Precious Black Necked Stilt
One of my favorite little waders is the Black Necked Stilt. We see them in our South Florida wetlands on the east coast during the breeding season in late spring and early summer. They have the longest red legs on any bird in relation to their the body size, second only to the flamingo. These dainty-looking birds like to build their nests in a clump of soil and vegetation right in the wetlands water which makes we admiring fans quite nervous because of alligators. But alligators, beware, because these lightweight parents carry heavyweight courage and vigor in protecting their clutch. I’ve seen them fly out to harass a gator moving too close to another bird’s nest. These pretty and tall parents alternate turns at rolling the eggs to assure each egg has full exposure to their body heat. Once the chicks are hatched, both parents feed and teach the chicks up through the time they fledge the nest. They are seen hanging out at their empty nests for a while just to make certain the fledglings are succeeding on their own. The Black Necked Stilts are quite territorial and in non-breeding times seem to enjoy associating with other stilts....
Read MoreDivine Instincts
I really enjoy watching most of nature interact with one another. I say most because, while I enjoy observing a pelican dive into the ocean for a meal, I have to turn my head if a lion is about to catch and devour a gazelle. It all is our Creator’s plan but some is definitely more palatable to me. I surely do enjoy observing water birds and other fowl. Of course, I have my favorites like the Great Blue Heron, egrets of various types, white ibis and at the top of my current list is the Roseate Spoonbill. Having moved to Florida certainly has enhanced my birding opportunities and increased my observing much more water fowl. Today’s outing brought me close to a handsome Snowy Egret…all alone on a canal in south Florida. I think they are beautiful birds adorned in their mating plumage. They are very stylishly striking with their bright yellow feet and some on their legs. But those “high-end slippers” are not just pretty…they are very functional as well. The Snowy Egret is the smallest of the heron/egret family averaging about 2 feet tall compared to the Great Egret at nearly 40 inches tall. But the Snowy’s smaller size enables him to move more quickly in the water and therefore grab some grub more easily. The next time you have the chance to observe an egret in a marsh or wetland, watch the movement of their feet in the water. They swish their feet around stirring up what might be below the surface for catching and eating. Once the menu item surfaces, he’s quick as lightening to grab it and down the hatch! So again, we can see that sometimes LESS IS...
Read MoreWhite Ibis
The White Ibis is a large shorebird in lower coastal areas preferring marshes as its main habitat. Fully white feathered bird except for black wing tips usually not visible except in flight or stretching its wingspan. The striking appearance of a pink face, bill and legs changes to bright orangey-red during breeding seasons. In Florida, the ibis are quite plentiful being in the Least Concern category of conservation listings. The ibis are beautiful and graceful in flight take-off and landing as if gliding onto a runway. These large birds roost in trees at night which is a bit unusual to see for the first time. They build their nests in trees as well. Still being a new-comer to Florida, I get a charge approaching a traffic light when I see a small congregation of Ibis on the grassy corners foraging for...
Read MoreShorebirds Count on Barrier Islands
When vacationing on barrier islands, one can see a multitude of shorebirds taking advantage of the foraging opportunities to find their dinner. They each have their own specific method of foraging determined on the tools with which they have…their bills. The Curlew has the long down-curved bill, the herons have a spear-like bill and the sandpipers & plovers have strong short bills. How interesting it is to observe the species at work. Thanks to Cornell Lab of Ornithology for making this educational video available for us.Shorebirds on Barrier...
