Almost a Washout!

We decided to go to Huntley Meadows today for a change - went of course too late in the day, but you gotta do what you gotta do! Just couldn't get off any earlier.

We had seen these swallows flying over the wetlands, but they were not about to land anywhere! Then as we started back, we saw probably close to 100 of them in a big flock in the trees.

Northern Rough-winged Swallow

Sometimes if you don't find what you set out to, you just photograph what you see!

The skink didn't mind being on-camera.

And there were loads of dragonfies - many varieties, but truthfully, I don't know one from another - they are just dragonflies to me.

Almost Forgotten

It was pretty quiet in the woods this morning. But this little hooded warbler made a brief appearance for us.

Juvenile wren - very tiny and fast.

There were still lots of juncos.

This great crested flycatcher was really high up - sort of surveying everything.

Just a few butterflies left.

GOOD MORNING

The little bluebirds are coming for their mealworms all by themselves - They can feed just fine alone, but they still beg!

The ringleader.

He's bigger than Mom!

The eastern wood pee-wee is fun to watch when he's swooping around snapping up bugs.

And this silly baby doesn't even care WHO has the worms - he wants some! LOL

The woodpecker really went at him - he does the same thing to his own baby when it gets close to him!

Labor Day Washington Post Ad

Motley Crew

Boy, they are starting to look a little rough! One of the catbirds has mites and has no feathers at all on his head...he looks so pathetic, and doesn't want his picture made. Mr C is a mess, but I don't think he knows it.

Very calmly posing....

Uh-oh...he's seen me!

Et tu, Ollie?

All these babies take their toll!

But look - the babies are gorgeous. This last brood just started coming to the porch.

All three are fine - and very beautiful.

One more look...

Just hanging around. No molting here yet.

I'm not trying to run this in the ground, but John got these photos of "Sugar" and they show him drinking nectar better than my pictures did. I'm thinking it's only the one chickadee, but not sure.

Checking it out-

Definitely knows what he's doing!

Summer Treats

This treat is for me! The other 2 babies were in another tree.

I had to bait this with mealworms, and he was a bit squeamish at first, but once he saw the big red blob was OK, he munched away - I was wondering if he would actually try the watermelon itself, but the light was going fast, so I gave it up. I want to try this one morning.

I REALLY hoped he would taste it. With his "sweet beak" he would love it!

Double Delight!

One more of these - I just love to wach this!

1600 is BAD

Oh, shoot! We started out at dawn in the park this morning. There were some deer beside the road grazing, and I wanted to get a couple of shots, so I set my camera ISO to 1600. Fine, but I forgot to change it back, and everything is very noisy...No good pictures, but we did see a good many birds: towhees, catbirds, juncos, redstarts, wren, a flock of cedar waxwings who had just had their morning baths and were preening, northern parula, eastern wood pee-wees, ravens, the black-throated blue warbler below, black and white warbler, kentucky warbler(?) and the funny long eared bird at the bottom.

The culprits who precipitated the wrong settings.

Black-throated Blue Warbler

Kentucky Warbler (?)

Black and White Warbler

Female Towhee - "Look Ma, no hands!"

Name That Bird!

Monday, Monday

It was a busy morning again. I was changing the hummingbird nectar and saw that the funny red-bellied woodpecker was taking huge bills-full of mealworms up to the top of the snag. When he flew back down, I saw this little fellow hoping for more.

Posing nicely.

Dad's back.

Please, a few more.

OK, here you go.

Watching hopefully.

Noticed the baby robin just in time to see it get fed.

"Everything is a miracle!"

Sunday Same-old

Now that he knows about the "candy" in the hummer feeder, he will really be a steady visitor. And that's a good thing!

It makes a great perch.

But he didn't waste any time getting down to business.

Down it goes. I try to keep the nectar fresh and cool when I'm home - it probably feels really nice in his throat.

Looking a little rough.

Still stealing - this is one noisy woodpecker - he chatters the whole time he is here.

Felix the cat(bird)

Unfortunately I focused on his wing - but this is too funny to leave out. Look at the big mealworm hanging out of his mouth.

True little jewel.

Note the tiny ruby spot on this one's throat.

Showing off.

I realize nesting is over for these guys, and this might even be a young male, but if it's a female, we know who he was showing off for. Pretty plain, but pretty.

Turf war.

This is for Barb. LOL