topic Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There.... in Community Chat

To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

Julie928 — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 20:49:17 GMT

The simple things in life make me really happy. This afternoon was ordinary ~ I cleaned the filter for our backyard pond, filled the birdfeeders then went inside to get caught up with the dusting. I heard the white-throated sparrows singing outside our back window and went to see if I could spot them. In the elderberry bush just outside our window was the most gorgeous male rose-breasted grosbeak! He's back!!! Last year we had three pairs of them visiting our yard. I'm so excited to finally see him again! He sat there and let me take several pictures and even sang a tune for me before flying off. Hopefully his mate will be visiting us soon. I want so badly to post a picture here but every time I try a message pops up that the file is too large. Things such as this make me happy. Something so simple yet so beautiful...I hope all of you are having a wonderful day! :-)

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

Kachina624 — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 20:58:17 GMT

How fortunate you are to have such nice birds visiting you! I mostly have sparrows and doves which are not too exciting but an occasional purple finch sings a pretty song and the swallows have come back to Capistrano East.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

country gal — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 21:10:36 GMT

I saw a male Cardinal the other day and it just made me smile. That's why I love living in the country..surrounded by nature. Enjoy the beauty where you are.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

Julie928 — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 21:15:29 GMT

Just after I posted this a house wren was checking out the sparrow's nest (again, outside our back window). That's the first time I saw a house wren this year, too! Now if the hummingbirds, thrushes & warblers show up I'll really be over the moon!!! :-)

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

PINKdogWOOD — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 21:18:00 GMT

@Julie928 Sounds like yo u're standing in my kitchen perring o ut my window, with it open you can hear our pond. We watch and listen to the birds all the time too, wathc who's hanging on the suet pecking away at it, seeing the pesky squirrels hanging upside down on the suet or flying through the air from the holly to the feeder. The birds hate those things!!! They're (sqrrls) always in the way.

We watch all three sizes of red-headed wood peckers at the suet. You never know which one will stop by, lately it's been the smallest of the three.

Nice grosbeaks at your place, good for you. My husband is the real birdman here, he's knows all who hang here. He calls to them especially the carolina wrens. They sing back. Early in the mornings when DH is leaving for work (7ish or so) we have 'honkers' (geese) as I so affectionately call them - our dog Wallace looks up to see them fly by.

We have two ponds in out yard - one in ground that DH dug out years ago, not that far from the back door and a metal formed one way out back. As it's shallow I love to do that one up with a couple of palm plants, flowering hyacith that bloomed beautifully the last 2 years I ha[[y to say, lettuce plants. Looks great as the summer progresses.

So yes, the simplest things in life make us very happy. We spend a lot of time just gazing out that window just watching and loving life. Doesn't get much better does it?

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

chickenbutt — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 21:19:17 GMT

I love all the birdies, but I don't know most of their names except for the doves and quail, both of which we have aplenty.

All the little bitty birdies are just called 'little bitty birdies'. Then there are the polka dot birdies (black irridescent feathers with white tips on feathers so they look like polka dots), the striped headed birdies, the striped tummy birdies, and the red-eyed birdies. Oh, and the little yellow birdies.

But I also know the names of the 'blue birdies'. They are called scrub jays. They look, body-type, like a bluejay except no crest. Cute! They are ALL cute!

They all give me so much pleasure and I've taken thousands of pictures over the last several years. It's about the only 'hobby' type thing I have left.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

Kachina624 — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 22:38:52 GMT

@chickenbutt I used to see scrub jays frequently but they started building houses around me so I guess the terrain is no longer scrubby enough because I haven't seen one for a long time. What part of the country do you live in?

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

chickenbutt — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 22:42:51 GMT

Hi Kachina! I'm in Northern Nevada. I see a fair amount of them here.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

cotton4me — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 22:47:05 GMT

How nice to see your birds return. They bring so much joy. We don’t have much of a yard but we live near a nature park so I go there every day to walk and take photos. I’ve watched a couple of woodpeckers carve out their nests in trees. I hope to see their babies. I check on them every day.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

GingerPeach — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 22:47:15 GMT

@chickenbutt wrote:
I love all the birdies, but I don't know most of their names except for the doves and quail, both of which we have aplenty.

