Sandhill Cranes...

On New Year's day we went to Goose Pond looking for Sandhill cranes and found a bunch!

This shot looks better if you click on it to make it larger.

We got there kind of late in the afternoon and were fighting the sun in our eyes the whole time, but managed to get a few focused shots.

 Mike took this one

 I love watching the land

 ....and take off.

I hope to go back before they migrate for another try.

Thanksgiving 2019

It's been a busy year with much to be thankful for.  I haven't posted for a long time, so I will go backwards in time a bit from this year.  These first shots are recent from the back yard.  My old camera died and I got a new one and am trying it out. (Nikon Coolpix P900)

 The seed bell seems to be a hit with all the little birds.  Carolina Wren checking out the bottom on it.

 Titmouse says the top is better

 "Whatever"..... the Chickadee.

Squirrel Grey (as I have named my little squirrel) is checking to see if he can jump from the fence to the bird feeder pole..... 

 Sure can!

"Now if I can just sit on this little shelf" 

 Contemplation

The Downy found the bell.

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In August we met our daughter in Denver for a vacation.  A few highlights from that trip. 

 Love the little ground squirrels

Went to Rocky Mountain National Park

Some elk were right by the road. 

Moose.....we hit the jackpot on seeing most of the animals we wanted to see. 

 Marmot

Clark's Nutcracker 

 Mike and our daughter at the railroad we rode on

Bunny sitting in a prairie dog hole 

prairie dogs 

pelican 

not sure what this is, or have forgotten 

egret.

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

Back home again.

 Deer across from our house along the lake.

And this month we found out we were gaining a daughter-in-law and a grandson!

It's been a great year with lots of blessings!

Mississippi Kites...

I saw a new bird yesterday and today, so I thought I would post.  I haven't posted here much, because I normally post on Facebook now.  I really like this blog better, but other bloggers have changed to Facebook, so I do both at times.

These birds were in an old dead tree at the end of the parking lot of the nursing home where Mike's mom is.  The first day I didn't have my camera, but we live 2 minutes away, so we dashed home and got it.  There were 4 the first day and I saw at least 2 today.  I had no idea what they were until I checked the bird book.....Mississippi Kites.

 The first day I saw them it was gloomy and my shots aren't very crisp.  They are large gray birds with eyes that glare at you.  These 4 looked "fluffy" and I thought they might be young, but young ones have stripes.

 We saw them fly away from the tree several times.  I have learned that they are bug eaters and that they love dragonflies and will catch them on the fly with their talons and eat them.

 Day two the sun was out and the photos are sharper.

 This one on the left looks quite a bit larger, but maybe it is just how it is sitting.

 Posing nicely for me.

 The books show that they do breed in our area.  We are close to two big rivers....the Ohio and the Wabash, and are at the top end of their breeding territory.

Doing some wing cleaning.  They travel in small groups, so I guess seeing 4 was normal enough.

I always love adding a new bird to my life list.

Urban birds....

I think that the House Sparrow Passer domesticus, must be the most adaptable bird living in America.  Originally introduced from overseas, it is now the most widely seen bird in cities in America from shore to shore.  You find them everywhere you find people and food.

On a recent trip to Texas, I observed them in several places, making their homes among the people and the city landscapes.

Our first sighting was the pair that decided to live in the LOVE'S sign where we stopped to get gas and food. 

They had built a nice nest in the opening of the "e" and were busy courting while people wandered in and out of the doors right below them. 

 Making "love" at the LOVE'S.

 I have seen signs on buildings at this time of year that have a nest in every nook and cranny of the letters.  As long as the business owners don't clear them away, they happily go about their lives in the middle of the most public places they can find.

The second encounter was at the parking lot next to our motel

 In this parking lot of a Chinese restaurant, a small flock of House Sparrows had found an empty ice cream cone and were determined to eat as much of it as they could.  I think this group were nesting in the dense landscape bushes around the restaurant.  You see them outside of any fast food restaurant picking up stray french fries, dropped pop-corn or other goodies.  Makes you wonder if they ever get any healthy food!

"What!....no ice cream?"

My third photos came from another gas station on the way home.  A pair were busy setting up house-keeping in the housing around a security camera mounted on the building.  A camera on the other corner of the building also had a male hanging around.

I saw the female fly in and out of the housing a couple of times while the male sat there and chirped away, so I assume her nest is safely tucked in the back of the housing.

 This is typical behavior of these birds.  Any store sign, any crevice, any light housing, any vent on a building becomes a prime nesting site for them.  My favorite Mexican restaurant has a pair in every light mounted in the eaves of the building.

When they live away from the cities, they are aggressive at home feeders and drive away a lot of other songbirds.