Read MoreA Pink Respite
Though we don’t always act on our knowledge, most would agree that we all need a brief respite now and then. The last few months have been one huge push for me…get my house in NC ready to sell; sell it; find a new place to live in FL; and pack up for the BIG move to my new home in FL. Even then, it has been a daily regimen of unpacking boxes, finding places for the things that make it “home” and de-clutter even more. Push, push push. As God our Creator was designing and creating our world, even He knew to set a day aside for rest. If God Almighty needs a respite here and there, why in this world would we not recognize that more often??? Yesterday, I decided I was doing myself an injustice to not take a break. So, I packed my beach chair in the car and got a bottle of water and drove the five minutes to some of the most beautiful great waters of our world, the Atlantic Ocean. In south Florida, the water is a lovely blue-green as we live in a sub-tropical weather area. The sun was bright, the sand was very warm and the water refreshing just to look at, though there were plenty swimming and surfing. I found my little spot and got my chair positioned, sat down and pointed my face to the warmth of the sun. I briefly opened my eyes to see a beautiful sight…there must have been 15-20 brown pelicans flying so serenely without even a flap of the wing right overhead…VERY close! I could see their eyes. They are one of my favorite water birds because of their having fought their way back after nearly becoming extinct as a result of the widely used DDT. Quietly, I scolded myself for not bringing my camera…but then, I realize I actually saw more and soaked it in more deeply just observing instead of working to get the picture. They were so peaceful and beautiful…just coasting so close. Tonight, I was thinking about that moment and how long distance birds conserve energy and take rest. This photo of a sweet Roseate Spoonbill at Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge taking respite speaks to the natural order of life as God created...
Read MoreThe Return of the Red-bellied Woodpecker
Recently when I experienced a hard drive crash, I ultimately lost so much of my writing and photography work. PAINFUL lesson on the supreme importance of verifying one’s backup procedures. Couple that with having spent the summer in Florida away from my birds who seemingly have come to depend on my feeding and caring for them, I have truly been mourning my losses. Seriously! The backyard birds have been slowly returning to the feeding stations and enjoying the huge holly tree that I refer to as “Air Traffic Control.” The holly tree was picked clean of berries at the end of winter by a convergence of robust robins and beloved Cedar Waxwings. That was a process to observe!!! I most often see robins on the ground searching for the proverbial WORM. So, for me, it was a new experience to see them arrive in flock and devour the holly berries sometimes 5 or 6 berries at a time. This occurred over several days. Then, one cold late afternoon, I caught a glimpse of what looked like the mysterious Zorro-masked Cedar Waxwing in an opening in the holly. Could it be? My heart began to race as I grabbed my camera to zoom and there he was standing sentry while yet another waxwing plucked the berries from further within the tree. But back to the Return of the Red-bellied Woodpecker. I’ve had to be patient as the backyard birds slowly began to trust again after my absence, so I’ve been enjoying the Northern Cardinals, Tufted Titmice, the Mockingbird, my soul-mates the Mourning Doves, Carolina Chickadees, the precious little Downy Woodpeckers and House Finches. How I have longed to see the Red-bellied Woodpecker return, but no sign of one until yesterday. And such a return it was! She flew right outside my window as I was working at my computer and nearly took my breath away. So striking, different and colorful as she crouched on a limb surveying the area before she moved to the suet feeder. I was able to capture one good photo of her and gave thanks that I had received such a blessing in that moment. My, what wonders our Creator has done and continues to do in our world of...
Read MoreGreat Blue Heron vs. Snake
While visiting Merritt Island Wildlife Refuge near Titusville, FL, I was fortunate to witness a new sight with one of my very favorite water birds, the Great Blue Heron. I had been watching him move about tactically in the marsh and saw he was very focused on his journey. I thought, “He’s looking for a nice fish for lunch!” All of a sudden he lunged forward in heron-style with great precision and there was his lunch dangling from his long spear-like beak…a snake!! The next few moments were impressive. I estimated the snake to be about 4-5 ft. long of considerable girth. He had caught the snake behind the head…smart move. Guess he had done that a few times. It was so interesting to see him work with the snake jerking and flipping the slimy creature until he got it just like he wanted it and then the descent down the throat began. UGH!!! The heron stretched his long neck out to give a direct path to his luncheon treat to travel and pretty soon one could see the movement down the throat. It certainly gave new meaning to “Bottoms Up!” And just as we human do, he stepped just a few feet forward and grabbed a drink to help wash it all down. Just felt a little blessed to see that whole process. ...
