Tuesday, January 28, 2014

A cold day at Blue Grass....

We drove through Blue Grass FWA one day last week.  It was really cold and we saw a lot of birds....mostly a huge swarm of blackbirds, but got few decent photos.
 We saw several Northern Harriers and this one was on the ground eating something
Not sure what he had but he was having a good meal from it.


The white patch above the tail showing as he swoops away.  I like to watch them systematically fly over a field looking for prey.  Always low to the ground and concentrated on what is below them.
 He probably was eating one of the 100's of blackbirds we saw swarming along a couple of the fields.
 I can see Grackles, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Cowbirds in the mixture.
 They were being watching by a lot of hawks of one kind or another!  We could see at least 3 sitting in trees nearby hoping for a meal.


The blackbirds were restless and constantly flew back and forth from the trees to that area on the road and to the corn field on the other side of the road.  We were in a hurry that day, but did see one Heron on one of the lakes as well as all these birds, and a few sparrows and other songbirds along the edges of the lakes.

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Too cold to get out much, but I did take a few photos at the wetlands....

We were out running around near the wetlands, so we stopped.  I didn't figure we would see anything and it was very cold, but....
 .....there was one Great Blue Heron on the pond......looking cold and miserable.

 Saw one Bluebird up in a tree.
The creek area was mostly frozen over. 
There was a flock of Canada Geese on the front pond with the heron. 



And one Mallard who was hanging out with the geese.
************
 Back home, I took a few Chickadee photos.




 And my two kitties were trying to watch the birds, but it was too sunny and sleeping seemed a better idea.  Hopey soaking up the sun.....

.......and  Mouse.

Thursday, January 2, 2014

It's a cold new year out there.....

It's a cold blustery day out there today!  Brrrrrrrrrr......
 Some of the home birds looking for some food to keep them warm.
 Lots of Cardinals out there and the males look so good at this time of the year.



 A bunch of the ground feeding birds out in the front yard.
 The Chickadee..dee...dee...


Downy male at the suet 

Junco 
This Mockingbird was doing his best to chase the Starling away....but the Starling won the "Mr. Mean" contest this time around. 
Red-bellied Woodpecker....always a welcome bird at the feeders. 

The Song Sparrow trying to find some little seeds. 


Back end of the Starling, but I liked its feathers 
 Titmouse grabbing a peanut....
....and another one. 
Carolina Wren in the grass. 
White-throated Sparrow 
The photos all look so dreary even after I lightened them up a bit. 

The birds are really hungry in this cold, so I hate to bother them too much.