A Crusader!

I never thought of describing a Rose Breasted Grosbeak as a "mini Crusader".....but that is what my daughter suggested as I pointed out this fellow at the bird feeder.  She has been watching episodes of the BBC's Robin Hood series lately.   The female is not nearly as dramatic, but she does stand apart with her eye markings...although next to the male American Goldfinch you hardly notice her!  If you want to see an amazing picture of the female grosbeak, check here.

Empty Nest Blues And Ongoing Construction

New Great Blue Heron nest construction continues. I'm not sure if they don't like the lower nest and are trying to rebuild or if this is another Heron pair. Then there is the solitary Heron with stick, a new nest there?

The nest is empty.....no Mother Goose, not on the nest, not nearby,......

Nursery Hopeful

I ventured down to the swamp this week....a very cool and damp Tuesday....

The goose nest is occupied. 

Two Great Blue Heron nests both in the right half of the picture.

The newest Heron nest.

If you click on this picture, you may catch some male mallards having a dispute behind the reeds.  They were very far away and very agitated.  I think the others swam out of the frame but there is one male with wings spread.

There were plenty of Tree Swallows and Red-Winged Blackbirds, Black-Capped Chickadees that were close enough to touch....but I resisted or I'd have fallen off my log.  There was also a Blue Bird pair, but the lighting was so poor you have to take my word for it so I won't bother to include their picture.  The next day we had light snow and now we are mid-seventies with tomorrow threatening to be near 90!  

View From the Yard...Not the Swamp

 Two Pileated Woodpeckers

 Northern Flicker

 Scratching an itch, but I missed it

American Goldfinch brightens up a damp, dreary day beautifully!

WT Sparrow

All last week, I woke to "Pure Sweet Canada Canada Canada".....

The White Throated Sparrow got me hooked on birds in 9th Grade Biology!  All those years ago, it was his song and his yellow eye markings that I found remarkable.  I never noticed the white throat before!