Ending up the week....

I didn't have time to take many photos yesterday.The ornamental cherry is blooming and these were two of my favorites shots. I think they look like little bridal bouquets.
Pretty in pink

The Chipping Sparrow has returned.

Some geese stopped by to wash up and spend the night.

Group grooming geese......say that fast 5 times.

The pink Crabapple

Just to be different....the "flowers" of the green ash tree.

Sunset from a few nights ago.

Mike trying out the new tractor we had to buy, since he couldn't fix the old one.

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I don't think I will have a Squirrel Sunday post tomorrow. No photos. They haven't been around much. One of them seems to be slightly hurt. Mouse, the cat, was watching it in the tree the other day and it just cowered in the low crotch of the tree rather then going up high and over and out of sight. Later I saw it try to go up and over, but it couldn't make the jump to the next tree in the wind and it came back down again. I had the cat in the house by then. Later I saw it take the ground route to get back across the road. I started putting some seeds on the ground for it by the oak tree and it has been coming and eating them. If it is the same one I saw today, it seems better.

SkyWatch at the wetlands.......

It's SkyWatch Friday! Join people from all over the world and show how your sky looks.Yesterday my sky was gorgeous....blue and full of puffy clouds! I shot a few photos of it while tramping around the wetlands.
I like it reflected on the water as much as looking up!
That's my SkyWatch photos, but I have a few more wetlands photos below.
For more SkyWatch, click on the icon on my sidebar.

It's the time of year for the Redbuds and I just love seeing them in patches here and there in the woods and along the highways.

We spotted this hawk....Coopers? Sharp-shinned?....not sure.

The wind was blowing and I kept getting branches in my way, but these are the best two shots.

It seemed to be a day for Song Sparrows. I saw at least three different ones in different areas of the wetlands as we walked the boardwalks.

I included this shot just to show how well it blends in with it's surroundings. Even when I know that the camera is aimed at it, sometimes I can't tell where exactly it is!

A little easier to see here :-)

This very FAT woodpecker was pecking away in the woods. I think it is the Hairy...it just looked too big for a Downy.

As we were leaving this little swallow landed in the tree, but it was really blowing hard by then. Most of my shots were out of focus. I think it is a Bank Swallow, but wouldn't swear to it. I see them swooping over the water every time we visit. I have seen other types here, so it may be some other kind.

I call this guy "the Orator".....he looks like he is giving a speech and everyone else is listening very closely.

Because it was so breezy, the turtle numbers were down a bit. The water probably felt warmer than the air. Still plenty for anyone who wants to see a turtle. Just for fun, I counted all I could see on each side of the bridge and counted 81. That is just in this one area. There is another bridge area where there are more :-) I don't think we will ever run out of turtles at the wetlands!

A pretty little wildflower that I don't know the name of.

Now the "creepy" thing for the day.....

This is a HUGE anthill/colony! Mike paced it off at about 15' long and 4' wide! I have never seen a huge anthill like this! Have any of you seen this????? I'm glad they are not in my yard.

I call this the "Ant Cave". Creepy....just creepy to see so many.

A very interesting walk at the wetlands!

Arizona and Nashville odds and ends......

Gee....I'm desperate for something to post already! We have had 2 out of the 3 cars in our family break since we came home, plus Mike spending 3 days trying to get the tractor running. No time for birding at the moment.

So.....you get a few more vacation photos :-)

We went to the Lane Auto Museum in Nashville, TN which has the oddest collection of cars and vehicles that I've ever seen. Mike and I both took about 300 photos each, so he will eventually be putting many of them in his blog. They don't quite fit my nature theme.....plus he knows why they are odd or unusual or rare.One shot looking out over some of the cars.
I know there are a couple of cycle riders among my readers, so I will give this overview of the cycles. The odd ones are mostly at the other end. I have lots of individual shots as well.

Back in Tucson......The bunny eating the watermelon

Male quail on the feeder stand keeping watch.

These turkeys were in Nashville. I did not realize there was any difference in eastern turkeys and western turkeys......

.....so when we saw their western cousins, I didn't take any really great photos. They are lighter in color for one thing.

The video below is of a pair of House Finches. He was frantically doing his "song and dance" routine for her. I thought it was funny....and very loud.

"Any day now...."

As I walked around the house with my camera, the phrase that kept running through my mind was, "Any day now..."The pink crab apple covered in buds.....any day now!
The white crab apple.....any day now!

The double flowering pink cherry......won't be long! (just thought I'd see if you were really reading this :-) Hard to believe these dark pink buds will be the pale pink fluffy flowers they turn into and later rain down pink "snow" all over the yard.

The dogwood tree....any day now!

The lilacs....can't wait! Any day now!

Soon all of these maple "helicopters", as we always called them, will be twirling down and planting a million little maple trees in my yard.

The Quince is always one of the very first bushes to bloom. We had a quince bush when I was growing up and I liked it so much, that I made sure to buy one for our house here. They have nasty thorns on them, but what beautiful flowers!

Chickadee check for the day: Bursting out of the hole!

Singing in the tree.

I saw this large Carpenter Bee going in the hole....that can't be good!

I know these are "weeds", but I always think they are beautiful little purple wildflowers :-)

Henbit, I believe. My yard is ankle deep in clover and henbit and violets and "weeds". I need some of my sister's bunny rabbits! We haven't gotten the lawn tractor started yet.... so it will only get worse.

Another close up of the Henbit.

Didn't know the name of this one that also springs up all over my yard. Did some looking and came up with Kidney Leaf Buttercup? I always called them "little star flowers".

Occupied!......

I was very excited to see that.........one of the gourds has a Chickadee moving in! Yippee! I've got three more hanging out there waiting for occupants. You may get tired of seeing this corner of the neighbor's house as I keep track of the Chickadees :-)
This Mockingbird somehow looks a lot skinnier than the one that hung around all winter, but I assume it is the same one.
We were over at Mike's parent's house and I saw this large bunch of Spring Beauties growing in their yard. I remember my Botany teacher telling us that when the Spring Beauties bloomed it is just two weeks to hot weather. I'll start counting.....but it is already pretty warm here. I never stop worrying about a late frost until May 1st.

You can see why someone would name these little beauties "Spring Beauty"!

Couldn't resist another pear tree shot.

My birds are slowly coming back to the feeders and I am trying to get my mind back on Indiana birds.

" Ladies first".....the female Red-Bellied Woodpecker stopped by for some suet....

....then the male showed up. I wonder where they nest? I never really see babies, so they must not be too close. They just like to eat out at my "restaurant".

Couldn't decide if he looks a bit quizzical or slightly demented in this shot.

I don't know why he leans down so far when there is suet higher up.

Oh, well...what works, works.

Spring is my favorite time of year and I intend to enjoy all of it....except maybe the outdoor clean up work.