Eastern Kingbirds

The Eastern Kingbird is a large, dark gray flycatcher with a white throat, chest, and belly. And let's not forget the trim of white on his noble tail. But for all his kingly appearance, the kingbird has a tiny voice. The Cornell Lab of Ornithology defines his song as a "series of high-pitched sputtering notes," which sounds something like "Ti-t-t-t-ti-zeer."

You can hear his song at Cornell's web site All About Birds

Enjoying the early evening the other day, I heard many kingbirds singing (a rolling boil of tittering sounds) as they flitted among the tree tops. With my camera I caught these birds perched momentarily atop a towering Norway Spruce growing behind the pond. A moment later, two birds dove down to skim their feet over the water. Now I wish I had gotten a photo of that!

Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!

Georgia Anne

Guys Hanging Out Together

Feeders are a great place for the local birds to hang out together. Sometimes it's a coed affair but other times just the guys meet to swap stories and stuff down a few seeds.

Here are two photos I took, one just yesterday (of the male Northern Cardinal and male Purple Finch) and the other, which I took through my window a few weeks ago, of a Northern Cardinal, American Goldfinch, and Indigo Bunting.

What a delight it is welcome these bright, beautiful boys to my yard for breakfast, lunch, or dinner (or anytime in between). Whenever looking out the window, I never know who I might find there.

Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart--and at your feeders!

Georgia Anne

Swallows Having a Swell Time

My property is a hangout for both Tree and Barn Swallows. Earlier this spring, I caught this photo (on the right) of a Tree Swallow up on the pasture. Notice his white chest and shiny blue-green coat. Tree Swallows like pastures and ponds, of which I have both. And they particularly like swooping over the pond to skim their bellies against the water, maybe grabbing a quick drink.

Like neighborhood kids congregating to hit the local watering hole, Tree Swallows, and their kin the Barn Swallows (on the left), have been whooping it up over my pond for a couple weeks. Sometimes they come in the afternoon (around 4:00), sometimes in the evening (around 7:00 or 8:00), and at least once I saw Tree Swallows playing at the pond in the morning. They fly in making all kinds of racket, like mice squeaking in the clutches of a cat. For me, watching them is more entertaining then renting a video.

A few evenings ago, while waiting for this evening "show," I was delighted to see the local group of Little Brown Bats (only three) join the swallows in their aerial stunts over the pond. Though unlike the swallows, the bats kept to the work at hand, catching insects. And just when I thought things couldn't get better, the lone Night Hawk, who has been making semi-regulars appearances, sailed overhead. (I posted about the bats and this lone Night Hawk just a few weeks ago on June 25.)

What a spectacular way to enjoy the evening!

Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!

Georgia Anne

Hide and Seek with a Common Yellowthroat

Yellowthroats are everywhere on my property: singing from the hemlock, locust, walnut, and oak trees...flitting about in the multi-rose bushes...darting in and out of the shrubby brush by the woodland's edge. So you'd think I could get a picture of one, right?

To begin with, only the males (those cheeky fellows with the black masks and bright yellow throats and chest) have been willing to play hide and seek with me. I've not seen a single female.
(See my post from last year, 7/9/2009.)

When I'm without camera, these masked males pose tauntingly, as if waiting for a picture. But let me be properly armed . . . well, you see the results.

The photos shared here were taken on different days. When viewing my "catches" on the computer, I laughed out loud to see that small masked face peering up at me from a well of deep blue sky. Of course, perseverance pays off and I did finally capture a proper portrait. Lucky me!

Till next time . . . Keep birds in your heart!

Georgia Anne