Welcome to JOYFUL REFLECTIONS. Also welcome to MARCH!!!! My header picture this month is a photo I took of the pretty Crocus blooms in our yard... The Crocuses and Daffodils are the first signs of spring here in Tennessee. I am definitely ready for SPRING...

Monday, May 30, 2011

May Backyard Birds

Above is a RED-HEADED WOODPECKER.  To me,  this is one of the prettiest woodpeckers we have (although all of them are pretty).  I love these woodpeckers and they only come to the suet feeder in the Spring/Summer.  Last year,  they brought one of their little ones to the feeder.  Hope they do the same thing this year.  Right now,  we only have two (I think):  a male and a female.  The two of them look almost identical --but the female is a little smaller.  Below are more pictures.




Here's a picture showing Mr. Red-Headed's underside...  Like all woodpeckers,  they can eat from all kinds of positions and angles!!!! ha




This is the female I think.   She is a little smaller than the one pictured above.  She seemed a little unsure as to how to get up to the suet feeder...




I love this picture when the Red-Headed Woodpecker was looking at me.... Sorry about the rusty clip in this picture and the top one above.  I have to use this heavy clip to keep the raccoons from stealing the entire trap. They cannot BUDGE this clip!!!!




I can never do a bird post without showing one of our PILEATED WOODPECKERS.  These birds come to the suet feeder 2-3 times a day most days...  I never tire of watching them.




And here is a close-up of Mr. Pileated.... Note his red mustache (which shows the difference in males and females)... Look at those big claws!!!!




This is a GRAY CATBIRD---which has been coming to the suet feeder quite a bit lately.  I only see one --and this is the first year I've had one regularly at the feeders.  They are Summer Visitors only (Breeding)--so hopefully,  he will bring his family to the feeder sometime.




Finally,   we have 2-3 MOURNING DOVES who come to our feeders regularly.  They love to jump up in the Plate Feeder ---and 'hog' it as their own!!!!!  But--they are pretty birds,  aren't they?

Hope you enjoyed seeing more of my Backyard Birds today!!!  Sorry that some of my pictures are a little blurry today... I was filming inside through glass and screen...

I do have some bad news to report...   Something happened to my baby Bluebirds. The Daddy is gone (was probably killed) and even though I see Mama around the nest,  there has been no activity in the nest in over a week.  SO--this weekend,  George and I looked into the nest.  There were 2 dead babies and 2 unhatched eggs.  I could have cried and cried.. There was no trauma --so I'm not sure what happened.  With Dad being gone,  maybe it was just too much for Mama Blue.  I have been VERY VERY sad over this.  Hopefully,  another family will come and occupy the nest.

Hope you have had a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend.  God Bless all of those men and women who have fought  and are fighting for our freedom.

HAPPY MEMORIAL DAY.

Hugs,