Cold Canadian geese meet steaming hot bread
Okay, so Canadian geese are not normally what I would consider attractive or even interesting birds. Usually they’re more in the category of loud, annoying, or just plain in the way. But, if you add a chilly fall scene and a lake that’s reflecting some nice fall colors, well, then you may have something! The only thing that would have made this autumn outing more complete was a steaming hot loaf of cranberry pecan bread from some bakery in Michigan I’ve never heard of. 
Now, either you’re laughing or confused, so if it’s the latter, head to Shelley’s Birding in Michigan sister blog about building a log cabin and see for yourself. Count me in on the fun, Shelley…these geese would love some of that bread! Dave
Tufted titmice and tornadoes
Saturday was a mix of sun and clouds here in Tar Heel country with a whole lot of wind. We even had some tornadoes touch down in the area, but none too close to our neighborhood. I was keeping an eye on the sky when I noticed this little Carolina wren (above left) sitting on our deck rail in a patch of sun. Guess it was warming itself or maybe just relaxing. We seem to have two of them around, and both are really tame. This one kept sitting there and sitting there, so I grabbed the camera and started taking some shots. Lots of titmice showed up, and pretty soon the whole gang was there. Hope you enjoy! Dave
This male bluebird is angry because:
a. his house is tipping again
b. he is fourth in this blog behind a titmouse, wren, and disheveled chickadee
c. after his glorious fall background last week, he has been framed with a neon green hose over his head
Falling leaves and a friendly mockingbird
Yesterday for lunch, I went to a local park and took a walk. Boy, was it nice to be outside…kind of cloudy, leaves falling in a gentle rain of autumn colors, birds quietly singing in an empty park…wow! As I was taking it all in, I happened upon this one mockingbird sitting on top of a holly bush. He stayed and stayed, letting me take pictures from all different angles. It really is amazing the different picture compositions you can come up with by changing only the background. Eventually he flew over to a nearby fence post and then was gone. Now normally I don’t care for mockingbirds much, but on a beautiful day like this, he was a pleasant surprise. Dave
P.S. See that little bench in the fall photo up above? Don’t you just want to take a good book or newspaper and have a seat there or under the gazebo for a few hours? A hot cup of hazelnut coffee on a cool afternoon surrounded by a spectacular carpet of golden leaves…sounds just about perfect to me!
Autumn bluebirds enhance the leaf show
Fall has truly arrived here in central North Carolina, and the trees are beautiful! Scarlet, crimson, gold, burgundy…fiery reds, bright oranges and vibrant yellows…the leaves are spectacular right now! I’ve said it here before, but it bears repeating now, that creation indeed testifies to the Lord! It’s easy to worship the creation and miss the One who created it. Beauty like this doesn’t just happen on its own, folks. Enjoy the gorgeous scenery this autumn, but remember to thank the author of it, too.
So this was the scene in our backyard last Thursday morning: one male bluebird who seemed content to sit and enjoy the show. But at the same time, whether he realized it or not, he was a part of the show himself. Kind of like us… Dave :-)
Defending against squirrels…part two
When we last left off, our heroes were under attack. Their outer defenses had already been breached, and an evil, vicious squirrel was boldly seeking his plunder. But would this vile intruder be content with the empty husks of sunflower seeds? Had he carefully plotted this sinister assault from the fall fescue only to obtain the mere scraps of chickadees? No…this thief wanted more…he wanted it all.
Quickly the rodent begins his final climb and impressively scales the heights with ease. Where are the watchmen?! The castle is under siege! Pour down your hot oil, rain down your arrows! But, there is no one. The ramparts are empty.
With a look of defiance, our enemy arrives at the unguarded treasure. This is the moment he has dreamed of, the fulfillment of his lengthy quest from wilderness. Glory and honor will be his. But what will become of our feathered friends? Will the winter rations of wrens and bluebirds be stolen without challenge? Is this the end?! Will this be victory for the kingdom of tree rats?!!!
