Saturday, February 16, 2013

Seeing Signs of Spring


This week I have started noticing a few signs of Spring.  One of my neighbors has a row of March Lilies down both sides of their driveway and this week the flowers began blooming.  In my own yard I have noticed tiny buds on the trees. 






Also this week, I have noticed the Grackles visiting my feeders and sitting in the trees. 







Though the bird book I have says that they are in my area year round, I generally only see them in the early Spring. I don't know if it is because at this time of year they have a harder time finding food in the farmer's fields. I have noticed a few farmers starting their plowing and field prep. Two of my neighbors have broken ground for their gardens too. 

Wednesday morning as I was watching the birds from my kitchen window I noticed there was a lot of red in the trees and on the ground. I counted 12 Cardinals and 6 Purple Finches. 





I couldn't get a good shot of both trees with all the birds. So I went out and put some seeds on the patio wall hoping that they would come a little closer. A few minutes later the birds slowly started coming over to the patio wall. I love the way this Cardinal seems to be looking at the little Finches. 




I put seeds on the patio wall quite often so the birds visit there almost as much as they do the feeders. 

The neighbors cat likes when I put seeds there, he sits and waits for the birds and tries to nab them. Luckily, the birds know to avoid the wall when the cat is around, (most of the time).


As long as I move slowly at the window they will stay on the wall and feed. Sometimes as the camera snaps they will stop feeding and listen.







I had to change my position a few times in an attempt to capture a couple of the birds at a time in the same shot, but when I would move they would fly away. 

One end of the wall has a missing light with the wires sticking up, (one of my husband's "I can fix it" projects that never seems to get totally completed), my camera often tries to focus on those instead of the birds. 








The doves like to visit the wall too, they aren't as easy to frighten away as the other birds and most of the time I can capture them in photos easily. 



I saw this bird sitting high in the tree and wasn't really sure what it was. I grabbed the camera to focus in on it in an attempt to identify my feathered visitor. I ended up taking a couple of shots, I think it is a Grackle, but an still not positive. Makes a good shadow shot anyway. 







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34 comments:

  1. Gorgeous gathering of characters! So love the pose of the cardinal watching the finches! He seems to say "Are you daring to intrude on my territory?"! Enjoyed these photos!

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  2. you are lucky to have all these gorgeous spring birds already!- we just have jays, robins turkey vultures and crows right now- altho I did see a Bald Eagle sitting on a telephone pole this afternoon. That was pretty cool!
    Your photography is gorgeous.

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  3. They're beautiful little birds! Great photos! ;)

    -Jane

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  4. Beautiful birds. I've never actually seen a cardinal.

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  5. it's great that you feed the birds along the wall. you got some great shots of them!

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  6. such beautiful little birds. and very well captured.

    loved seeing your post...so much beauty!

    hope you're having a great weekend~

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  7. Grackles have a very stylish iridescent blue band- we see them in our yard most of the Spring and Summer, but not with snow on the ground. They like mosquitos which makes us happy at home...the cardinals are beautiful, and it is a treat to see the female since they are so camouflaged with red only at the top peak we always seem to see the bold scarlet males att the time and in the Winter too. We do not always seem to remember nature that sits just outside our homes. Nice post!

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  8. Wonderful and colorful little birds.

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  9. 12 Cardinals, that must be really nice to see and so many photo opportunities.

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  10. Excellent...I tell you, birds are so darned entertaining. And learning all their antics, instincts and brilliance [both in color and mind]. Cardinals are a favorite of mine. We have grackles too, but I've never seen them land in our feeders.

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  11. Wonderful collection of birds. The Grackles seem to be hungry lately and visiting the feeders. I love your pretty cardinal shots. You last bird might be an American Crow!

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  12. Great captures, I like these delicious birds.

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  13. You are blessed with an abundance of birds--and their shadows!

    Shadowy Bell

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  14. Great shots in different angles!!!

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  15. Great shot - the cardinals are adorable.

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  16. you have signs of spring already? That must be very nice. We still have a lot of snow. Your shots is hope for us as well. Lovely birds!

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  17. I can't wait to see spring signs here too!
    Have a good week ahead!

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  18. Nice shots of your bird friends!

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  19. Oy, already spring, birds, oh mayo! Greetings from snowy Sweden.

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  20. Some of these birds are so extotic to me who lives in Sweden. Your photos are great and the birds are so beautiful!

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  21. These are amazing captures! I love all those cardinals.

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  22. You sure had a lot of action! I love your shot of the cardinal talking to the finches

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  23. Beautiful cardinals!

    Catching up with Shadow Shot Sunday.
    Your comment is always appreciated !

    Shadow of Forgiveness

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  24. signs of spring is good. It means more birds coming. :) Love yoru grackles.

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