his welcome!!

                                                                        CHEWED UP!


AND I have to give a PLUG to SNAPFISH if you enjoy producing your OWN cards and photobooks, (Like I do) try Snapfish! They also make prints and they run some very cool specials too...(like 99 prints for 99c) I ordered these greeting cards made from some of my favorite photos--I always put a cool message inside each card and the back is marked with MY own Logo! The only complaint I have is I wish there was an easier way to order from my saved projects,....you have to order each one separetely...they cost 1.99 each and that includes an envelope..they do combine the order and you pay  only a very small shipping fee---

HEY you cant get a "Designer" card for that price... a good Hallmark Card is $3.50.  Before you order google up a Coupon Code and you can probably find one for a discount or free shipping or something like that...i found one that gave me a $5.95 discount on my order.  Get on their mailing list and they will email you all kinds of special deals...Like now they have buy one 8 x 11 photo book get 2 free!! WHAT a deal eh? Great for scrapers.

Here's my cards..I laid these out on my bed so you can seee how cool vibrant the color is Each one is Perfect!! ....I've used Snapfish before for photobooks, notecards, and greeting cards, and am very pleased with the price and the quality for the buck! These cards are 5 x 7 and printed on nice heavy glossy cardstock--

For the curious these were taken on my travels the past couple of yrs.
left to right

1. The White Foal ( Navajo Lands, AZ)
2. Monument Valley, AZ
3. Lake Powell, AZ
4. Monument Valley, AZ
5. Maroon Bells, CO
6. Betatakin Ruins, Navajo National Monument, AZ
7. Sheep in the Road, AZ
8. Canyonlands NP, Utah
9. Antelope in Utah
10. Mt Sopris, Carbondale, CO
11. the Delicate Arch, Arches NP, Utah
12. A Vintage Shoppe in Basalt, CO

Hope your week has been good THE heat is REALLY on for us this weekend..SO I'll probably be laying low in the AC..AGAIN!

PEACE

WBW-11 The Purple House Finch



Purple finch on the right 

Carpodacus mexicanus



I probably should have saved the recent Cliff Swallow post for the WBW but I didn't realize it was so close to Wednesday already! SO I decided to post about the purple house finch! (never heard of it you say) These two species are so similar that I just started calling them the purple house finch when I saw them at the feeders getting lazy about gathering info to make a positive ID-- and with that newly created word purple house finch I had it covered either way-RIGHT? But as all serious birders must do...I recanted and started to get serious again and stop being so lazy---So here is my comparison data for you to ponder and maybe you have a species you do this with also (like the black capped chickadee and the Carolina chickadee)...the differences are so subtle that honestly most of the time I CANT TELL them apart! So this is an adult male house finch-sometimes he is quite red (photo left)--but if I can see the side of the face like the shots below I look for the bolder looking eye streak that is present in the Purple Finch (Center)








To me the Purple Finch has a darker chocolate brow feather color on his back and wings and the red is more purplish looking rather than regal red--and they have less streaking on the chest...

Purple Finch Male                                                                          House Finch Male 

 

                                                                                                                      

house finch female               

                                                                                                                               Purple Finch Female


but the females in comparison have heavy streaking and the Purple Finch Female has a noticeable eye streak where the house finch female doesn't.  The females are easier to ID to me.

 Here in my area the Midlands of SC I see more Purple Finches in Fall and Winter, more House Finch in Spring, Summer, & Fall, so sometimes they are there together!

If you want to participate or just enjoy blogs about other Birds from around the world click this link and YOU don't have to be a Bird Watcher to join in--just enjoy sharing what you bring back from your explorations and adventures into nature.
-Peace-