All the little bitty birdies are just called 'little bitty birdies'. Then there are the polka dot birdies (black irridescent feathers with white tips on feathers so they look like polka dots), the striped headed birdies, the striped tummy birdies, and the red-eyed birdies. Oh, and the little yellow birdies.

But I also know the names of the 'blue birdies'. They are called scrub jays. They look, body-type, like a bluejay except no crest. Cute! They are ALL cute!

They all give me so much pleasure and I've taken thousands of pictures over the last several years. It's about the only 'hobby' type thing I have left.

@chickenbutt

Those sound like starlings. Do you have a bird identification book?

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

chickenbutt — Thu, 28 Apr 2016 22:54:03 GMT

Hi Homegirl! Yup, those are the polka-dot birdies! They are so pretty and they are so funny when they are bathing. Their hair gets all spikey and I love to get those pics.

I see the one on the right doesn't have a polka-dotted tummy. Is that one a girl and the other one a boy?

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

tucsongal — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 02:09:53 GMT

I totally agree that such simple pleasures are the best. I saw my first quail family of the season this week, tiny fluff balls running after their parents. Nothing cuter. I'm also watching the DCeaglecam and those babies are big now.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

pattypeep — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 14:08:42 GMT

@Julie928, I am with you 100%, being a true nature lover. I feed all kinds of birds and the squirrels. Yesterday a couple of young deer showed up on the property across the street from me, which happens about once a year. When a baby squirrel (s) is born, I am in heaven watching it grow. My scrub jays coming flying, when they see me outside ~ they love peanuts. Nature is truly God's playground.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

riley1 — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 18:15:31 GMT

@Kachina624 - Have you ever tried putting out a Hummingbird feeder? If you have birdfeeders, just keep them filled and they will come!! LOL

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

GingerPeach — Fri, 29 Apr 2016 18:41:49 GMT

@chickenbutt wrote:
Hi Homegirl! Yup, those are the polka-dot birdies! They are so pretty and they are so funny when they are bathing. Their hair gets all spikey and I love to get those pics.

I see the one on the right doesn't have a polka-dotted tummy. Is that one a girl and the other one a boy?

Hi @chickenbutt

I got the photo on the right from this site: https://utahbirds.org/birdsofutah/BirdsD-K/EuropeanStarling.htm

It's the bird in summer plumage. More info here.

https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/European_Starling/id

Have fun with all the birds. I love watching them, too.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

Kachina624 — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 04:12:10 GMT

@riley1 wrote:
@Kachina624 - Have you ever tried putting out a Hummingbird feeder? If you have birdfeeders, just keep them filled and they will come!! LOL

@riley1 Yes some years I do put out feeders for the hummers. We don't have as many as higher altitudes but a few. I quit feeding birdseed because they were attracting mice.

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

fourpaws56 — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 04:12:16 GMT

nice post op :-) I love the outdoors,and am fortunate to live in the mountains. I have assorted wildlife that visits daily...

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qualitygal — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 09:30:39 GMT

I love being out in the woods. That is so calming. I guess it puts size in perspective and I say to myself, "God's the greatest artist of all".

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

Julie928 — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 21:44:12 GMT

Thank you all for your wonderful responses! It would be so nice if we were all neighbors!

Today my husband and I went to a native plant sale in our town. This takes place once a year and is always a huge success. As usual, I bought more than I thought I would but couldn't resist. The plants are priced low and do incredibly well ~ I guess I know what I'm doing the next few days, lol!!!

I wish all of you a wonderful weekend! It's cold and raining here but that's okay ~ the garden needs the water and the birds are still singing! :-)

Re: To All The Nature Lovers Out There....

sabatini — Sat, 30 Apr 2016 23:23:10 GMT

Count me in as one who also loves nature. It is the simple things that bring so much pleasure.

Awhile back I sold my long-term home, made the big, cross country move, and ended up in Arizona. What may've been a difficult or even traumatic experience was made enjoyable by the birds that're here!

Since I live in a migratory path (who knew??), it's a birdie lover's paradise! You never know what you're going to see. As a result, I love it here.

I DO wish we were all neighbors & could stand at the back fence and talk, as my family members are sick & tired of getting birds pictures. My sis calls me Koo-Koo the Bird Girl. LOL!