Howdy, all my gorgeous, intelligent and loyal Gather friends! I hope spring has sprung where YOU are! :o)
This is what the clouds looked like today here in the wild hinterlands:
Kinda cool, huh? :o)
And I also noticed several "volunteer" blue bachelor's buttons that reseeded themselves in one of my flower boxes were blooming today!
The "mix" I originally planted had lavendar, white and pink colored bachelor buttons along with the standard blue but I've always liked the old-fashioned blue ones the best... ;o)
As I was taking a stroll around the ole singlewide, I happened upon this very cute, little fellow!
He is a 'western kingbird' -- of the flycatcher family of "tyrannidae" -- and one of the few native birds that are anything BUT on the "endangered species list"! In fact, the western kingbirds have expanded their territory by taking advantage of the increased amount of insects and fruit made available to them from the expansion of farmland throughout the Mid-Western U.S. in the last 50 years or so. Once confined exclusively to the Western states, they are now pretty common migratory visitors even along the Eastern Seaboard!
Don't you just love that lemon-y yellow color? :o)
Kingbirds feed on insects that they catch in mid-air -- much like swallows do! That beak of his looks like it could do a pretty good job of it, doncha think? :o)
In this next shot, you can readily discern the markings that make the kingbird easy to identify in the field: A light-colored, thin outline around the edges of the tail feathers:
He looks so alert and curious, doesn't he? This one became interested in me when I began to echo the tones of his calls by whistling them back to him and he hung out nearby for quite awhile -- long enough for me to get several pretty good photographs of him! :o)
(I think I like that last photo of him the best -- so CUTE! :o) )
I also stumbled upon two other migratory visitors to our neck of the Northern California woods today --
An American goldfinch:
And our perennial friends, the "savannah sparrows":
"Do you MIND?! A little privacy, please! I was in the midst of my intimate toilette!"
LOL! ;^D
And all my miniature roses are blooming to beat the band! Here are some of them:
Well, my wonderful Gather friends, I've gotta get outside and transplant some tomato seedlings today -- for sure!
Hope you have a wonderful day!
From the ole singlewide here in the wild hinterlands of Northern California --
'Til next time!
luv,
jean
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Comments: 28
Me, too, Tammy! Thanks! :o)
Hugs and blessings - S.
I'm so glad that you enjoyed it so much, Jessica! :^D
ROFLMBO, Ron! Yep... Out here in the wild hinterlands, there's plenty to see, alright! ;o)
ROFL, Vern! I would imagine that, outside the succulent family, there are not a WHOLE lot of plants that really ARE suited to the central Arizona climate! And, if anyone calls you an "idiot", you just send 'em right over to ME and I'll set 'em straight! ;^D
We have a pair of flycatchers (the eastern variety) who nest in our birdhouse out back every year raising at least one and sometimes 2 batches! But this year the titmouse pair moved in first, their babies are nearly two weeks old now and those flycatchers weren't very happy when they found their "digs" had been usurped ;-)
I bet they were ticked off! I do love the titmice, though... Those little, bright eyes! The ones around here sound like they're laughing when they call. :^D
My biggest coup so far was the "snowy white egret" which I dedicated an entire photo essay to. If you haven't seen that post have a look, I think you'd like that one.
Since that time I'm looking around more for bird shots and I am catching one here and there, but nothing like all the myriad of birds you know so well. I'm just always floored that you are really familiar with them.
Thank you so much!
I loved the "Green Heron" one you posted, Rose... A great wonderful bird!
Thank YOU, Curt, for taking a peek!
pretty flowers and what a cool little bird
thanks for posting to Photos in Bloom