Our next door neighbor’s cat, aptly named Bubba, comes to our house regularly and waits at the front door. He is expecting us to give him kibble, and for some reason we actually do. He is not starving by any stretch of the imagination. We should not do this, but we do.
I have started calling him Tubba.
I heard a “thunk” at the front window and looked out to see an Oregon Junco sitting on the deck. He (she?) was very still and it was a little bit before I was certain he was still breathing. I went outside and he didn’t move other than to blink at me. I wanted to move him to a safer place, but the first time I started to pick him up he flapped at me – for which I was grateful because it meant everything seemed to be in working order. The second time he stayed calm while I lifted him off the deck. Looking around I decided the best spot was on one of the feeders with a wide base. He sat there calmly for about ten minutes before finally flying off. It did mean I was able to get one good portrait.
Super stripes on this dragonfly, who was kind enough to pose near the pond for a while.
Our birds planted a sunflower and we let them keep it. This one has begun harvesting the bounty. It’s good to see them taking steps towards independence.
Okay I admit I’ve been lax on refilling the feeders and I will get to that today. One bird chose unwisely and was the face of disappointment. The other was the glutton and would not share with anyone.
The dragonflies have returned to our pond and I couldn’t be more delighted. For one, they are a sign of a healthy ecosystem. But they also eat annoying things. And they are terrific models!
The redwing blackbirds have found the feeders again. Groups come over and push the finches and swallows aside. They’ve also figured out that unlike the little guys, they don’t have to get inside this feeder to get to the seeds.
Walked by a front hallway window and spotted this Oregon Junco in the Sentinel Pine by the front porch. Quickly grabbed the camera (thankfully on tripod nearby) and was pleased he (she?) was still sitting pretty when I got back.
Walking to my office this morning I was enjoying the sun and the fact all the snow and ice around this area was gone. The morning was so still and there was a mirror reflection on a pond. I like the way the border on the right almost looks like a floating shelf. For a foggy version, check here.
There is a lot I’m not enjoying about winter where I am. We’ve had significantly more snow and ice than usual – the ice is especially bad. This morning I woke up to a freezing fog advisory. While this is not fun for driving, freezing fog turning into hoarfrost does pretty things to tree branches.
@KellyOSullivan 