Rosyfinch Ramblings

Thursday, February 3, 2022

Crops & Clips: Flashback to February, 2019

Each month I enjoy looking back over my archived photos, taken three years previously, to remember how things were then and what I now am missing this month in our new Connecticut home. As usual, I searched for images which reflected favorite memes: critters of all kinds (especially birds), skies and clouds, reflections, flowers and fences, as well as scenes which speak for themselves. We spent the entire month of February at home in south Florida.

On February 2, a male Northern Cardinal posed amid sun-dappled foliage:

A Palm Warbler struggled with a very large caterpillar:

This Great Egret was just landing in the wet prairie:

A male Pileated Woodpecker was drumming on a utility pole:

A Ruby-throated Hummingbird claimed this blooming Firebush (Hamelia patens) as its own and drove off any visitors:

The larger male of this pair of Mottled Ducks, in the foreground, has darker plumage and a bright greenish-yellow bill. That of the female is more orange and smudged with dark areas.

This Black-and-White Warbler is a male, as evidenced by bolder marking with dark mask and cheeks:

On February 9 at the local Bald Eagle nest, one of the two eaglets begs from the male parent (Pride) while the female (Jewel) is feeding the other:

The Wood Storks had returned for their third breeding season at the Orange Road Rookery in Weston, Florida:

A Loggerhead Shrike permitted a fairly close approach. They can be skittish:

Killdeer in a grassy roadside spot::

Virginia Opossum crossed the path up ahead:

This large Green Iguana turns orange during breeding season:

A male Yellow-throated Warbler shows off his namesake field mark:

Monarch Butterfly on Bidens alba. Remarkably, this tiny flower is the greatest wild source of nectar in Florida (Cultivated citrus is #1 overall):

The eaglet picked up a lump of sod from the nest lining. The adult male seemed displeased and retrieved it:

An adult Yellow-bellied Sapsucker tended its sap wells on our back yard Mahogany tree:

Cattle Egret with Longhorn calf. Cattle have since been removed from this pasture and it is being turned into a parking lot for boats and RVs:

Nuptial display of Yellow-crowned Night-Heron:

This one was looking for sticks. He found one and presented it to his mate at the nest:

Halloween Pennant:

Clouds and their reflections framed this view of the canal:

The setting Snow Moon was twice reflected on the still surface of the lake:

Linking to:

Garden Affair

Nature Thursday

Skywatch Friday

Weekend Reflections

Saturday's Critters

BirdD'Pot

All Seasons

Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday)

Natasha Musing

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

My Corner of the World

Timeless Thursday

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Please visit the links to all these posts to see some excellent photos on display
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Thursday, January 27, 2022

Yard bird list is expanding

My new Connecticut yard bird list has swollen to 18 species, of which I have now photographed 13 through the windows. Latest arrivals to the feeder were--

The male Red-bellied Woodpecker spends more time eating the seeds rather than at the suet cake which is favored by the Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers:

This view, on a snowy morning, shows off the red on lower belly which gives the species its name, but it is often difficult to see in the field. Since museum collections of bird skins were usually displayed lying on their backs, this feature was obvious to early taxonomists:

One American Robin flew into the holly tree and gleaned the red berries right next to the window. I had to shoot from across the room and never got a good exposure. These are just to document the sighting in eBird:

It approached very close to the window glass and immediately flew away after looking right at me:

A flock of 3-5 American Goldfinches suddenly appeared on January 20.

They were very aggressive and took over the feeder, confronting other visiting species. They even squabbled among themselves:

A male Northern Cardinal gifted us with a Christmas Card view:

I installed a second shepherd's hook to hold a platform seed feeder with transparent cover (to the far left in this view from the front door of our suite). Since the home is sited on a granite dome, there are few places with enough soil to anchor the iron stand. I could only drive it down about 5 inches before hitting solid rock . I hope it withstands the wind. It snowed right after I put it up. The birds ignored it and its supply of millet, even though they feasted on wind-driven spillage beneath it.

The kitchen windows on the main floor provide magnificent views of the surrounding open space. On clear nights, the lights of the city of Hartford shine bright, about 11 miles distant:

Sunsets have been glorious. Like snowflakes, no two are ever alike. Official sunset was at 4:51 PM. These were consecutive iPhone views between 4:50 and 5:25 PM on January 20th:

Seen and photographed to date (13 species), Red-bellied Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker, Blue Jay, Tufted Titmouse, Black-capped Chickadee, Dark-eyed Junco, White-throated Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Cedar Waxwing, American Robin, American Goldfinch. Seen but not photographed (5 species) Canada Goose, Red-tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, Mourning Dove, American Crow.

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