Thursday, June 16, 2016

Crops & Clips: Birds in two back yards

This post is about birds seen in our dooryards this year, both in Florida as well as in our daughter's yard in northeastern Illinois.

In early May, during our stay in Illinois, I tended to a slow-cooking roast in the barbeque on the back deck of our daughter's home. Since we lost all the undeveloped land near our condo, I relished the opportunity to just sit and enjoy their bird feeders. I set a goal of seeing 20 species during the hour or so, and actually counted 21 (including a couple of flyovers).

A Cardinal stopped at the feeder and then perched on the back fence...

Northern Cardinal 2-20160505



Northern Cardinal 20160505

...as did a Mourning Dove:

Mourning Dove HDR 3-20160505

The dove rested atop the feeder:

Mourning Dove 2-20160505

Black-capped Chickadees picked up seeds one at a time and ate them up in the trees:

Black-capped Chickadee 2-20160504

An American Robin caught a worm for its newly hatched chicks:

American Robin 20160505

A Red-tailed hawk flew over, one of the "bonus birds:"

Red-tailed Hawk NDR 2-20160505

White-crowned Sparrows were abundant:

White-crowned Sparrow 3-20160505

White-crowned Sparrow HDR 2-20160505

A Chipping Sparrow peered shyly from the other side of a feeder...

Chipping Sparrow HDR 20160505

...but later gave me an open shot:

Chipping Sparrow 20160505

Siboney, their 5 1/2 month old Tibetan Mastiff, already weighed 50 pounds. He chewed on a stick and watched the birds with me:

Siboney HDR 20160505

A colorful sunrise greeted us upon our return to Florida in mid-May:

Sunrisr HDR 20160517

Shortly after returning home to Florida I saw a Tricolored Heron which was busy tending to its feathers. I crept out onto the patio and obtained a series of photos as it preened at the lake's edge. Click on the photos for larger images which show its plumage in greater detail: 

Tricolored Heron 03-20160519

Tricolored Heron 06-20160519

Tricolored Heron 07-20160519

Tricolored Heron 05-20160519

Tricolored Heron HDR 01-20160519

The younger of the two eaglets in the local Bald Eagle nest indeed perished, either from injuries in fights with its older sibling or because it could not compete with her for food. The first-hatched was about 65 days old when I took this photo on May 20, 2016. It would be expected to fledge within a week or two:

 Bald Eaglet HDR 20160520

For this week's wildflower, here are Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's breeches) growing at Bliss Woods, Kane County, Illinois:

Dutchman's Breeches 20160422

Thanks so much for visiting! I will be on the road for the next couple of weeks and often away from WiFi and even out of cellular range. Mary Lou and I are celebrating our 56th Wedding Anniversary! Tending to my blog from a cellphone does not work out very well, so I have put my posts on "autopilot" in the interim, but promise to visit you as soon as possible when I get back to my PC.
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Linking to Misty's  CAMERA CRITTERS,

Linking to Eileen's SATURDAY'S CRITTERS,

Linking to GOOD FENCES by Tex (Theresa). 

Linking to SKYWATCH FRIDAY by Yogi, Sylvia and Sandy

Linking to WEEKEND REFLECTIONS by James

Linking to BirdD'Pot by Anni

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday by Stewart

Linking to Today's Flowers Friday by Denise

Linking to Wordless Wednesday (on Tuesday) by NC Sue
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Please visit the links to all these memes to see some excellent photos on display

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18 comments:

  1. Hello Ken, wonderful collection of birds and photos. Cool capture of the Red-tail in flight. I love the cute dog and the gorgeous sunrise. Wishing you a happy day and weekend ahead!

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  2. I love all your bird s and that shot of Siboney is fabulous. I am glads I don't have to feed him. Sunrise image is gorgeous kenneth.

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  3. very much enjoyed the array. I've never seen a white capped sparrow. Very cool. Hugs to Sibony. What a beauty

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  4. Beautiful series, Kenneth, and Siboney is adorable! I also love your header.

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  5. That red bird. I wish I could seen it with my own eyes! That is sooo beautiful. Thanks.

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  6. Wonderful series of photos. The dog, Siboney, is lovely :)

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  7. These are all grand shots, but I especially love those of the heron!
    Thanks for joining the party at https://image-in-ing.blogspot.com/2016/06/west-side-story.html

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  8. You have a sharp eye for bird. That tri color heron is a new one for me.

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  9. Sad about the eagle...
    Loved the preening series...
    I've yet to see a white crowned sparrow...
    And LOVE the cardinal.

    I'm in my Hootin' Anni's blog admin but checking the links at I'd Rather B Birdin'...........thanks for sharing all this with us birders at the Bird D'Pot.

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  10. Hello Ken, I just wanted to stop by and say thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Have a happy new week ahead!

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  11. Wow, great shots!

    I never see that many different species at the feeder in just one setting.
    ~

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  12. Love all the birds and the gorgeous color sin the sunset~

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  13. Well, I was enjoying the birds and the dog and then I came to the tricolored heron. Wow! Those are spectacular shots!

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  14. Happy Anniversary! I enjoyed seeing the photos of birds and soulful eyes of the beautiful dog.

    Karen

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  15. Another fabulous set of images! The heron is gorgeous.

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  16. A lovely series! Siboney has the most expressive face, absolutely adorable, your birds are always a joy, the sunrise is spectacular, and then there are those pretty flowers. Thank you for sharing these wonderful photos with Today's Flowers. I appreciate this very much :). Happy travels!

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  17. Cardinals a certainly spectacular birds...such vibrant color! And great capture of the Heron! Love them too! And that mastif! What a cool pup!!!

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  18. Wonderful visitors! Some really beautiful shots!

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