Summer Birds at My Bird Kitchen

Red-headed Woodpecker

Since getting the new deck and bird arbor (which I call my Bird Kitchen) ---I have enjoyed sitting in my air-conditioned home watching some of our sweet little birdies coming back and forth to the feeders...  SO--today I'll share some cuties for you!!!!!

Be sure to click on the photos to see them all larger... Above is my favorite woodpecker (besides our Pileated --which I have missed getting a picture of recently).   This guy is the Red-headed Woodpecker.  I usually see one or two of his 'babies' during the summer --but so far,  I haven't seen one yet...

Bluejay with a peanut in his mouth  (Nuthatches and Bluejays both love peanuts.)

Here is another summer favorite at the kitchen...  I've always heard that Bluejays are loud and aggressive --but I don't see it... They are loud --and love to make their presence known,  but they don't seem to scare any of the other birds away...  I do know that Mr. Bluebird was chasing him away ---or any bird--which got near to his babies in the nestbox.  But--I think all birds do that.

Brown Thrasher

One year the Brown Thrashers built a nest in our Confederate Jasmine bush in the front yard.  Not knowing they were there,  I was working near that bush ---and almost got nipped by one of the parents.. Scared me to death!!!!!!  Needless to say,  I stayed away from that bush until the little ones fledged..... ha  (Note also that the rope on the arbor has now been replaced with chain since this was a newer picture.)

Male Red-bellied Woodpecker

Here is Daddy Red-bellied Woodpecker. They are with us year-round ---and also squawk when coming to the feeder --making their presence known!!!!

Juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker

AND--may I introduce Daddy's baby---a Juvenile Red-bellied Woodpecker.  Note that he/she doesn't have any red yet.  Isn't  he precious?

House Finch and Mourning Dove --having a 'discussion'

I have two bird baths --which the birds love,  especially during a hot and dry summer like we are having.  I keep the smaller bird bath on the deck rail --since it plugs in during the winter to keep the water from freezing...  I also change both of these bird baths twice a day during this hot weather.  Birds need water and love it.

Here is a cute picture of a serious discussion going on between a Mourning Dove and a House Finch...  The Dove had been sitting in the water for the longest time --and I think the Finch wanted a turn!!!!!

Male Northern Cardinal

Here's another year-round bird,  our Northern Cardinal.  When I think of Cardinals,  I think of my Aussie friend, Colin.  He loves these Red Birds...  SO--Colin,  this one is for you!!!!

Goldfinches

I have more Goldfinches this year than any other bird... They love Nyger (thistle), although like most all of the birds,  they love the plate feeder too ---and love to eat me out of house and home!!!!!

Downy Woodpecker and House Finches

Since I have multi-feeders,  most birds can usually find a place at the table in at least one of them.   I have suet in 3 places... You can see the Downy Woodpecker eating on the side of the 'red house'.... Even though we have more Goldfinch,  we do have some House Finches also.  They are larger than the Goldfinch.

Male Eastern Bluebird

Finally,  here's my 'man'....  The Bluebirds are my fav's ---and guess what they are doing again JUST for me?????  There are eggs in the nestbox ---so they are going to have more babies....  All of this excitement should happen over the next five-six weeks... I'm sure I'll be sharing it with you!!!!!   (I still haven't seen any of the previous set of little ones at the feeders yet --but I probably will soon.)

Also---I do have a few Hummingbirds around now FINALLY...  There aren't too many --but hopefully,  more will come soon... No pictures of them yet though...

One more thing:  You have heard the "How Hot is It" jokes... Anyhow--I have a new one for you, and this one is true... It was so hot here recently that the suet in the feeders MELTED...  I have never had that happen before --but then again,  it has never been as hot here as it has been this summer.  (They say that the non-melt kind doesn't work either---so I just have to take the suet down when the temperature is over 100 degrees.)

Hope you enjoyed seeing my Bird Kitchen today... Can you tell how much I enjoy my birds??????

Have a bird-lovin' Monday!!!!  AND---thanks for all of your prayers, thoughts and good-wishes after our storm..  The golf course people came the next day and cleaned it all up.  All that is left now are two big stumps (which I'm sure they will come back and get soon)...   Sad though to lose those two trees!  But--we were luckier than some.  That same storm did alot of damage in other areas of Tennessee including the beautiful Smoky Mountains...

Hugs,
Betsy

2012 Anniversary --Centennial Park

As most of you know,  George and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary on June 23...  Instead of a long trip this year,  we drove about 2 1/2 hours west of here and spent Saturday and Sunday re-visiting some areas in Nashville, Tennessee which we love, and which have some very special meaning to us.

 I will divide my blog posts into three different parts,  consisting of the three main things we did while there.    First,  we visited CENTENNIAL PARK ---since this was an area which we visited many times in 2001 when we were first dating and then married.

George worked nearby ---so on my lunch-hour from my job,  I would meet him for lunch at the park... It was so much fun to go back there and re-live some of these memories... Today I'll share with you 8 pictures from Centennial Park ---6 of which were taken on June 23, and the other two taken on  April 7, 2001 (also on a Saturday ---on our 2nd date)..

Hope you enjoy our photos from this gorgeous park.  We have so many pictures from the park ---so I'm sure I will have more posts in the future.  It is truly a beautiful park. 

George took the picture above of me enjoying all of the beautiful flowers in bloom at the park.   Be sure to enlarge the photos for some bigger pictures.

Taken in 2001

This picture of me was taken on April 7,  2001 near the same area as the picture above.  Since it was April instead of late June,  the flowers were different.  But--you get the idea as to why this area is so special to us....  (Amazing how much better photo quality is these days than in 2001!!!)

Here is a picture of the lake (Lake Watauga) which we walked around at Centennial Park.

George took this picture of me standing in front of some gorgeous rose bushes... These roses were pretty --but not nearly as pretty or as fragrant as ours!!!!

I took this picture of George kneeling in the flowers at Centennial Park.

Taken in 2001

AND---here is George on April 7, 2001 in the same general location.    I loved seeing the summer flowers this year,  but those spring flowers in 2001 including the Red Bud trees were awesome also.  You can see why we enjoyed spending time there!!!   (Of course,  this gal just wanted to be with her man--wherever we were!!!)

Here's the cutest picture of my Sweetheart-----who thinks he was on the Titanic....  (Maybe he was saying:  "Happy Anniversary to his 'bride'"...   Ya think?)

Finally,   of course,  we had to get the tripod out and take some pictures together.   SO---this one is of the happy couple celebrating their 11th anniversary together.  Hope we have many, many more!!!!!

Stay tuned for more photos from that Nashville Weekend!!!

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Tree fell too close to our home (which is on the left in the photo)

You know me.. I worried about the little birdies who had nests in those trees.

On another subject,  we had a TERRIBLE storm late yesterday afternoon (July 5) with almost no warning.  The winds were (according to our TV weatherman) about 70 mph... Two-three trees came down behind our house on golf course property...  One of them was over 60 feet tall.  Scared me to death!!! I thought we were going to get lots of damage.  BUT--we got lucky!  Other than lots of clean-up around our home,  we think that everything is okay.   BUT---the good news for us is that we DID get a little rain --which we desperately needed.  Thanks be to God...  But--it was too close for comfort!!!

Have a great weekend,  and I'll see you on Monday.
Hugs,
Betsy