Our World, My World

 Happy Monday,

RIP Ruth Bader Ginsberg!! She fought for the equality of all people! She will be dearly missed.  

Fight for the things you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you." Ruth Bader Ginsberg

 

So here we are, just past the middle of September, it is Warbler time. If you are a birder,  finding the warblers and id-ing them in the fall can be a challenge.  I was lucky to see migrant Warblers in my backyard. They love the berries on the Devils Walking Stick also known as Aralia spinosa. We have several of these trees in our back yard, they can grow 10-15 ft tall, it has sharp spines on the bark, white summer flowers and dark purple berries. 

Below are 3 Cape May Warblers seen in my yard, the top photo may be the juvenile, the middle photo is the female and the bottom photo is the more colorful male Cape May Warbler. These photos were taken on Sept 12 and Sept 15th. 

 

 

I am sharing some more of the warblers I saw moving around on the Devil's Walking Stick.

This photo has 3 warblers, if you can find them.

This is a Tennessee Warbler, looking at all those berries. This bird is a vibrant yellow-green,  with a white eyebrow and undertail it also has a sharp bill.

The Northern Parula is a breeder in the forest next to our house, so we can hear and see them all summer.  The Northern Parula has a beautiful yellow throat and breast which is separated by a rufous band. This bird also has white eye arcs. The female is less colorful. 

Another look at the beautiful male Cape May Warbler.

 

For the bird and nature lovers, many of us are concerned and wondering why hundreds of thousands of migratory birds are being found dead this month in New Mexico. Could it be due to the smoke and all the wildfires? This is a link to an article in the New Times Migrating birds found dead

 I also read on facebook a number of migrating warblers were found dead at Sandy Hook in New Jersey. From the west coast to the east coast, what could be killing all these birds?

This news is so sad, after hearing of past reports that billions of birds are disappearing in the US and Canada. This is an article from Cornell millions of birds are disappearing. In my lifetime 1 in 4 bird species are disappearing. Some people may not care about birds/animals and just say it does not affect me.  I think about the saying "canary in the coal mine".  I think this huge loss of birds is a danger warning. Something needs to be done.

 

We are hanging in there,  happy and healthy.   I hope everyone is safe, happy and healthy. 


What's happening in your corner of the world? Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there.


 
Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

 

Backyard birds & More

I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday    and NF Trees

They are all fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun  and check out some of the participating posts.

I hope everyone had a happy 4th of July. The weather here was a bit dreary, chilly rainy. Somehow I think we switched weather with the Pacific Northwest coast. What's up with that, LOL! For my post I am sharing some of my backyard birds and some of the magnolia trees seen along the fireroad trail near my house.

Above top row are the male Downy Woodpecker, male Cardinal, Blue Jay. Bottom row is the Carolina Chickadee, Tufted Titmouse and a female Bluebird.

Poppa Bluebird is helping out with the second nesting. He has a mouthful of our pine needles from the back yard.

There are so many different species of Magnolia trees. I am not sure if the trees we see in our neighborhood here are the Fraser Magnolia or the Ashe Magnolia.  They could also could be known as the bigleaf magnolia.

A bigger image of one of the bigleaf magnolia blooms.

Tulip Poplar Tree also known as the Tulip Magnolia Tree. The blooms are yellow with an orange band. These trees are found all around the woods near my house.  Both of these blooms took place back in May, I am sharing them for my NF Trees entry. 

A bigger look at the tulip poplar bloom.

The male Eastern Bluebird is a gorgeous bird, here he is posing nicely on our weeping cherry tree.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my backyard birds and the neighborhood trees. Also, thank you for stopping by and for the nice comments. Have a great day and new week ahead. 

I use Pic Monkey to create my mosaics, you can use Pic Monkey free or pay for an upgraded version.

I hope you can join in on our fun with Mosaic Monday  and Our World Tuesday and NF Trees and Bushes.

 Thanks to Judith our host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer and to Monica for hosting NF Trees.

Just Yard Birds

I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday   They are both fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun or check out some of the post.

Happy March everyone, Spring will be here soon... I am still in my hibernating mode due to the cold, snowy winter weather. 1-3 inches of snow is predicted for today with an icy mix later in the evening..Will it ever end? So, I only have photos of my back yard birds and some of hubby's photos from his walk to the lake.. I hope you enjoy these sights..

Above are a few Common Grackles like the Starlings they have some pretty colors in the sunlight..Also a male Downy Woodpecker and one of my snow birds..the Dark-eyed Junco..

Click on this photo for a larger image.. the Cardinal is caught midair. I thought it looked funny.. Sorry, ignore the blue tarp is covering our wood pile...

Above a Blue Jay hiding in the corner with a few Cardinals.. a single female Cardinal and lower right is a group of Blue Jays..

These are some scenes from hubby's walk to the lake.. The lake is frozen and snow covered.. the sun coming through the woods and a sunset..

The frozen lake is now covered with a layer of snow.. 

Our wood stove in the basement has been helping to keep us warm this winter..a prism in the window is reflecting colors on the stove, can your see the rainbow?

As always I thank you for your visits and comments..I wish everyone a happy day and week ahead!

Just an FYI, I use Pic Monkey to create my mosaics, you can use Pic Monkey free or pay for an upgraded version.

I hope you can join in on our fun at  Mosaic Monday and   Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to Judith our  host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  

Backyard Birds

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences

My post today I sharing some fence scenes from my neighborhood for Tex's Good Fence meme, some backyard birds and a couple shots of the moon for my Skywatch Friday post.

For my Good Fence post this week  I am sharing this fence that has birdhouses on all the fence posts.. I ride by here often and I enjoy seeing all the different kinds of birdhouses. Sometimes they change them out and put out new houses. 

