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.

Spring is on the way...

I was trying to post some photos on Facebook, but it would not cooperate, so I will just put them here instead.  The weather was warmer today.....got up to 70!  So, I'm trying to get more walking in and we decided to go to the wetlands and see if the turtles were coming out yet.  

There aren't as many good turtle logs in the creek area any more for them to sit on, but the one long log that remains was pretty full and a couple of smaller places. 

  Saw quite a few, but I know there will be many more in the weeks to come as it gets warmer. 

 "Is she taking our photo now?"

Nobody home in this shell any more.

 There were several pairs of Canada geese swimming around.

 We saw a lot of nice trees damaged by beavers.  I hope they are doing something to control them.

 There is an old hawk's nest that we always look for before it gets too hard to see in the foliage.  This Red-shouldered hawk was on a nearby limb, so I hope that means it is his nest.

Looking forward to more warm weather soon and better signs of spring!  It's close!

Squirrel of a different color....

For years we have had dozens of Fox squirrels to watch and for me to photograph, but now at our new residence, I also have a little Gray Squirrel.  They are smaller and I think their coloration is very pretty.  I'm thrilled to get to watch this little squirrel.  I still have Fox squirrels and they are aggressive, so they tend to chase this one away from the feeders, but I got some good shots the other day right outside my window.  See my previous post for the difference in the two squirrels.

 I hope it has a mate and that I will see more of it.

 I like the ears :-) and the delicate tinges of color.

Squirrel Sunday...

It's been a long time since I have posted here or done a Squirrel Sunday post.  We moved in May and I'm happy to say that I've got just as wonderful selection of birds in our new yard as we had before and maybe even a new Squirrel Sunday star :-)  This little acrobat has been coming every day and hanging on the ball feeder.  She? must have terrific belly muscles.  I should try her exercise program perhaps.....or maybe not.  Anyway....just thought I would post a few squirrels and birds from the new place.  I mostly just post birds and stuff on Facebook now unless we take a trip somewhere and we have been too busy for that this year with moving and settling in a new place.

"Hmmmmm.....nobody looking.  Time to crack this so-called squirrel-proof feeder."

"Don't know how to get the top off...."

 "Hanging will work....maybe."

 "This takes all my muscles and I still can barely get the seeds out"

 "I hope my toe nails don't get stuck in this thing, or I'm going to look pretty silly hanging here by one toe."

"Sigh......You could just put some seed on the ground and save me a lot of work."

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

A few of the recent birds

 "Don't look now but I think someone is right behind you."

Happy Bird

 watching!