It’s hard to believe that one year ago today we adopted Tucker and brought him home with us. Here is a flashback to when the beast was still a babe.
And here he is today on a romp at Blankets Creek.
I’d say he’s clearly happy in his home!
Typically, when I post about a backyard peanut packer, it’s the Blue Jay who has the starring role…like this fellow…
But the Jays aren’t the only one with a preference for Planters. Chipmunks are also nut lovers and will sit and feast until their chubby cheeks are bulging.
Despite their destructive tendencies (and the way they taunt poor Tucker!) I find them irresistibly cute.
And what do they do when they have finished one peanut? Why start on another of course!
By the way…I am still loving my new lens…from feathers to fur to feisty little fingers, I love the details it captures.
Typically, a Memorial Day post would feature red, white and blue and be about defending our freedom (and I am truly grateful for the freedoms I have and those who have defended them!) but in my backyard, Memorial Day features red, white and black and is about defending the feeders.
Since earlier this month, a pair of Red-headed Woodpeckers has made my backyard a daily dining spot.
They take turns coming to the feeders, which leads me to believe that they have eggs or a little one in a nearby nest. They would be hard to tell apart if it wasn’t for their personalities.
The first (let’s say it’s the male) has gotten brave and is usually not at all concerned by my presence. He has a clear routine when he shows up, announcing his arrival with noisy chatter.
First, he swoops in and lands on his favorite perch…
….then, after he surveys the scene and communicates that this territory belongs to him…
… he flies over to grab a peanut…
…and then returns to the perch, jamming the peanut in a crevice of the wood so he can peck at it.
The other half of the pair is a bit more cautious and tends to skit from branch to branch before coming closer.
Rather than peanuts, she seems to prefer Bark Butter.
Neither of them are fond of this other red, white, and black fellow…
…and will swoop down in an open-beaked blur to defend their food supply.
I am hoping that they will eventually have a youngster to bring to the feeders, although then they tend to get even more territorial.
Seriously though, aren’t these birds absolutely beautiful?
So, as I observe Memorial Day, I am doubly thankful – for the red, white and blue and for the red, white and black!
Meet Finn.
Finn is Tucker’s best bud who got to come for his first sleepover this weekend.
When these two boisterous boys get together it’s a toy tugging…
…birdbath drinking…
…mulch wrestling…
…fountain lounging…
…crazed romping kind of day.
They really are the best of buds.
Whereas our backyard is overflowing with bird feeders, our front yard is filled with flowers – with Lilies being the beauties that are currently blossoming.
This morning, I went out and snapped a few photos while the raindrops from last night’s showers were still decorating the petals.
I love the vibrancy of their colors, especially with an overcast sky.
I do have to act fast if I want to get a picture that isn’t missing petals, as the beast sees anything that is growing in the garden as a salad-type-snack.
I am thinking of suggesting a remake of Doris Day’s 60’s movie “Please Don’t Eat the Daisies,” only this one would star a handsome Lab mix named Tucker. How about “Please Don’t Lunch on the Lilies” for a title?
The list of little ones showing up at the backyard feeders continues to grow.
This week, several young Downy Woodpeckers have spread their wings and made their way out to dine on their own.
This sweet little guy was quite curious about the Bark Butter branch…
…and was delighted to sample the ware.
His red patch of feathers will be on the top of his head while he is young…
…but when he grows to be an adult, the patch will be bolder and brighter and will move to the base of his head, like this fellow below.
Of course, not all the little ones are allowed out alone yet. Some are still told to stay in the treetops and wait for their food to be delivered.
I love baby bird season!
A lovely little lizard has been lounging on my front porch pillar lately.
She, whom I have taken to calling Lola, is a creature of gorgeous glowing green, with some cool aquatic colors around her eye.
I’m not sure how long lizards usually live, but I shall enjoy her company for as long as she hangs around.