Read MoreLove Feast
This morning is the kind of morning I really enjoy. We have a soft, constant rain. The lawn needs it, the birds LOVE it and it is quite relaxing to just listen to. My home-office is in my guestroom which has a large window outside which I have a crepe myrtle with two bird feeders. I ALWAYS have my camera, loaded and ready to go! As I write, I can glance out the window to enjoy the bird activity. Today has been amazing. So much activity. Titmice, goldfinches, house finches, white-breasted nuthatch, little Downy woodpeckers, many cardinals, an irritating starling or two or three, brown thrashers and a blue jay. All flying in and out taking their turns at the feeders with the female cardinal and brown thrasher hanging in for longer anticipating their male partners will come with a morsel of nourishment to fill their tummies and soothe their souls. Ah, soul mates!! The rain does so much for us…watering our crops, washing away pollen, and the birds perched in a tree drink from the leaves as they flutter away having a little bath and preening. Fun to watch and I must give thanks to our Creator for such imagination in His Creation that always provides a great moment of communing for me. Praise...
Read MoreSome Days Chickens, Some Days Feathers!
As a child, I never asked my daddy exactly what he meant when he would exclaim, “Some days chickens, some days feathers!” I had my own interpretation. I figured it meant when one is chasing a chicken, you might catch the chicken, if you’re lucky, or you just might grab a bunch of feathers and that’s it. Sort of an “Oh, well…” I grew up in the city, but our next door neighbor had a housekeeper/cook who all the neighborhood kids liked to watch her S-T-R-E-T-C-H a chicken’s neck out across a tree stump and whack it’s head off! Then, of course, came the fun part of watching the headless chicken run around the yard until it dropped over…dead. I watched with enjoyment then, but today…I absolutely could not watch it all happen today. :-0 But this post is not about chopping a chicken’s head off. It’s about how some days are better than others, some periods in our lives are easier than others and how when we walk in faith, we have the assurance that “This too shall pass.” Whether our struggle is getting through a life-threatening diagnosis, dealing with a long drawn out illness, raising a young family through YEARS of unemployment or searching for the purpose in one’s life, we DO know that our Creator is with us through it all and will guide us out of the wilderness. When I captured this photo of this young male cardinal this morning, I have to admit I said to myself, “Bless his heart!” He does, indeed, look so pitiful with his young little feathers piercing through his dark gray skin looking like a new hairstyle gone very bad! But, just as soon as I had those thoughts, my thoughts jumped to the brilliantly handsome look he will have in just a couple of months…as God finishes his daily attire that brings so much color and life to our world. So for him TODAY I say, “Some days chickens, some days feathers…just a lot more feathers for...
Read MoreEverybody’s Got to Learn!
It’s a rainy day off and on. Good day to work at my computer and view the wildlife out my window as they move about as the rain subsides. Mockingbird, European Starling, Tufted Titmouse, cardinals and….the bluebird I haven’t seen recently at my feeders. The bluebird gives me a peaceful and blessed feeling they are so pretty. I saw a flash of brown. Grabbed my camera and kept snapping away. What is that? Too fast and skippy for me to get a good shot as he jumped from one branch to another, turning around and all I get is the backside. THEN, my opportunity! There he is perched, still, looking right in the window at me. It’s a young Carolina Wren…flitting, jumping, then mesmerized at my sight, I suppose. I see his fuzzy, feathery chest and tummy area moving with the breeze and that precious little expression we see on fledglings’ faces. The mouth looking as if he is bewildered and desperately wanting something to eat. Wrens are clinging birds so they usually do quite well hanging from a suet feeder, but this little guy looked like he was questioning his skills. As I snapped the camera, I said, “Go on little one, take a chance. Everybody’s got to learn and you can do it.” Again, in a flash, he flew...
