Yellow bird, up high in Banana Tree...

The Kingston Trio had a hit song - Yellow Bird - way back when. Today the Yellow Warbler came and visited us up high in the locust tree! Plus a squirrel that got Molly's attention even long after the squirrel disappeared. Something about squirrels fascinates her.
And the Sun - copper hanging on our fence!

A walk in the mountains

Well, not too high up since all the snow is not gone yet. But at about 6500 ft across the road from Jeremy Ranch, there are things to see and lots of places to walk - and swim, if you are a dog.  Molly and I spent time there this morning. I take her a) to wear her out and b) because it is a beautiful place to visit. Early morning no one else is around and she can run to her heart's content - which is a lot!
Today she learned she could swim - she desperately wanted the ball that a big lab was chasing in the water so she went halfway around the pond and swam across to try to get it. Now she will be unstoppable around the water.
Wild flowers, chipmunks, swallows drinking, ducks and just a good walk.

Ducks swim into the circle created by the reflections.

Drinking on the fly - swallow.

The place where we go...

Molly waiting for me - or not.

Wildflowers are out.

As are the Chippies!

Should I or shouldn't I?

I should!!!!!!!!

Surrounded by Beauty!

Backyard beauty - birds and cats and flowers - makes one glad to be alive this day!

Fuzzy does know how to make himself comfortable!!

A peony from the past.

Iris from a new plant.

Rose blossom from a 'free' rose that Diana got up early for!

Our first Western Tanager at the new house!

Ubiquitous but still beautiful!

The downy just keeps coming back!

Farmington Bay

I spent a couple of hours at the refuge yesterday.  Initially it started off being a very slow day for birds. A few white-faced ibis, a lot of yellow-headed blackbirds and of course, Canadien Geese. So I took a walk over to the old visitor center and around the heron rookery and wow - lots to see!
The mother duck that flew off her nest so I could take a photo of her eggs scared me very badly...she was about 2 feet away. The baby Coots with their bald heads and red fuzz - cute but remind me of devil birds!
A heron was feeding her young ones, I've not seen that before.  It looks like they shove their beak down the juveniles beak about as far as it will go. Bullfrogs lurking in the water, red-winged blackbirds nearby, young geese parading with their folks, and young mallards splashing to get their mouths in the water to get food...and a lot more!

Just as I pulled  out of the driveway, I saw this flash of green and yellow - not sure who lost the parakeet but it is pretty!

Watching me very carefully.

A classic photo - couldn't pass it up.

A night heron - at first I thought it was an egret.

This metal bird was buzzing around the refuge quite low - not sure what it was up to but of course I couldn't pass up a shot!

Several pelicans hanging around, this one was the only loner.

Tern hunting for food - fascinating birds to watch with their acrobatics and flexibility.

Quite a number of Grebes but none with kids on them - perhaps too late for that. I love their shape.

Young mallards - I saw a couple of these groups. Very cute and you just want to pet them!

Here's the Coot and it's baby - very interesting.

Mallard nest of eggs.

Red-winged blackbird.

Young Canadien geese are herded by their parents to the water as the parents stand guard against the three-eyed intruder.

Waiting!

Heron feeding it's young! And the rookery makes a constant noise at this time of year.

Backyard birds!

Along with the beautiful flowers we also have beautiful birds here, and they keep me jumping!

Lesser Goldfinch

Male Downy woodpecker

Black-chinned Hummingbird.

Iris time

The iris that we brought with us from Erda are blooming with spectacular results - here's a few shots of their beauty!

Farewell gift from Ding Darling

We took a final drive through Ding Darling Saturday morning after checking out of our place. We wanted to say thanks and goodbye to all the birds and the place itself.
The refuge had one more gift for us before we left...

Final refuge day

The drive through the refuge is closed on Friday to give the birds and animals time away from humans. They pay very little attention to us, other than the Osprey screaming at us if we stay too long in her eyesight. The herons, big and little, bark at us and then often fly away, although two walked right up to me. Probably didn't look human with the camera stuck to my face!!

A very good day at the refuge, with sightings of a Green Heron and two young Osprey leading the way.  A Great Blue Heron did a dance in the water - they are quite the acrobats. More on that at another time. Watched an Osprey take a bath, then buzz a GBH on his way up!

Here's the photos of the day...

Beach time

Spoonbill and Ibis

Same with the Osprey added in.  He took a bath just yards from them, they showed no concern.

Osprey fascinate me

Green Heron, a very small bird. Very fortunate to capture this shot.

Little Blue Heron - walked right up to me a couple of steps later.

Juvenile Osprey.

Green Iguana - exotic invaders of Florida.