 A closer view of some of the houses and fence.I have not seen teakettle bird houses.

If I were a bird, I would be a little afraid of this birdhouse..

Some more of the houses seen along the fence.. we had to move (traffic got in the way) so I could not get more closeups of the houses, but they all look cute..

 Back in my yard..is a Tufted Titmouse.. they seem to be quite active in my yard.. Chasing each other all around..

The pretty Indigo Buntings are still visiting, it would be nice if they stayed all summer.

 The moon on Monday evening..Almost full.

I zoomed in for a gorgeous look at the moon. The Full Moon is on the 16th.  I hope you enjoyed my post..


To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences


Thanks to Tex @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences and to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday!   I wish everyone a safe and happy long weekend.

Backyard Warblers

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

For this weeks featured bird I actually a variety of warblers that stopped by my yard for the last week or so.
 I believe I have already shown the Chestnut-sided warbler but I have a few others that I am excited about. It seems the warblers are really attracted to Pokeberries. They LOVE them.

 A fall Black-throated Green Warbler.

A fall Cape May Warbler

A Cape May Warbler at the pokeberries.

Another Chestnut-sided Warbler.

Another Chestnut-sided Warbler

This Goldfinch looking bird is really a Tennessee Warbler..The beak is one way of id-ing a warbler. 

At times I was seeing two Cape May Warblers together, but it was hard trying to focus on one bird with the pokeberries and leaves in the way. I believe I had some other warblers moving around my yard, a few times I would see a warbler disappear into our weeping cherry tree before I could id.

Looks like the warblers also found the crepe myrtle to be a favorite like the Scarlet Tanagers in my previous post.

All of these photos were taken from my deck or my dining room window. It is pretty cool to be able to see all these warblers right in my yard. I am wondering what warblers I was missing all week while I was at work. These shots were taken Friday evening, Saturday morning and some more on Sunday.  I am lucky I did not have to travel to see them, they all came to see me or more like eat our pokeberries.



Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird photos please visit:
 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes.

Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday and thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.

Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!

More yardbirds

Saturday, September 14, 2013

I am linking up Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-b-birdin   I hope you are joining in and posting your birds and critters.

I have some more recent shots of my yardbirds, these are the usual year round birds that I see in our yard.

It is funny to watch these big birds trying to pick up tiny little seeds I spread out on my deck railing.

American Crows, they seem to come in groups to my yard and deck.

A male House Finch, I've been seeing a group of male and female Houses Finches lately.

There are times when I can see ten or more Mourning Doves around my deck. They are shy birds and tend to fly off if they see me looking at them.

This could be a juvenile male Northern Cardinal or an adult after molting? The colors seem orangy-red.

Looks like the female Cardinal enjoys the berries too. All these shots were taken from my dining room window. So the quality is not the best. Sorry!

I was saving my favorite bird of the week, the Chestnut-sided Warbler. The Chestnut-sided Warbler has a yellowish-green on its back, nape and crown. They have an white eye-ring, underparts are dull white and two broad yellowish wingbars.

The Chestnut-sided was waiting for me to come home from work and it was seen on both Thursday & Friday evenings. These pokeberries are growing just on the other side of our deck, the warblers love these berries. I hope you enjoyed my birds and post!

 Ok, here is my new list for the week of my favorite blogs to visit and if you missed any... look back at all my previous Saturday posts they go as far back as my post title York Rookery on 6/22/13.

Pam @ Whims n Whispers is from Florida. Florida is one of my favorite places, so I really enjoy seeing her wonderful photos of the birds and lovely Florida scenery.

Elaine @ Artic View lives in Alaska.  One thing I love seeing.. is her wonderful photos of the birds that migrate to Alaska.

Reena @ Missing Moments  Lovely photography, if you check out her blog now she is traveling around New Zealand.

Sallie @ A full time life  travels from Florida to Oregon and shares photos from both of her home states.

Grace @ Grammie's Rambling shares her lovely birds and life from her home state of Maine.

I hope you are able to find some time to visit some of my favorite blogs above, they are all wonderful women and bloggers.

Thanks for stopping by and  I wish everyone a happy weekend.

 To see more beautiful photos and cute critters

 please visit:  Camera Critters and I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious hosts Misty Dawn of Camera Critters and to Anni of I'd Rather-B-birdin.

Backyard Birds

I am linking up with Wild Bird Wednesday and Nature Notes

September 9, 2013

This weekend in between running errands and taking our weekend walk, I did find time to check out my backyard birds. I am hoping to see some warblers pass thru like they did last year. I have plenty of pokeberries and berries on the Devils Walking stick. So, I am ready! Come on Warblers!

Above is a Gray Catbird and in the background is a blurry Tufted Titmouse.

This is a little better shot of the Tufted Titmouse.

A fluffy looking Carolina Chickadee enjoying his seed.

A female Ruby-throated Hummingbird has taken over the duty of protecting the feeders.

The hummer enjoying the hibiscus flower and plant.

I love my hummers and I will miss them when they head south, for now I am taking lots of  hummer photos.

I love my hummingbirds.

A beautiful male American Goldfinch still showing off his pretty color.

I was happy to see the Black-throated Blue Warbler on my deck, I know this is an awful shot. But, it is my record of seeing this warbler in my yard.

I will end this post with a cute Chipping Sparrow. I hope you enjoyed my backyard birds.

Join in and post your birdies and to see more beautiful and wonderful bird photos please visit:
 Stewart's Wild Bird Wednesday and Michelle's  Nature Notes.

Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday and thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes.

Thanks for stopping by and for leaving your nice comments. I always appreciate your visits.
I wish everyone a happy week ahead and Happy Birding!