Read MoreThe Nourishing Rain
Our little speck of earth here in NC surely needed some rain yesterday! Though one of my rose bushes is lying on the ground now, I do give thanks for this nourishment from the Lord. Those of us in a book study reading “One Thousand Gifts” are taking a new look a Grace and what God’s generosity in our lives really means to our earthly existence. We’ve been discussing the daily gifts that so often go unrecognized and, of course, there’s been discussion on THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL, Jesus Christ himself. Some of us have been much like ole Santa Claus in making our lists and checking them twice, thrice or a whole passle of times with joy renewed each time as we come to new realization of just how many gifts we receive EACH day! How long has it been since you have INTENTIONALLY considered your gifts received? After the rain yesterday, it seemed it had been declared the time for our feathered friends to primp and clean up a bit. Fun to watch. Some very comical poses for the watching camera. I like this little male house finch taking advantage of the raindrops falling one at a time from leaves above and cleansing his pollen-ridden feathers. Such a sight! God, thank you for the gift of rain yesterday…and for the birds who thoroughly enjoyed...
Read MoreDead Albatross Key to Our Future?
Indeed, it is difficult to imagine a bird consuming all this plastic trash thinking it was food. But, the albatross is known for foraging over open oceans in search for food. Whatever they see, that scoop it up and take it back to their home to eat and to feed their chicks. Sad. Scary, too. Thanks to Chris Jordan for this photo to alert us. We are such a consumer-focused society that one by one we add to the trash from our homes, our schools, our workplaces and when we travel. If you’re sitting out on a boat in the ocean and drop a plastic pottle, you might think, “Oh, well, what’s one bottle in the midst of an ocean?” Right? Wrong! You probably have heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that is a floating mass of trash/garbage…about 3.5 TONS of garbage! Some estimate that the floating heap of trash is about twice the size of TEXAS! We’re talking about approximately 538,000 square miles of trash. It’s a floating junk yard! Much of it comes from land, one estimate being 80% of the floating junk yard comes from irresponsible disposal of trash on land and eventually makes it to the oceans. Our oceans are the biggest connection humans have to Creation and the beginning of our world. Think about...
Read MoreNorthern Cardinal State Bird
The Northern Cardinal is no doubt one of the most popular birds…among those that are selected as State Bird in the USA. The Northern Cardinal is State Bird for seven states: Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia. So what makes this bird one of our favorites? Is it the flashing red color of the male? Perhaps, it’s because we love to hear them sing their melodious songs to one another? Or maybe it’s because the paler female has a beauty all her own. My guess is that it’s all of these that form the crowd around the voting table for one’s favorite backyard bird. I like watching a male sit and watch for his mate to come hither after hearing his little click-click-click sound. Usually, I see him doing this when he is near my feeder. It isn’t too long before she comes flying in beckoning his call. When the cardinals are courting, it’s quite entertaining to watch. She sits in the tree near the feeder but not approaching it. She slightly flutters her wings a little. He gets the seed and comes to sit right next to her, cracks it open and gets it just right for her and then feeds her…over and over. It is believed that she is testing him out to see how well he would “provide for the family.” He also is quite protective of his intended mate and if another male comes nearby, he takes care of that situation immediately. One day I actually watched one male chase another male around the big holly tree numerous times before the 2nd hopeful suitor finally gave up. Quite entertaining. Remember to fill your...
