Home › #Photography › #Birds › THURSDAY’S BEAKY SPIKES AND SPIKY PAWS – Marilyn Armstrong

THURSDAY’S BEAKY SPIKES AND SPIKY PAWS – Marilyn Armstrong

By on • ( 40 )

Thursday’s beaks and paws

As I stood at the French doors in the dining room, I watched both Cardinals — male and physical come and go. I didn’t even both reaching for the camera.

They play this game with me every morning and I didn’t feel like playing today.

They flew off and I got a short visit from one of the red-bellied ladderback woodpeckers. He waited for me, but my camera didn’t feel like focusing. He got annoyed and left. Who could blame him?

Watching me, watching you …

No problem. The little squirrel popped onto the railing. He went into the flat feeder and chugged a pound or two of seeds, then came back to the rail. Where he sat and looked at me. I tapped on the glass. He ignored me. I tapped harder. He ignored me harder.

A quick snack before departure …

Duke got disgusted with me and the squirrel and went out back to do some anti-squirrel barking. Meanwhile, after one more round in the flat feeder, the young squirrel rambled off into the trees. Slowly. I think he waved at us on his way to the giant trees.

Looks like a baby Blue Jay!

Breeding colors – Goldfinch

With the squirrel gone, the birds came back. I took a few pictures. Then I went and drank coffee. The birds are wary of that big, furry, four-legged, bird!

Garry appears worried that the birds aren’t eating enough. I assured him that they appear fat and happy, so they are eating enough. You know you’re hooked when you’re worried your wild birds aren’t getting enough to eat.

Fat Nuthatch

Goldfinch and a Nuthatch

Not to worry. We have about 40-pounds of high-quality birdseed and as they get fully into breeding, they’ll also get hungry. They will eat. They always eat.

Brightest Goldfinch

I also saw a really huge hawk in the woods yesterday. It was so big, I wondered if it might be a young American Eagle. We’ve had them nest in our woods before, but usually, they like being by the river. But then again, we’re less than half a mile from the river and that’s not much for an eagle. Barely a flap of the wings, come to think about it.

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Categories: #Birds, #Photography, #Squirrel, Wildlife

Tags: , , , , ,

40 replies

  1. BeckyB
    03/29/2019 • 04:56

    How wonderful Marilyn . . .I love birding from the window, and your feeders are incredible

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  2. Taswegian1957
    03/28/2019 • 18:55

    The squirrels are gradually taking over from the birds I think but now there are more bugs around the birds will cope.

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    • Marilyn Armstrong
      03/28/2019 • 20:26

      I think that the birds are enjoying fresh meat again. I see them in the trees, poking around for insects. They come to the feeder too, but they like their fresh food, so they will eat what they need in the warmer weather. But that’s the way it’s supposed to be.

      Liked by 2 people

    • Garry Armstrong
      03/31/2019 • 14:12

      Tas, this could lead to war. Maybe I should call Wolf Blitzer for “breaking news” coverage.

      Liked by 1 person

    • Garry Armstrong
      04/01/2019 • 11:41

      Tas, you’re right. The bugs are showing up slowly but in increasing numbers. As the snow mounds melt and fade, the little critters return. A rite of spring.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. swo8
    03/28/2019 • 14:57

    I’ve never seen such healthy squirrels. Just look at their lush coat and tail.
    Leslie

    Liked by 1 person

  4. evilsquirrel13
    03/28/2019 • 10:55

    I never see that kind of variety of colorful birds around here. I’m sure we have them, they just don’t like to drop in and say hi to me. Hungry squirrels, those are definitely not in short supply. Don’t worry birdies, the fat squirrel will not eat you too…

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    • Marilyn Armstrong
      03/28/2019 • 14:33

      They are not afraid of him, but they do keep out of his way. And he seems to be constantly on our deck. He and brethren have moved in. I think the next step will be their own seats at the dining table. Some of these guys are redder, others nearly all gray, but most have a red streak along the top of their backs and the middle of their tail … or the center of their tail is gray and the long hairs are red. Every once in a while, I see one that is entirely gray, usually one of the really BIG ones.

