Birds

Here is a series of images I captured over the past couple of days. The temperature was in the mid to upper seventies. There was plenty of sunshine, a little too windy for my liking, but still they were a couple of exceptional Spring days.

The Barn Swallows Are Back! The first photo is a single shot I captured of the first Barn Swallow I say this year. It’s not a great quality image, but I love the composition.

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A Cute Downy Woodpecker – looking a bit thin.

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A Common Grackle – I don’t know why people have an aversion to the black birds – I find this animal absolutely striking.

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Red-bellied Woodpecker stopping by for a bit of suet.

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A Song Sparrow. I began hearing them really belting out their song last week.

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The juvenile White-crowned Sparrow dons brown strips on the head, while the mature birds have black markings which really show off the “white crown.” The last two pictures are of a juvenile showing off his development into an adult – the brown is being taken over by black feathers.

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The White-throated Sparrow, like the White-crowned Sparrow, spent the winter here and will be migrating north soon.

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The Red-Winged Blackbirds arrived back a couple of weeks ago. It’s hard to miss them. They announce their position with a very characteristic song. They may be easy to spot, but their deep, black markings make for getting a good image challenging.

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The Eastern Meadowlarks are announcing their joy for Spring from the tree tops. These birds are very difficult to film because they have a very big “personal space bubble.”

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I catch a glimpse (or more) of the American Robins in nearly every corner of the property. I’ve considered seeing a Robin as the first sign of Spring since I was a young child.

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The next bird, a Northern Flicker was thirty feet up a mature tree on the north property line. The second photo is of a bird that was with a mate near the Duck Box – where the Trail Cam recorded the female entering and the male clinging to the pole, and tapping on it. I’m hoping they move in an raise a brood.

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And, while I was filming the birds, movement from far across the field caught my attention. A small herd of White tail deer were running along the fence! They were about 900 feet away from where I was sitting.

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I could continue to upload photos I’ve taken recently – but I actually have to go feed my dogs! I feel so fortunate for having the opportunity to jump in the golf cart and go for a spin around our farm when the weather beckons and I have the chance. Fresh air. Sunshine. Unplugged. And, the patience required to sit and wait for a bird to show up is a very effective form of meditation. I am blessed.