My Christmas birds...

Here are some of the birds that have been visiting recently with their Christmas decorations.

The Carolina Wren

Downy

The White-throated Sparrow with a "Charlie Brown" style of decoration.

Titmouse

The Blue Jay stealing peanuts

Mr. Cardinal brings his own Christmas color

Blue Jay

The Red-breasted nuthatches have been welcome this year.  I have at least two.  They are so fast I don't get a lot of photos.

Red-bellied Woodpecker

White-breasted nuthatch

Downy.....they all love these peanut butter cylinders

Junco

Bluebird

Mockingbird

Pair of bluebirds.  They are the only birds I see sharing the food.

Wren

That peanut is almost bigger than the titmouse is, but he really loves them.

Titmouse

Wishing you all a Very Merry Christmas!

"Do not be afraid!  I bring you good news of great joy, that will be  for all the people.  Born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord!

Luke 2:10

 

Warblers, waxwings, and woodpeckers ...

 I haven't posted for awhile, so I thought I would put a few recent bird photos here.  I discovered that the creek next to our condo has a small island that the birds like using for bathing and drinking.  Made it easier to get some of the photos, but I've had some luck "chasing" the warblers around in the tree branches for photos, as well.

This little warbler I only saw a couple of days.  My best guess is a black-throated green warbler in its first year.

My favorite warbler has become the yellow-rumped.  I see several of them every day right now.

This little warbler is an enthusiastic bather.  He gets in and flutters away and dips and fluffs and just has a good old time.  I believe this warbler is the Tennessee warbler.

The male yellow-rumped warbler still has some of its mating color.

This one flew up to the gutter and was banging away at something.  I think it is a moth that it has captured and was killing

This Tennessee warbler is quite the acrobat.  He loves to hang upside down.

I had several young waxwings come by to strip fruit from the trees and bathe on the island.

A male flicker stopped by.  I don't often see them.

A yellow-bellied sapsucker....another woodpecker I seldom see.

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It was a struggle to get this post completed.  The changes that blogger has made for posting are not user friendly!  I would have removed a few of these photos, but could not even figure out how to do that and was afraid I would have to re-do something else.  I may not be back any time soon.  Facebook is a lot easier.

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.