Global Big Day - Wild Bird Wednesday

Wood Duck Mama and Duckling

Northern Shoveler

Great Blue Heron

Adorable Female Downy Woodpecker

Virginia Rail

This is not a great pic and was not taken on the Global Big Day but the day after but I'm tickled to have it. A life bird for me! I didn't have time to sit and try to get a better picture this was the only one I was able to get. I guess I need to go back and try again!

The Violet-Green Swallow couple is still very active building their nest but still no eggs so far.
This morning I was surprised to see her in the nest when I first got up and turned on the tv, the earliest activity I've seen was at least an hour later than this. It's quite interesting to watch this process, even before the eggs!

I hope to have some really good video of them sitting on eggs next week.

She does like her feathers, she just about disappears sometimes when she's in the nest and she brings a new one in almost every time she returns.

Here's my YouTube Channel, I'll be uploading there as soon as there is anything to share!

Kristi

KristiBowmanDesign.com

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WBW - Cooper's Hawk and...

I spotted this Cooper's Hawk way up in one of the neighbor's trees as I was pulling out of the garage to head to work one day last week! I immediately shut off the car and hustled to get my camera. It was quite far away and I couldn't tell exactly what it was but it was big enough I knew it had to be something good.

Above is one of the first pictures I took and when I spotted that striped tail I nearly fell over.

I didn't know what it was but I knew it was a hawk (of course) and that tail is so amazing!

He sat there for a minute with his back to me, focusing and re-focusing those amazing eyes,

he got himself turned around and then....

He took off!!!! I could tell he was getting ready to and this is the only shot I managed to get,

it happened so fast. Much as I would have liked to catch him with his wings out I think this is a fun shot,

he just hurled himself off the branch and I caught him mid air.

I got myself turned around and realized he had landed in my yard!!!!

Right on the fence in the middle of the bird feeders!

Then he jumped off the fence in to my yard and was very intent looking inside a bush.

Check out the intensity!!

It's out of focus but you can still see it!

Right after this he hopped in to the bush and a little bird came shooting out the other side.

Scary moment for that little one!!!

Then he hoped through my raised garden bed and on to the edge,

not 15 feet away right in front of me.

I barely managed to breath!!!

Then he turned around hopped back up on to the chain link fence,

 this is ight as he was about to pop up in to the tree.

Absolutely stunning!!!!

 I never saw him leave the tree and that had to be the end of my morning adventure, I was afterall on my way to work when I spotted him so I had to go!

Later that day when I got home from work, I had another first,

this handsome Male Downy Woodpecker showed up at my suet feeder.

I've seen a femal around on many occassions but this was the first time I'd seen a male.

This was the only picture I got before he scooted away!

He was back the next day,

it's so exciting to see a bird for the first time,

and such a relief when you see them again!

Not a good picture but I like it because it shows those 2 red spots on the back of his head.

And a few days later I had my 3rd life sighting,

not as exciting as the Hawk or the Woodpecker but new birds to me just the same.



Band-Tailed Pigeon



They tried hard to get to the feeders but ended up on the ground.

I counted as best I could and came up with 12, I think there might have been 1 or 2 more.

They have been visiting regularly, once a day or so, in smaller groups for the most part.

They help keep the ground cleaned up so it's ok with me.

A very good week for me!

3 more notches on my camera!!

Kristi