Saturday, January 02, 2021

A Feathered Friend is Better Than No Friend

Come stroll in my back yard and my woods and meet some of my feathered friends.  I have taken a "bunch" of photos over the fall season as I do love these visitors, but I will provide only four.


The Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) has used the dormant osprey nest for a lookout post most of the fall and winter seasons.  We have seen two flying over the river, so there is a pair.  They are extremely adaptable birds in terms of habitat.  They also eat a wide variety of water life.  The first year we lived here my husband was sitting on the dock as the sun set and a heron tried to land on his head!  I do not know who was more surprised.


The Mourning Doves, at least four, come in when I put the seed feeders and winter bird bath out. Otherwise, I may only hear a call in the evening during the summer months.  They are such a gentle looking bird.


Our Northern Mockingbird ( Mimus polyglottos) is far warier than those that have adapted to city life and so they may be common in your yard and more fearless.  This image I caught through a front window.  Yes, they are mimics and I love that "polyglottos" name. They can be found perched on high somewhere singing their heart out.


The above  Eastern Towhee (male) which has the colors of the robin is also a very wary bird.  They are seen only a few times over the winter picking at the seeds that fall from the feeders.  I saw two together for the first time this year.

They are the perfect distraction for a retired old lady who wants to learn more about the earth.

10 comments:

  1. I am far from an expert but have always been fascinated by birds.

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  2. besides our usual year round residents, we have little yellow warblers and goldfinches.

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  3. Those are lovely pictures, thank you. We have some wonderful great blue herons locally. One I got to know, because he'd lost a couple of feathers at some point. He was solo for a couple of years, and I wondered what would he do without a mate. Then suddenly a female showed up, and I saw them a few times together. Happy Ending! We have a lot of marshland, clear running water with plenty of fishing possibiities for the herons. And the otters and black backed cormorants, all competing for the life in the water.

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  4. Wonderful birds to enjoy. I can't imagine how a heron almost landed on your husband! How shocking! I love the rare sightings of Towhees...I have heard their scritching in underbrush that led me to seeing them sometimes.

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  5. Lovely photos.
    Funny heron story makes me laugh.

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  6. A feathered friend is better than most friends in fact, and this is a delightful quartet to have in your life.

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  7. Considering the size of heron feet, I'm glad one didn't land on your husband's head!
    GBHs are common here in Puget Sound country, but I never tire of watching them when we are on Whidbey Island. We have the western version of the Towhee. They love to scratch around in the leaves used as mulch.

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  8. I’ve ever seen a mockingbird or a towhee. Beauties! You are so fortunate to have them all nearby.

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  9. What a pleasant post -- good photos and information and not too long.

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  10. What interesting birds. You could have had more photos as far as I am concerned.

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Glad to hear from you once again. I really like these visits. Come sit on this log and tell me what you are thinking.