The Birds Have Taken Over

Song - Stop! In The Name of Love by The Supremes

The birds seem to be everywhere this Spring!  They are on our patio.....

...on our string lights.....

...in our pool...yuck....

...looking through our windows....

....hanging out on the deck railing.....

...in the bird houses.....

.....overhead......

....on our roof (6:30 am sharp they land with a thump)...

...in our spa...yuck....

...and the trees are full of them looking like colorful Christmas ornaments!

But they come in the name of   L  O  V  E  .....

And nest making on our outdoor speakers!

Here are the happy couple - Marge & Fred Finch

They are the ones building the nest in the speakers

He sings her beautiful love songs while she's tidying up the nest!

Luckily it's right outside my office window so I get to enjoy his joyful tune.

 

And For Todays Entertainment

Song - Birds the Word by The Rivingtons

It's been so warm in Northern California lately that for the past few weeks Mr. B and I have been relaxing by the side of the pool in the early evenings. We have a glass of wine and he plays me a little air guitar!

 This patio is near the shade garden, under some oak & maple trees.  While the rest of the garden has fried from the hot weather, the shade garden is still refreshing to look at.

Some evenings we take a swim and other evenings we just watch the birds flit by getting their last meal of the day.

Hi there Mr. Chickadee!

 I have several platform feeders hanging off the deck over the creek. The Tufted Titmouse enjoys the freedom of feeding near large trees that he can escape to if needed.

 Other birds like the standard tube feeder. I have an assortment of seeds for them so no one is left out. As well as several (well maybe 8) bird baths placed all around the yard.  When it's really hot I try to put in a few ice cubes to cool the water for them.

A House Finch in the tree is patiently waiting her turn at the feeder below.

 When the House Finch finally gets a turn, the Titmouse returns and is surprised to find someone in his dinner dish!

 Mr. B and I love watching the birds.  I don't know if it's that we finally have the time to do so or if it is that "at our age" we appreciate them so much more.  Basically our kids think we are nuts when we tell them what our garden birds were doing that day.

 And just look who is in the lavender!  

Mr. and Mrs. American Goldfinch

I love that brilliant yellow against the purple lavender.

Thanks for entertaining us for one more night! 

See you tomorrow.

“Slow down and enjoy life.  

 It’s not only the scenery you miss by going too fast-

you also miss the sense of where you are going and why.”

 – Eddie Cantor

Who Done It?

Song - Summertime by Norah Jones

In mid-June, when we returned from our vacation, I noticed that there was dry grass and leaves in one of my topiary trees in our front entry. I figured it was probably our gardeners who blow the yard when they are finished and they blew some dead grass into this plant.

At the base of the little tree are more twigs and grass bits. 

And upon closer inspection it appeared that it wasn't the gardeners but perhaps a bird attempted to start a nest in the tree and didn't quite finish.  Maybe because we had returned home and pass by this tree several times a day?

So I kept watch to see if the bird might return and finish the nest.  But in 45 days there has been no sight of a resident. I decided to clean up the tree (it's supposed to have a round top) and I wanted to pull out the grass. As I moved around to the side of the tree, I noticed a nice little cup shaped nest behind the loose grass.

And there were three blue speckled eggs inside!  I decided to let it be for a few more weeks to see if there was any activity.

Nothing.  So today I pulled the nest out.  The eggs feel light and empty so I am wondering if they were abandoned and dried up in this unbearable heat?

So....who done it?

Not the gardener.....

But a good possibility is the House Finch!


Upon doing some "little blue eggs" research, it appears that a number of birds lay 3-5 eggs that are blue with brown splotches and the House Finch seems to be a likely suspect.

The male has some red on his head and chest while the female is plain.  Above is an Oak Titmouse and a male House Finch.

"When I learn something new - 

and it happens every day - 

I feel a little more at home in this universe, 

a little more comfortable in the nest" 

-- Bill Moyers

In Flight

Song - Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band

Titmouse

Right after I took the photo in my last post (of Baby Huey - the extra large baby Mourning Dove) my beloved camera died.  Just stopped working - suddenly.  I had two full batteries and I tried them both but she was a goner. 

Female House Finch

I was devastated and felt lost.  It's like going somewhere without a purse or cell phone.  You know you will survive but it's a little unsettling.

Crow

So last week I knew I would have to take it to our local camera store to be repaired - it took me three days to adjust to the idea of being without a camera for awhile.  The man at the store was very helpful and quoted me repair prices and length of time I would be "camera less". 


SIX WEEKS! 

Chickadee

But right now I can hear you saying "But Jeanette, how did you get all of these photo's that you are inserting in your blog?" Well......

American Goldfinch

......the helpful camera man told me that for just a few dollars more than the cost of the repair, I could get a whole new camera body that all of my old lenses would fit on. 

Yes!  They were having a SALE!

Green Hummingbird that is imitating an Oak leaf

Be still my heart!  You mean I could walk out of this store with a new working camera? 


What a concept! 



A store that sells cameras!!!

A Hawk that was chased up into this tree by that little Hummingbird!

Now I have to tell you that part of me felt guilty, as my old camera was only four and a half years old.  And it feels very un-ecological of me to not repair my ailing camera but then I would of had an outdated camera that still had a lot of worn parts.  Kind of like putting a new engine in a 1967 Volkswagen - there are still other parts of the car to be considered. 

Titmouse & House Finch

Weighing all of this information while holding a bright shiny new camera was a little like holding a new puppy.  Hard to put down (maybe just one more sniff of puppy breath).


I was a goner......

Forgive me world - I purchased the new camera!

You WHAT?

Yup, I did. 

I could hardly wait the three hours to charge the new batteries before I could start rapid firing my new partner in crime.


And I have to say, I am loving her!

THE END