The Bird D'Pot

Last Wednesday we had a soft rain all day. I didn't think it would be a good day for birds, but I was wrong. 

This is the first time I've seen a Western Kingbird enjoying the feeders. 

And the first time the Scissor-tailed Flycatcher came this close sto the house.

The Upland Sandpipers are still here and enjoying a nice mud puddle. Bath time. 

A damp Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

Even Mr. and Mrs soaking wet Cardinal showed up.

Turned out to be a productive day.

Linking to The Bird D-Pot

The Barn Collective

No good barn pic for today, but how about the entrance to a barn, a horse, and a cowboy?

And this fancy loafing shed.

Linking to The Barn Collective

Saturday Critters

Gus was so busy barking and patting himself on the back for finding his food lady a deer to photograph...

...that he missed his nemesis stopped a mere 6 feet away, THE RABBIT!

While on a back road ramble, saw this beautiful Leopard Appaloosa. I tried to get him to look up, but he was too busy nibbling on new grass and then a truck came up behind me. The nerve of some people. Actually wanting to drive down the road while I'm taking pictures! 

Mama and baby were grazing on new grass, too.

I stopped to take a picture of this guy. He looks like a rodeo bull. You know the ones that enjoy beating up cowboys. Today it appears he had a fight with some mud. I hurried on before he decided to have a fight with me. The fence didn't look very sturdy. 

This little guy was answering the call of nature, until he saw me.

Then he ran back to his mama for protection.

Have a wonderful weekend, and don't forget to check out all the other posts by clicking on the link below.

Linking to Saturday Critters

Weekend Roundup - Q

Today's Challenge: Q, A Favorite, and Quiet

Q: Quarter ring. This is my wedding band. DC's is the same. When you decide to marry at our age, there is a lot of water under the bridge. We wanted to get married somewhere neither of us had been with anyone else. We chose Wyoming, picked a date, and then started looking at rings. I saw an ad for quarter rings on Facebook. Viola! Rings were chosen and at a very reasonable price, too. We were married at the Crook County Courthouse in Sundance, Wyoming. Sundance is where The Sundance Kid was from. It was a good fit. Love and Humor is a great way to start a marriage.

A Favorite: This was taken at Oaklawn racetrack in Hot Springs, AR. Note the quirt which is used when urging the horse to go faster. In this case, he didn't need it. He was way ahead of the pack.

Quiet: On our way to get married in Wyoming, we stopped at The Badlands in South Dakota. DC sat quietly, admiring the barren beauty. I hope he wasn't planning his getaway. 

If so, it didn't work. :)

Linking to The Weekend Roundup 

Thankful Thursday

I'm thankful for this little guy. This is Gus. He is a two year old red heeler mix. He keeps me company when I'm home alone and protects me when he thinks I need protecting, even if I don't. He knows I like seeing birds and critters of all kinds and comes to get me when he sees something he thinks I might like. Recently he pointed out a woodpecker on the light pole, deer, and a coyote wandering past the house. He is my companion on back road rambles and long walks. He is one awesome pup!

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Iris

I have found several patches of Irises along the back roads. Purple seems a popular color. I believe most of them were where houses once stood.

The larger picture.

Linking to Fleur and Color Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

Yesterday, I drove down one of my favorite back roads and saw a Pied-billed Grebe again. The sun was out and he was closer to the road, so got a much better shot this time. 

He posed for a while, but then took a dive and came up all wet and in the weeds. 

I've had my hummingbird feeders out for about a month, with no takers. Then this Ruby-throated Hummingbird showed up. He sits on the fence near the feeder for longer than I have ever seen a hummingbird sit still. I'm pretty sure he is guarding his treasure. I watched him a long time, but didn't see any others. And then yesterday I saw two. Sadly, this guy chased the other one off before I could get a pic.

He flew up and landed on one of the wagon wheels attached to the deck while I was reading. He was about 6 feet away. I was afraid to reach for my camera, so I watched him as he watched me. He finally flew away and then came back to hover about 3 feet from me. I guess he was checking out the food lady. I think he was thanking me for supplying homemade nectar instead of that store bought red stuff. 

He doesn't like Gus, our dog, to get close though. He was happy to show his displeasure by displaying his red feathers.

Another Scissor-tailed Flycatcher. Every time I see one, I can't resist stopping to try for a better picture. They are beautiful birds. 

The Great Egrets are plentiful these days. I see them almost every time I go out for a back road ramble. 

At this pond there were two.

Yesterday it was near 80 degrees. Today 40s and rain. Guess I will be staying inside most of today. 

Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

Tuesday Treasures

My treasure today probably wouldn't be considered a treasure to anyone else. It is my walking stick. I paid $10 at a flea marked. The leather and wooden beads were added later. The souvenir tags represent most places DC and I have visited in the last couple of years. It has walked a lot of miles and should be good for many, many more. I like the support it gives me on hikes, but now that we are in rattlesnake/copperhead country, it could be a snake whacker. Although DC insists I carry a pistol for that. I hate to tell him I would probably miss the snake with the gun. I would be more likely to make a bite-free getaway by distracting him with the stick. The best scenario is not to see a snake at all.

Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Random-osity

The Good: I have had feeders out since December, but haven't seen a bird actually on the feeder. They are always on the ground eating the feed that was blown out by the wind. However, that all changed today when I saw Mr. Cardinal enjoying a snack. 

And then he saw me watching from the window.

The Random: Watching the horses get new shoes.

The Fun: Feeding carrots to the horses. 

Linking to Random-osity

The Bird D'Pot

This was a productive week on my back road rambles.

Scissor-tailed Flycatchers are the state bird of Oklahoma. Love their long tails. I have been trying to get a decent shot, but this is the best I've been able to do so far. I actually saw one perched on a weed about 100 yards from our porch, but by the time I got my camera it was gone. I'm hopeful they are nesting nearby. 

Northern Bobwhites are common where I'm from in Illinois, but my bird app says they are uncommon here. However, the National Geographic Birds of North America indicate they are here year round. I saw 4 or 5 of these cross the road in front of me and hide in the  underbrush. Hopefully I will see them again and get a better shot.

Green Heron. I have been hoping for a green heron sighting and finally I saw one. As I drove by the heron pond, a large bird flew over the truck and landed on the other side of the pond. It was this guy. 

Pied-billed Grebe. On a ramble down a new road, I found an area with large ponds on both sides of the road. I saw a Great Egret on one side, but it flew before I could get a shot, I also saw what I believe were Northern Shovelers. They were too far away for anything but a blurry shot. So, I turned my attention to the pond on the other side. I didn't see anything at first, but then spied this Pied-billed Gebe watching me from behind some water plants. He would dive under the water and then come back up in another area. 

Upland Sandpipers. I first saw them on April 3rd. Yesterday I took this pic. They are still here, entertaining me out the kitchen window. I hope they stay a little longer. 



Help please: This little guy was swimming all alone in a pond. Of course he was way over on the far side, so no chance of a decent shot. Still, I think this might be a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Anyone have a guess?

Linking to The Bird D-Pot

A Barn or Three

I've been so busy searching for birds I forget to take pictures of other things, like barns. So this week I tried to widen my vision.

Not sure if this is a barn or a shed. Looks like there is a boat inside. Boat barn?

Linking to The Barn Collective