Birding

I enjoy bird watching so much!  Each month as I am able, I go on a bird walk with fellow birders.

I've taken my grandchildren on the bird walk in the past.  

All except Claire who was too young.  

I took Emeri and Eli, but the only picture I found of that day was one where we went to Drubers before the bird walk!

The bird walk begins fairly early.   Here was the sun rise when I left the other morning.

I love this walk in the woods!

Anywhere from 4 - about 15 generally meet monthly to see/hear birds.  It is the 1st Saturday of the month and we meet by the museum.

Using my new lens I got for Christmas.

Red-bellied woodpecker - He was hiding behind the tree stump, so Greg walked to the other side so he would appear so I could get a shot.

There were so many robins.  These are from the north.  They come here for the winter.  They will return north and the ones we have here in the spring will return from the south.  The northern robins are a little bigger than the ones we have in the spring-fall.

sweet black-capped chickadee

female downy

And the male.  He has a red cap.

We saw quite a few cedar waxwings too.

Gorgeous bird!

When I got home, I mentioned to Al that I'd like to go see the eagles at East Lake.  We were headed to Hillsboro anyway, so we took a different route.  We were rewarded with a view of one eagle!  I've heard there are 3.

After we finished what we needed to do in town, we decided to go to Marion Lake also since it is so close by.

We saw pelicans and Canada geese

and one eagle this day

These red-winged black birds were all banded together as 3 hawk hovered overhead.

 I didn't get a photo with all 3 hawks, but they were going back and forth over these blackbirds.

I'm sure a little disconcerting for them!


How precious is your steadfast love, O God!
    The children of mankind take refuge in the shadow of your wings.
Psalm 36:7

Birding at my house

                                                                                    Goldfinch - winter plumage

"Did you know God wants us to be bird watchers?
He says to us:  Look at the sparrows;  they are not very important and yet I love them and know all about them.  How much more must I love you?" 

                                                                                         Harris sparrow


" ... Be like the birds who look to Me for what they need at the proper time - look to Me for everything!"  - Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing

Eurasian collared dove

I fill the bird feeders each morning early before the birds are ready for their breakfast.

 

I use deck food, except for the above feeder.  I use safflower to keep the starlings at bay.   Starlings do not like safflower seed.  But the shells end up on the deck.   My husband isn't too pleased with that.  But he knows it is my hobby so he is sweet about it and doesn't complain too much.

I told my granddaughter once that I was not fond of the starlings.

"But Nana!  God made them too!"

Nyjer or thistle for this feeder.  The finches love it!  

This feeder got knocked to the ground from the 2nd story deck and got just a little banged up! 

Recently, each day the flicker has come to eat.

A windy, cold day.

My bird guide friend told me that the red-shafted and yellow-shafted have cross bred and now we have flickers with orange streaks!

female downy woodpecker

I think the female cardinal is so very beautiful!




I love this picture of the male cardinal facing the snow.  The male is such a deep red!




 Little birdie tracks in the snow.  So cute!  However, this morning I saw kitty tracks among the birdie tracks!


There's enough for all!  No fighting!


House finch




Red-bellied woodpecker


Dark eyed junco


The Canada geese fly right by my window!


The lake is frozen right now.  A lone snow goose among the Canada geese.  (I used to call them Canadian geese but that isn't correct.  It is Canada goose.)

Great blue heron by our lake


Hide away, little birds!!


The hawks are ever searching.  They know the little birds come to the feeders.


One day I heard such a ruckus!  I looked outside and saw this hawk.   Our neighbor's pet chickens were my house and they flew into our pit.  I saw the eagle and chased him off.  But the next day, my neighbor told me it got one.  So sad.

Reminds me of 1 Peter 5:8 and how we need to be careful too:

Be sober [well balanced and self-disciplined], be alert and cautious at all times. That enemy of yours, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion [fiercely hungry], seeking someone to devour.