Suddenly, a streak of blue and red bursts forth from the shadows. No, it can’t be, but IT IS! OUR KNIGHT! Selflessly, forsaking all thought of life and limb, and at incalculable risk to himself, he flings himself at the brute…
AND VICTORY IS HIS! The intruder flees for his life, barking words of warning to listening would-be-thieves, and they too, scramble to safety. Good has once again triumphed over evil, and order has been restored. Juncos and finches will lie down in peace tonight knowing that this brave knight fights for them. Their storehouses are safe, their seed secure, because of the immense valor of this six-year-old. Birds, rise up. Cardinal, chipping sparrow, sing your songs in safety. This warrior is on your side.
How to stop squirrels from eating your seed
Out in the grass, our enemy lurks…is anyone watching?
Titmouse: “What’s that noise?!”
Cautiously he comes…slowly…slowly now…
“Who’s down there?!”
Safe arrival on the deck, or so he thinks…but what happens next? To be continued…
Watch out bluebirds! Look who’s watching…
Howdy folks! It’s a chilly fall day in Carolina, so we’re definitely not in Florida anymore! Crisp, autumn weather has arrived and with it, our first white-throated sparrow. I haven’t seen one of these guys in a long time, but we had one on the deck this morning. You can see how they get their name, and I love that splash of yellow over their eye! It’s funny, too, because I had just seen a picture of one yesterday on Tina’s Bird Yarns blog and wished we had some here. Well, now we do! My son is looking forward to the juncos that will soon come.
The bluebirds and everyone else had better keep an eye to the sky, because it looks like our hawk is still lurking. I took this picture Sunday morning before church, and when he’s there, the other birds go silent. I’m guessing it’s a Cooper’s hawk, but you can’t tell for sure. Sorry the picture isn’t closer, but the ole Canon Powershot 
A620 will only zoom me in so far. One day I’d love to get a nicer setup, but that’ll have to wait for now…we have a baby on the way! Maybe I’ll even show you a picture when the time comes, and let me tell you, that time is drawing near!
Well, the other pictures below are just some of the friendly daily crew: Carolina chickadee, titmouse investigating a feeder and seed mix I bought last week that’s supposed to be attracting woodpeckers, and a fun Carolina wren. Enjoy! Dave
Sorry about the political ads…
I don’t control any of the advertisements since I do this blog at work. Lately in the rotation there have been two Barack Obama ads, but Dave’s Bird Watching Blog does not endorse one candidate, vehicle, restaurant, biscuit, etc. over another!
Pelicans and Fort Myers Beach
Just a few more Florida pictures for you today, and then it’ll be back to the bluebirds. I’m not sure what this sandpiper is up above…I’d love your input. It honestly looks like a duck to me, except with the wrong beak and legs attached. Anyway, he or she was walking along the shore on Ft Myers Beach with us, and this brown pelican was out swimming in the shallow water. The shell picture below shows just how abundant the seashells really are down there, and they’re even more so on Sanibel. Our favorite shells are the crowns, olives, and whole sand dollars.
There’s one more shot of our mystery bird below and then a fun close-up of four brown pelicans. They were right beside a dock where some fisherman were cleaning their catch and tossing them the scraps. I love seeing how much their pouch can stretch when they get a fish.
Back to North Carolina birds next week! Dave
More from Florida…birds of Ding Darling!
It’s been so much fun for me that I’m continuing the Florida bird theme! These are all pictures from a previous trip to Ft Myers and Sanibel. More specifically, they are all from a day at the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge on Sanibel Island. It’s a tremendous place for viewing all sorts of Florida birds and animals. If you go, bring your binoculars and go early or late in the day for best viewing. It’s a great thing to do as a family (those are my parents along with my wife and son below). My grandparents always loved going here, and my cousin Jason was an especially big fan. They also have a great visitor center with lots of hands-on activities and kid-friendly exhibits. I can’t recommend the park highly enough!
The pink birds up top are roseate spoonbills, a rarity to see, it seems, except at Ding Darling. Egrets and herons are here in abundance. That’s a snowy egret on the left (the same bird my son was scouting in the picture at the very bottom). He’s becoming more and more interested in birds and photography (shock…but he does differ greatly from his dad in football team preference; I’m a big Dallas Cowboys fan, but he likes the Giants and Redskins best). The other photos below are a little blue heron (long pic under the spoonbill closeup), green heron (just below the little blue), and an anhinga preening itself. You don’t typically see the blue feathers on it’s back; usually they’re more of a silver color.
I’m planning one last Florida blog entry for Friday, so I’ll see you then!
Dave
