Wild Birds: "I'm Bringing Booty Back"

Birds are just as lovely from the back as from the front. I happen to think that's true. Their feather patterns are so much easier to study and admire when they decide to keep their backside to my camera.

Linking to Wild Birds with Stewart

Spring Is Branching Out

Although the official first day of Spring was three weeks ago here at Round The Bend it continues to branch out all over. After snow on Monday and Tuesday it is again warming up and the trees are budding out rather quickly. Today part of our lawn - the side on the warm side of the house - got mowed for the first time. As I sit with the sliding glass doors open I can feel a breeze that is neither warm nor too cold and carries the smell of new mown grass. I love the smell. Glancing out at the fresh cut lawn the green is vibrant where just last week only shoots of green were peeking through the dry brown landscape. My Bradford Pear tree still has blooms but my neighbor's tree that bloomed just a little sooner has lost most of its white blossoms and is leafing out quickly.

The finch are continuing to take all they can get from the feeders. They are beginning to lose most of their molten look and are becoming a more vibrant yellow. On drab days I can pick them out in the branches where they sit and patiently wait their turn to eat.

The Red Leafed Plum tree lost most of its blooms to the wind and snow earlier in the week. Soon a tree of lush red leaves will grace the front yard landscape.

The 'matchstick' buds of the Verbena are slowly bursting into bloom.

The Wisteria buds are beginning to get fuzzy - at least those in the sunshine. As a surveyed the branches I found a leaf somehow how gotten caught between the branches and formed this little hood over one of the stems and kept it warm all winter.

As I finish typing I can hear thunder rolling in the distance. Little warmer temperatures tomorrow and a little more ran and I bet I'll find spring branching out in other directions as well.

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Is It Thanksgiving Or Independence Day Weekend?

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As we left our driveway Thursday and headed up the hill four turkeys crossed our path...

...and headed on over the hill.

Later in the afternoon when I had returned home they appeared in my backyard. This one was doing a little strutting around for me. I laugh at this one because it's apparently nibbling at its neck and looks headless.

Here comes another one. I didn't know till later a little finch was sitting on the feeder under the oak tree at the same time.

They wandered in the yard for a little while and then left by way of the nearby woods.

Then on Friday in the pouring rain they came looking for the fallen bird seed from the feeder.

You can tell it's pouring rain and look at that little puddle she has dug searching for that bird seed!