Birds!!!

Ok, I've missed a few days, although I have pics to publish. But right now I want to brag about my birds here at the house. It actually started this morning on the way to the dentist ( :( ). Just as I was passing Russell's (about 1/2 mile from the house), a Great Blue Heron flew in front of me heading towards the  creek. I literally stopped the car in the road because he was so close and low down. We don't see a lot of water birds - and certainly not close up.


I actually couldn't see the yellow eyes but he was almost this close!
After a busy day at the dentist, Edward Jones, eating, buying vegetable plants, buying flowers, buying food...I went home to fill up all the water troughs because it's been hot. While waiting for the bottom one to fill, I watched a bluebird in the bottom pasture! He was just doing his own thing, eating bugs in the grass I guess. But how exciting to know I have bluebirds living close! Maybe even nesting in my nestboxes! I hope to entice them closer to the house with mealworms but haven't got the feeder up yet.


While trying to hang up a new hummingbird feeder that Anna gave me for Mother's Day, I hear Emma calling from inside the house "Llama loose!" Sure enough Will was wandering around. I had just put up a temporary fence to give them new grass. It didn't take long for him to push and walk over a section. The other llamas were pacing, trying to figure out how he did that! Oh boy, I thought it would be easy to get him in...not so much. First I got Gitana in a horse stall, then Jack in the barn. When I went to look for Will, he was galloping back towards the house after going for a look-see down the driveway. Eventually I got him in but not before deciding the temporary fence was NOT going to work right now!

I got my beautiful new feeder up. While eating supper in the living room I watched an Orchard Oriole come fill up on grape jelly, as well as Baltimore Orioles

Orchard Oriole male

Baltimore Oriole male

I now can recognize the oriole's song and hear it constantly. It's wonderful to know they're up there in the trees, happy and content! One last wonderful birding thing... Emma and Lee were leaving the house and she called that I must have a nesting pair of hummingbirds because they could see two flitting around. As I watched out the window, I must have counted two at the close feeder, and, in the background by the garage, I could see 4 hummingbirds chasing each other around!!!!!! I had no idea. Finally after what, 17 years? I finally have started figuring out how to bring the birds here. One really important fact - get feeders out early! I think I've always waited too long. Plus, be very consistent with keeping them filled! The red-headed woodpecker still visits all the time too and I have to keep an eye on all the feeders. I've put them up in various different areas - now some in the middle of the yard, some high, some by trees..trying to keep a variety so the birds can pick what they feel the most comfortable with. And....one can NEVER have enough bird feeders!!!!