I have been green with envy these past weeks of spring, enjoying many posts on both WordPress and social media as people share their bird photos. Now it’s my turn!
Birds have been flocking to our backyard this spring! Hooray!
“Until you spread your wings, you have no idea how far you’ll fly.” – unknown
Former Fun Feathers
In my former Sacramento home, my backyard was a popular bird spot. We enjoyed a parade of robins, magpies, mockingbirds, grosbeaks, and even kites, encouraged by the feeders, sunflowers, and six redwoods for roosting, nesting, and hiding. And, of course, generations of Anna’s hummingbirds. The occasional wild turkey was also known to fly in for a visit.
Violet-Green Swallows
Last spring, in our new place, we did manage to enjoy the antics of these flitting beauties, as they hysterically sought out nesting spots.
The silly things were desperate enough to try to nest in the BBQ grill, swoop underneath my husband’s truck, and even visit the smokestack of our wood-burning stove. We were alerted about the swallow in the stove by a frantically barking Brodie—thank goodness (the stove was not lit)!
I scooped it up out of the stove, stopped for a photo op, and sent it out into the backyard–no harm done!
If You Build It…
“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without the words
And never stops at all.”
― Emily Dickinson
Here in Eastern Washington, I hope to make our ¾ acre property a fun place for birds to visit.
Last week, to my delight, we got our first Anna hummingbird not 5 minutes after I hung the feeder.
I tried last spring to no avail as we lacked trees for them to perch in between sips.
The new trees have made a difference, I believe. Without the trees and our unusual heat last summer, birds weren’t motivated to visit the yard except for an occasional fly-in.
Construction and other distractions were also happening here last spring and summer as well. My neighbor, with whom we share a fence, had plenty of birds at her place. With several feeders hanging from her trees among the countless tall Ponderosa pines, no wonder the birds flocked there!
“Life is short. It can come and go like a feather in the wind.”
– Shania Twain
Blue Feathers and a Robin Couple
As birds are nesting and feeding, some new kids on the block have found our feeders. We also laid 1500 square feet of sod which is rich in earthworms. Mr. Robin has been busy pulling fat wormies out of our lawn and flying them back to the nest in my neighbor’s yard. Is that considered double-dipping?
We were excited to see this stunning Western Bluebird hang out for a bit. Their nest is likely in my neighbor’s yard.
The Eagles Have (Almost) Landed
The best way for us to see American Bald Eagles consistently and close up is to take the one-hour drive to Lake Coeur D’Alene in Idaho to a spot called Higgens Point where the kokanee salmon spawn in late Fall. Hundreds of eagles are drawn there annually to hunt and fish. They wait in the trees, patiently enduring the throngs of visitors, gawkers, and photographers who hope to capture a close-up photo (with zoom lenses). No cell phone pics here, at least any that are worth a darn. These images are from our outing last November and taken with my Lumix FZ300 on full zoom.
Here at home, we do see bald eagles soaring overhead. We are a quarter mile from Lake Spokane, so it’s quite the thrill to see the daily flight of eagles meandering high in the sky, hoping to spot a tasty treat.
“The day is done, and the darkness Falls from the wings of night,
As a feather is wafted downward from an eagle in his flight.”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
My Fun Feather/Pet project is coming along, if slowly. Cold weather is slowing down my painting efforts. This eagle has almost landed! Bear is patiently waiting to be brought to “life” underneath Eagle…
I’m always delighted to watch the backyard bird show now that spring has also (finally) landed! I suppose that as we add fences, trees, flowers, and more feeders (strategically placed), the invitation is open to all the fun feathered friends.
What do you do to encourage the birds to visit your yards and gardens?
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
Sunday Stills weekly challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
**I changed the theme midweek from “refreshing” to “fun feathers.” Please link up anyway.**
Inspiring Photo Challenges
Each week I am inspired by my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I find it fun to incorporate these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes. I’m stretching my inspiration a bit for Marsha’s WQW feature “air transportation,” which was also shared for my Wordless Wednesday post this week.
- Cee’s Black & White Challenge: Tender Moments
- Dawn’s Spring Festival 2022 — Spring birds
- Johnbo’s CellPic Sunday
- Lens-Artists: Every Little Thing
- Marsha’s Photographing Public Art Challenge (PPAC) — eagle totem
- XingFu Mama’s Whatsoever Is Lovely
This Week’s Featured Bloggers
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers who shared memorable photos. I edit these all week as new links are added.
- YOUR NAME HERE!
- Always Write
- Bay Photos By Donna
- Brashley Photography
- Between the Lines
- The Bloggler
- Bushboys World
- Calling All Rush-Babes
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- Cindy Knoke
- Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
- Deb’s World
- Easin’ Along Image shared in comments
- Equipoise Life Image shared in comments
- Frost on the Moose Dung
- Graham’s Island
- Heaven’s Sunshine
- Kamerapromenader
- Lifelessons
- Loving Life
- Now At Home
- Peaceful at Dawn
- Philosophy Through Photography
- Photos By Jez
- Priorhouse Blog
- Stevie Turner
- This is Another Story
- Travels and Trifles
- Travel With Me
- WideEyed Wonderings
- Woolly Muses
- Working on Exploring
There is no Sunday Stills challenge next week (May 29) as I enjoy visiting family and out-of-town activities over the long Memorial Day Weekend. Please come back on June 5th when the challenge theme is “A Numbers Game.” And please be safe if your activities take you in and around the water.
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