Dickcissels in the bottomlands.....

Yesterday we drove around west of Henderson, KY in the bottomlands along the Ohio River.  This is the same area where we see the Snow Geese in the winter.  At this time of year all the roads are open and they are mostly gravel roads leading to farm fields.

 We saw dozens of Dickcissels along the edge of the gravel roads.  They like to sit on the short trees and bushes and tall grasses along the road and often would stay there to be photographed, unbothered by our presence in a car.

 They love to open up and sing while they sit there!

 Sometimes the grass and twigs were too much in the way.  This one was swaying back and forth in the wind and I had trouble getting a focus when she would sway into view!  One of the few females I saw.

 Another favorite perch....high up on the wires.  They look somewhat like a House Sparrow except for the touches of yellow at the breast and above the eye.  Their habits are similar, too and they often hang around together according to my Sibley book.

 The male peeking out of the grasses.

 The female swinging into view.  She does not have the black at the throat.

 The female again.

 High wire act :-)

Peeking over the little tree top.  I often see them like this.

They travel in flocks and we saw one about every 50 feet along one stretch of gravel.

*************

These are just some of the "flora" photos I took on the drive.  We travel this one wooded road that has a lot of trees like this with exposed roots.  I always wonder what all might be living among the roots :-)

 Several patches of this soft pink roses along the road side.

 Big thistles!  Don't know which particular one.

 I like their thorny outer covering.

Trumpet Vines along the road. 

 A field of winter wheat. 

 Don't know the name of these white flowers but always like how they look.

Buttercups?  I really don't know but like their sort of 'waxy' look.