Read MoreCardinal: “These Are the Rules of My Yard”
The birds that frequent my backyard feeders have grown to 21 species now and it is heart-warming to see them get along, take turns and co-exist in harmony. Though it may be the plan of nature for them to bicker from time to time, this disturbs me. When the House Sparrow Bullies arrived, I quickly determined how to get rid of them while not discouraging my “friendlier” feathered friends. About 10 days ago, I was thrilled to catch sight of my first Yellow-bellied Sapsucker at my suet feeder. He was just chipping away and enjoying the treat while I was enjoying the photo op his arrival presented. Then, came Mr. Cardinal, the most recent “manager of the backyard.” The beautiful robust cardinal landed right on top of the opposite corner of the suet feeder and the sapsucker certainly took notice. I LOVED their interaction and imagined this exchange of thoughts: Cardinal: “Well, so you’re the new kid on the block! Glad to have you as long as you realize I am in charge here!” Sapsucker: “Uh, sure thing…the suet is really tasty. Now, tell me, please, do I also have to be on the lookout for a mockingbird here? Cardinal: “Haven’t seen him lately. Just hang with me, kid.” And all was...
Read MoreSometimes Humans Need to Lend a Hand
Being the eternal animal lover that I am, I love it when I see a human being recognizing that sometimes one of our animal co-inhabitants might just need a human helping hand. Things happen. Puppies fall in storm drains, cats climb too far up a tree, horses get stuck in big mud holes. This time it’s ten baby ducks stuck in a public swimming pool. A man steps in trying to corral them and I had no idea how fast those little webbed feet could paddle them away! They swim to the other end of the pool where Mama Duck is standing alongside quacking away. Be sure to click on Read More to see just how a human’s thought about what would seem “natural” to the wee ones and watch it happen. I especially enjoyed watching how FAST they and Mama Duck leave the “dangerous” area! Good for today’s chuckle! Enjoy. Baby Ducks Rescued from Swimming...
Read MoreAs If to Say “Hello, Love”
Valentine’s Day is for everyone! I use the day to send “love note” reminders to my daughters…who will ALWAYS be my Loves…to my precious grandchildren who fill my life immeasurably with joy and to special friends who are, indeed, my chosen family. Since my divorce in 1995…wow! THAT was a while back…I have not had the romantic Valentine experiences we see on TV and that’s OK! But I do treat my self to special indulgence on this day. Today, I greeted the world early, gave thanks to the Lord and headed straight to my coffee pot. Today’s treat is a 16 oz. hazelnut cream decaf and a toasted English muffin with Nutella! Yum! Have you tried Nutella? It’s a smooth blend of hazelnuts, milk and cocoa. As I moved to my computer to check on the world’s happenings, it was as if my recently reacquainted bluebirds seized the opportunity to spread a bit of their joy early in the day. “Hello, Love” I heard him say as he posed for my camera. “Thanks for the suet & berries, and enjoy your day!” From my needle pointing days, my girls will chuckle to read: A bell isn’t a bell until you ring it, A song isn’t a song until you sing it. And the love in your heart Wasn’t put there to stay – Love isn’t love ‘Til you give it away. Thank you, Oscar Hammerstein and the “Sound of...
Read MoreAfrican Jackass Penguins
<iframe width=”420″ height=”315″ src=”http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/GiJLHhzf8iM?rel=0″ frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe> Please click Read More to view video clip.
Read MoreA Very Silver Lining!
