We were driving home from town and Mike saw this hawk in a tree, so we leaned out the window of the car trying to get a good photo.
Not a great shot, but the best we could do.
Later we went to St. Paul's Nature Preserve to walk and saw this bird. It was so shady and dark, I wasn't getting good photos here either! I believe this is another Waterthrush. I still won't debate which one, since I never get a good shot. Darn thing moved constantly! I hope to go back tomorrow and try recording its voice. It was very funny the way it was acting. I think it must have had a nest nearby or something. It kept flying low and hopping around and spreading it's wings out like in this photo. We were standing on a bridge over a little creek, which would be perfect habitat for this bird.
It paused briefly here.
Back shot of the wing spreading activity.
We drove on out into the countryside and saw this beautiful band of blue flowers lining the side of the road! Mike stopped and leaned out and took a few shots before a car came along.
I think it is Chickory or something like it. Very pretty! I've never seen so many in one place.(I've been corrected by many....these are Cornflowers)
Back at home .......
Hopey is firmly convinced that it is her job to keep the ducks out of the driveway even though I am trying to feed them. She is such a "scardy cat" that I can't believe she will even approach a bird that big! The bigger the animal the more it bothers the cats to have it around.
Having done her job, she decided to snooze a while on the back deck and watch the little birds.
The Carolina Wren is still in the nest on the shelf in the garage. If she didn't have that light eye stripe, she might be "invisible". Wish I could get a better photo without disturbing her.As I said...the day was better than the photos!
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20 comments:
Great to get the hawk and that thrush was definitely warning you off. :) Those blue flowers are really pretty in the field like that. Now I cannot believe a cat is scared of a bird? Poor Hopey, I think she has got it wrong somewhere. :)
You wise comment reflects a commonly-held view; that a good walk can be ruined by photography (like golf).
Sometimes it's better just to enjoy the day. But I'm sure we won't change.
Lovely blue flowers - could they be cornflowers, once common in fields, but ruined by commercial farming. Maybe your house sparrows will go the same way eventually.
...really enjoyed today's post. The water thrush's behavior was interesting. I've never been able to photograph one... Your narration of Hopey made me laugh--the bigger the bird the more it upsets her. I think they were nice photos...
We love your posts no matter if you have a bad photo day or not Mary! I love the field of flowers. Looks like wild bachelor buttons to me, Cornflowers. Hopey is a very funny cat!
Hi Mary, lovely images, I agree with Eve about the flowers, looks like the same as we have here Cornflower (Centaurea cyanus)
The photos are not bad either.The field of blue flowers is very pretty.
Blessings,Ruth
I bow to the wisdom of all of you....cornflower it is! I knew there was something else that looks like chickory, but can never remember the name. Now I know!
Kingsdowner: How right you are. I usually get so caught up in the photographs that sometimes I almost forget that mostly I just want to enjoy what I see and what a nice day it is. Of course sometimes I don't know what I see until I get home and put it on the computer, so the camera certainly helps!
Kelly: Hopey has always been afraid of her own shadow, so I was really surprised that the ducks upset her so much and that she actually would walk towards them rather then wanting back in the house to get away from them.
I love that photo of the cornflowers...love the kitty, and of course you know I love wrens!
I've never seen a field of corn flowers/bachelors buttons before! Didn't even know they were a wild flower. They're one of my favorites.
I am so glad you have a cat to protect you from those very scary ducks!
What a great day! Love that little Carolina Wren!
I wish we got fields of cornflowers over here Mary. Mostly we get oil seed rape which is a horrible acidy yellow and smells horrendous. That cornflower blue is such a lovely soft colour. I wonder if they are farmed for a particular reason? Join the club with bad photo days! (-:
I don't have good luck with Hawks. Can never get close enough.
Love the wing movement shots.
The blue flowers make quite a carpet, and I wonder if they are Bachelor's Button?
That Wren has a great hide-a-way.
B.
Great post!
I think you did a good job on getting pictures of your day. Thanks for sharing them with us.
I have also been seeing fields of blue flowers this year. Don't remember them in the past, none of the ones I have seen have been where I could photograph them. I have also seen large patches of thistle in the interstate median. At first I thought about how the birds are going to love it. Then I thought about how dangerous it is going to be for the birds and butterflies so close to vehicles going 70.
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Never heard of or saw a waterthrush before. Is it really green, or just picking up the green hue from all the surrounding brush?
The field of cornflowers is pretty. Must've been awesome to see first hand.
Are you and Mike ready for the holiday weekend? vroom-vroom! :D
Lindy: The waterthrush is not green...just poor light and the reflection around it. This is only the second time I have seen one of these birds. Mike is in Indy today with his brother for the stuff going on at the track.
Mary: It looked like everyone was hiding from you.
That field of blue flowers was beautiful - I want to go running thru it! (After I've taken my allergy medicine of course - ha!)
and sometimes there are just NO photos. Glad you had a good day.
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