If my backyard bird buffet had a fast-food name it could easily be called “The Gobble, Grab, and Go”!
Birds show up to gobble up some food…
…grab some to take with them…
…and then off they go.
Come to think of it, I think my house could have had this same title when my son was still a teenager!
Hope your hearts are as full of gratitude
as these beaks are as full of peanuts!
Happy Thanksgiving!
I admire those folks who just seem to have a knack for interior decorating…the kind who are able to transform their homes to somehow coordinate with the colors of the season. While I lay no claim to such creative talent, I do get to enjoy a backyard that is filled with the accents of autumn, courtesy of the fine fall feathers of my bird visitors.
Which of the beauties below do you thing best represents the colors of fall?
NORTHERN CARDINAL
CAROLINA WREN
BROWN THRASHER
PINE WARBLER
BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH
AMERICAN ROBIN
Hey, I may not be much of an interior designer, but I am definitely an exterior delighter!
Besides, these birds make adding autumn accents easy!
Male Bluebirds (at least in my humble opinion!) are some of the most beautiful birds in the world.
The ones that frequent my backyard feeders have mastered the fine art of perfect picture posing.
The females are lovely too – though their magnificence is more muted.
I am grateful that these beauties don’t seem the least bit concerned with me or my camera. It’s like we have an unstated agreement, that as long as I keep putting out mealworms and Bark Butter, they’ll keep humoring me with photo opps!
Seriously though, wouldn’t you agree that these models are more than ready for the runway?!
Maybe they’re the kind that are always the last to leave the party, or perhaps they are perpetual procrastinators, or maybe it’s just that they simply refuse to accept the reality that summer has ended – whatever the reason, this trio of Monarchs seems determined to remain until the last blossom on the butterfly bush has either faded or frozen!
I must say – enjoyed getting to take their pictures in the afternoon autumn sunshine. Mid-November Monarchs are just fine with me!
Red-bellied Woodpeckers are regular diners in my backyard.
One of the reasons they are frequent feeders is because of the plentiful supply of peanuts that is usually available.
When I really want to spoil them, I load up the cavity in the Dogwood tree with nuts for them to discover…which is also known as “picture bait.”
These guys, along with the Downy Woodpeckers, are year round residents here in the outskirts of Atlanta.
Backyard beauties for sure, Red-bellied Woodpeckers are always welcome at my feeders!
Some days (Okay, most days!) I find I work better if I build in some rewards – like taking “bird breaks” to step outside and snap a few photos.
Here are the first five birds that made an appearance during my most recent “reward.”
Pine Warbler
Brown-headed Nuthatch
Eastern Bluebird
Carolina Wren
House Finch
Bird breaks are one of my favorite rewards…Doves dark chocolates are a close second!
