Midnight bandits.....

I looked out on the deck last night and saw two big raccoons looking for seeds.  One immediately ran away.....then I noticed that there were two more small ones in the feeding dish.

The big raccoons ran away when I opened the door......mother deserted the little ones!  The two small ones weren't sure what they were suppose to do and stayed there long enough for a few photos.

"Oh, oh....we're the only ones left!  Where did mom go?  What do we do now?"

"I don't know what you are going to do, but I'm hiding behind you!  Do you think she can still see me?"

(Can you see the eye of the second one peeking through the leaves? Click on the photo to make it big.)

Cute!.....but I hope they don't hang around for very long.  Will have to cut back on food and try to make sure it is all gone before they come.

This and That.......

It's "left-overs" time again.  I was looking back through the recent files for something to post and found a lot of bits and pieces that I hadn't used.

 

On the home front, we have a lot of Goldfinches right now.

I enjoy their cheerful yellow summer color!

A bright male looking at something down below.

Three in the drive.

These orange flowers and bee were at the wetlands the last time we went.

An interesting pair of companions!  The last of the "mankey" ducks at the wetlands.....who had been looking very lonely.....has made friends with a young Canada Goose! 

Two females Mallards digging in the muck for something to eat.

While waiting in the car for Mike to visit this building, I started watching this young Starling on the roof.  It would sit there with its mouth open for awhile and then drop down in the gutter for awhile.

Back at home, the House Wren is keeping an eye on the nest gourd from the "vine tree".

Some more tasty treats!  I appreciate them eating up some of the grubs and such in the yard.

Ooooo.....a GREEN worm!

Large bug/bee?

the Titmouse making a quick trip looking for seeds.

I haven't succeeded in getting many Hummingbird shots.  This male is a regular feeder, but I just haven't been trying very hard to get photos.

Yummmy!

A Chickadee wanting a peanut.

OK....a sunflower seed will do!

Another "urban bird"........Once again, I was sitting int he car while Mike went in CVS.  This House Sparrow male was just chirping like crazy while it sat up there near its nest.

I'm sure glad there are birds everywhere waiting to provide enjoyment :-)

More from our southern Illinois trip.....

It's been a busy week so far.....watching Wimbledon tennis every day, teaching crafts in VBS every night.  However, I still have some old stuff I never got posted from a couple short trips. We were heading for an area called "Garden of the Gods", but first stopped at Pounds Hollow and hiked the Rim Rock trail.  A very pretty area and it was a good workout for my new knee :-)

We spotted this deer by the road on the way in.

I liked this interesting gnarled tree.

More of a close-up shot.

"Whatever you do....don't back up, Mike!"

This whole area is build on high rocky cliffs.  Mike and I used to camp here when we first go married.....a long, long, long time ago!

I very carefully sneaked up on this snake to take a photo......before realizing that it was dead and posed there by someone.  Sure looked live to me!

Moss on the rocks.

Mushroom among the poison ivy.

A deep cleft in the rocks, but attractive to look at.

I believe it is called "fat man's squeeze".

We voted against going down all those stairs.....more of a workout than my knees wanted!

A Fritillary butterfly seen along the steps.

Ferns on the rock outcroppings.

Fungi on the cut log.

Indigo Bunting singing its heart out.

I was hoping to see some lizards!  Does he look fierce?

He was funny to watch doing his "push ups".  I think we were suppose to be scared and run away :-)

Maybe if he was a little larger.

Another deer in a field later on.  We never got to Garden of the Gods because it started raining.

We passed a huge mansion set way off the road, but it had cool gates!

When we got back to Henderson, Ky we stopped to check the eagles and heron.....

.....got there just as one of the eagles was flying away.  Not a good shot... sorry!

The other eagle is in the nest looking down (maybe at a chick?).  It is so far away that even with my extender lens, it is still too far away!  At least we know the eagles are there!

OK.....back to tennis again :-)

What's for dinner, Dad?........

You may get tired of my wrens, but I enjoy watching and seeing what "dad" brings home for the family to eat.

Yummmm!

Is this the Wren equivalent of frog legs for dinner??

Ick......glad I'm not a wren!

No idea what the white things are unless they are chunks of suet.

Another one.

Cricket?

Tasty no doubt, but I'll pass.

I think this is the same one.

"Now everyone eat their dinner and no complaints! 

What would you like for dessert?"

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there.....including the winged ones that work so hard to feed their families.