OK, so all week I have been working through my feelings about how this congregation of robins has transplanted themselves in my yard and have been devouring the berries on my HUGE holly tree. Reminding myself that the berries are there for wildlife…so, they do belong. That didn’t really help. They are just so insatiable! They fly away, my “regular” birds immediately return, eat some berries, chirp and all seems well again. Sigh! But, the robins zoom back in as if on a specific search & destroy mission. I grab my camera thinking at least I can get something good out of this. Each time they come, they appear totally voracious…gobble, gobble, gobble! Geez!! It’s been rainy the last couple of days, so as I was walking out of church this morning, I noticed numerous worms on the sidewalk. “WORMS!! That’s what robins are supposed to eat.” I actually considered finding something to scoop them up and transport to my backyard, but decided that might hurt my already ailing back, so I didn’t. Got home and a little later saw the robins ‘ focused fly-in again, the fluttering of their wings to balance their big bodies on the not-so-sturdy limbs with the enticing berries out there on the end. I’m thinking, “work for it, baby!” I noticed the the top half of the tree is nearly void of any berries now and they are working their way south. I wish they REALLY would fly south! Then, as I’m in the kitchen chopping peppers for my chili, I see an entire HOST of birds so high up in my neighbor’s big, ancient oak tree! I said out loud, “Good grief, look at all those robins…they just look like a bunch of vultures hanging around up there! What are they waiting for, why don’t they just come on and finish the holly off!” I got my camera again because I liked the silhouette effect I was seeing and thought a photo or two would be in order. First, as I zoomed, I thought, “robin’s don’t have have crests. Hmm…” Then, I nearly choked from gasping, “oh, my goodness, robin’s don’t have yellow tipped tails!” What I saw was lurking up in the tree so high was an “earfull” of Cedar Waxwings. I have never seen a waxwing around here. Saw some in the mountains. These were too far away for me to get a good photo but I got enough to see their Zorro-masked faces, pale yellow under body and the yellow-tipped tail. Wow!!! Had I not looked up because of the lurking robins…I would not have seen the prize. Isn’t that the way it is!...
Read MoreInvasion of the American Robin
Who doesn’t love the American Robin? To me, the bird has always signified motherhood, family and all those sentimental memories that make us feel warm and fuzzy. I even named one of my daughters Robin, for heaven’s sake! One of the treasures in my backyard that many birds frequent is the Holly Tree! Nuthatches, chickadees, cardinals, mockingbirds, blue jays, house finches, sparrows, and my beloved Tufted Titmouse use it as shelter, a resting place and dine on the berries. Yesterday, as my coffee was brewing, I was enjoying a look out the kitchen window. All of a sudden, I felt like I was standing on the USS Nimitz watching a fly-over. There had to be at least 20 robins flying in, out and around the holly tree. Some would perch for a bit while others fluttered their wings and took flight again. This continued for a few minutes so I got my camera to capture a few photos. The robins were devouring the holly berries. I captured on video a robin eating SIX berries one right after the other. It was, at times, comical to watch the big birds, not really known that much for perching, flapping their wings to balance themselves as they leaned over to grab a berry or two. I saw more than a couple quickly fly away without much grace at all having lost their balance. The next thing I observed was that I didn’t see any nuthatches or chickadees or cardinals…guess they decided to take cover elsewhere. Smart little birds I thought. After the congregation of robins left, my “regulars” recognized the coast was clear and returned to their usual carrying on. I do know that even the American Robin migrates when temperatures get really cold flying south until they arrive in an area warm enough for the winter. Some that are very hardy will winter-over in colder areas knowing what their food and shelter sources are. They are known to arrive in flock, just as “mine” did, and holly berries are what they’re after. My tree is pretty big and I have always felt that if I am away for an extended vacation, my birds always have the holly on which to dine. Well, there’s less holly now because the dive-bombing robins are back today! The top of the holly tree is already somewhat barren looking today. So, I’m deep into a visualization therapy today…I’m seeing a warm spring day where I have noticed a sweet robin’s nest with pretty blue eggs ready to hatch and the mother robin is on the ground checking for a worm. I already feel...
Read MorePrecious Eiders and Other Birds At Risk
Thanks to Audubon for this alert: Let your voice be heard!! Ledyard Bay, off the northern Coast of Alaska in the Arctic Ocean, is a haven for all four species of eiders. Spectacled, King, Common, and Steller’s eiders feast there. All of western North America’s King Eiders, an estimated half a million birds, stop here. Proposed new offshore oil drilling in the Arctic Ocean, where oil spills can’t be cleaned up, could put this valuable place at risk. Please tell the Department of Interior: “No oil development in the Arctic Ocean” in a comment on the new 5-year oil and gas leasing program at http://policy.audubon.org/take-action ...
Read MoreWhat's Your Passion?
National Audubon Society
Help support the efforts of our National Audubon Society in conservation of natural bird habitats. Visit: www.birds.audubon.org