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    • Garry Armstrong
      03/31/2019 • 14:10

      Squirrel, you’re kin are pushy and need to step aside for the birdies. Fortunately, the Duke has stepped in to restore law and order.

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    • Garry Armstrong
      04/01/2019 • 11:38

      Squirrel — you conjure up a frightening image — your kin folk feasting on birds. Any of your pals named Hannibal?

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  5. Lwbut
    03/28/2019 • 04:54

    I love your squirrel photos, even if he is a seed hog with NO respect! 😉

    I shared your cardinal experience yesterday – only replaced the cardinals with our own hawk ( a VERY rare visitor). He was sitting nicely on the telegraph wires opposite my lounge window and started to preen himself. I reached for my camera and tripod and opened up the lcd viewscreen and adjusted the camera angle to zoom in, looked up and of course he had vanished! 😦

    Liked by 2 people

    • bushboy
      03/28/2019 • 08:00

      I have a lot of photos of the branches where birds once sat 😀
      Great gallery of birds and a squirrel Marilyn

      Liked by 1 person

      • Marilyn Armstrong
        03/28/2019 • 14:38

        Yes, we all have terrific shots of feeders with no birds, empty branches. They don’t seem to even fly away. They just VANISH. I get more pictures because I have feeders and I keep the camera on the table by the windows. But now that the woods are alive with bugs, they are at the feeders less and in the trees more.

        Liked by 1 person

    • Marilyn Armstrong
      03/28/2019 • 14:36

      And you never see them go, either. I don’t even have a tripod. I just pick up the camera and turn around — and the bird has gone. I don’t even TRY to get him anymore. I get pictures when he shows up and I’m already taking pictures, but clearly, he has his own agenda and I’m not on it!

      Liked by 1 person

    • Garry Armstrong
      03/31/2019 • 14:09

      Bob, everyone is chowing down the bird seed and obviously porking out. They’ll soon need Diet Bird seed.

      Liked by 1 person

      • Lwbut
        04/01/2019 • 03:46

        You should get a little treadmill attachment to the bird feeder so it only gives out seed while they are exerting energy on a hike! 😉

        Or, … they could just jolly well go back to doing what Nature intended now that Spring is here! 🙂

        There is no such thing as a free lunch…. or breakfast…. or elevenses….. or brunch, ….. or tea, …… or dinner, etc! 😀

        Liked by 1 person

        • Garry Armstrong
          04/01/2019 • 11:37

          No free lunch? How ’bout an open bar?

          Liked by 1 person

          • Lwbut
            04/02/2019 • 01:34

            That depends… are you talkin’ for us – or for the squirrel?? 😉

            Liked by 1 person

            • Garry Armstrong
              04/02/2019 • 11:36

              Bob, query on another matter, if you can help.
              “Murdoch Mysteries” — episode “Sir, Sir, Sir” — a rift on ‘Invasion of the Body Snatchers’. Season 12? They left us hanging –without any resolution. Have you seen it?

              Liked by 1 person

              • Lwbut
                04/02/2019 • 21:39

                Sorry mate! – i haven’t been watching Murdoch. 😦

                I did a little ‘research’ for you however ( I know how annoying it can be when a show leaves you wondering!!) 😉

                Seems this episode was a ‘One-off’ special Halloween ‘treat’ (??) (First broadcast 30 Oct 2018 in Canada)

                What you saw was all you get. General consensus on it is – treat it like a dream sequence and move on… things return to normal next episode! 😉

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                • Marilyn Armstrong
                  04/02/2019 • 21:52

                  Too bad. We really wanted to see what they were going to do with it. But it was fun, anyway.

                  Liked by 1 person

                • Lwbut
                  04/03/2019 • 01:19

                  A little ‘off the beaten track’ (as we say down here!) 😉 – but fun!

                  They’re starting a new series (maybe a repeat one??) of Brokenwood Mysteries tonight – i’m going to try to watch them this time round! 🙂

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