AstroGypsies

Hopefully I won’t need a five part series! Spring is here. There are leaves! Dragonflies…and of course…hummingbirds! I did run out and buy a couple of hanging baskets as soon as they arrived! Feeders were full and waiting! I couldn’t resist:) Two males and I spotted a female last week briefly!

The other snow birds have been trickling back…I can’t help but feel that the guys that stuck it out all Winter aren’t going to be THAT accommodating…they’re coming back with tans, speaking with an twangy accent;) The Red Bellied Woodpecker has NOT been happy with the newcomers and has made her point!

The Red Winged blackbirds and Grackles have been informed of the pecking order by Señora Red Bellied.

Don’t mess with a redhead;) Everyone seems a bit testy! Even the cheerful little Goldfinches are at each other!

Then the female Purple Finch steps in to set things straight…like a stern headmistress carrying a paddle;) Ha!

A few other newcomers have arrived, not so quietly either! The Yellow Bellied Sapsucker loves to drum on a dead maple branch outside our window…I call him the morse code bird, that is what their drumming sounds like, calling to the ladies, I’m here, this is my turf! There was quite the squabble going on at the maple involving three Yellow Bellied Sapsuckers, two looked like they were juveniles. The adult male was telling the juvenile guy where to go I imagine…No room on the block for the two of them;)

The Hairy’s were having a mating display, or an argument. I couldn’t make out if both were male, or girl and boy:)

The Bluejays always get quiet this time of year. The Red Winged Blackbirds and Grackles certainly make up for it! I love the colours on the female Red Winged Blackbird, all those tones of brown!

Walking out to get the mail has been pretty quiet. I did chance upon the female Grouse! While I’m walking I usually don’t stand a chance on getting close to these beautiful Ruffed Grouse. They fly off in a heartbeat, but driving in the lane yesterday I had Mike stop and I got a shot. These colours are just so beautiful! She/he can be found off and on in the same spot most of the year:)

I did come upon a Hermit Thrush! I had to stop, as I caught some movement out of the corner of my eye, and wait, for it to move again! Aha! There you are! The Brown Creepers are busy out in the bush as well!

Look at those beautiful spots! Such large eyes! Hermit thrushes forage on the forest floor, as well as in trees or shrubs, mainly eating insects and berries. While most hermit thrushes migrate to wintering grounds in the southern United States and south to Central America, some remain in northern coastal US states and southern Ontario. I have heard their song is ethereal…but it was quiet this day so I will have to go back:)

I never get tired of watching the Red Bellied woodpeckers! The male has become quite bold, probably as it’s territorial time. He usually lurks but has been quite available dancing about the trees, they make a squawk/screech, almost a trill, a noise that is very unmistakable! Hopefully we’ll see babies later!

and these guys…The herald of Spring along with the hummingbirds! 🙂 Just boys so far. They are very jittery for a few days then don’t mind me sitting and photographing them. The first week you can’t even lift the camera and lens without them shooting off in panic…they do settle down, now it’s like, “Hey, OK, it’s you!” 🙂

They are not the only colour on the block! The Rose Breasted grosbeaks are back as well! The males showed up first and this week a few shy ladies! They sing so beautifully! So far four males and quite a few out in the woods as I walked to check the mail!

So many familiar faces. The Eastern Phoebes are catching bugs down by the lake. A shy Eastern Towhee was singing in the honeysuckle one morning, I know where they nest later so will visit them! The Mourning Doves are busy cooing away and hordes of Purple Finches are cheerfully going about eating at the feeders:)

I was surprised by a chatter up in the maple and looked up to see a pair of Yellow Shafted Northern Flickers! Hope they stick around!

The ravens somehow have sonar/radar/web cam, ha, that tells them exactly when we walk out to the compost pile to empty the container. They are usually quite shy but sometimes I manage a photo or two. I had no idea they liked yoghurt…0_0…wiping it off ones beak requires some dexterity! These magnificent birds never cease to amaze me.

It’s been quiet Bald Eagle wise but while I was waiting for the orioles I heard several piercing calls, quite a commotion of “Kikiki-ing” and I looked up to see two hawks frolicking together! It was an amazing display of flight and turns, dives and twists! I was getting dizzy trying to follow it all!

I wasn’t sure what they were at first, maybe light morph Red Tails but it turns out it was an adult and juvenile Red Shouldered hawk! The Red Shoulders are quite apparent on the adult! Stunning watching them!

At the waterfront, the Ring Billed Gulls are back. An adult and juvenile have been around, and of course…the Loons, a pair, but they have become very very quiet except for last night when there was quite a ruckus while landing, maybe a visiting pair (?) so maybe time for a paddle into the swamp!

We have heard a few Warblers…a Yellow one was hanging out with the Goldfinches, sneaky guy. Caught a glimpse of one with a white ring around it’s eye on the road, but then it vanished into the trees, those leaves are starting to block what I can see! Not complaining;) Keeping an eye out for the Scarlet Tanager, it’s time they put in an appearance as well! A Single Brown-headed Cowbird showed up today, then left. They are late! The White Breasted Nuthatches are busy as ever, no Red Breasted ones yet! Soon!

Spring has sprung. I’ve been trying to get my mojo going, April kinda kicked me in the gut but what we do, is get back at it. We can continue to question and explore life, the universe and the new taco truck in Perth…Ha! Yes, more to come but I’ll finish up this chapter on Spring birds first…the Trumpeter Swans…! They had been bouncing around from swamp to swamp, I was wondering if they were going to return to the mailbox swamp but the lady has settled on a new spot, where she wants to be! Sitting on eggs hopefully! We’ll keep checking! 33-37 days until incubation is complete! Do you know the nestlings leave the nest in 24 hours and can swim and feed!? That is wild!

So happy to see her and her mate! Hopefully we’ll be treated to their mini-me’s! Not far away a beautiful pair of Canada Geese were being followed by their five young goslings, swimming along, and behind them, a Pied-Billed Grebe! So cool. Their bill turns a pale blue and the strip is prominent during breeding season! A first for me here!

..and I’ll leave you with my new buddy. He flew past my ear this morning…”What’s up lady? Keep buying those flower baskets!” I’ll do my best! Chance of frost tonight…ah, Canada. Buckets and blankets to cover the plants ready! We’ll put a warm sugar water out at dawn…yeah, I spoil these guys!

Saludos amigos, I’ll tackle scales and insect wings, frogs and other furry creatures next week:) Ever been mooned by a deer? Crap, just had a tick fall off my arm onto the keyboard…ARGGHHH!!! How do they do that! Stay tuned. Abrazos amigos.