Ho Hum Thursday

I spent the day training in Katy, the new volunteer, on the operation of the Visitor’s Center.  We only had eight visitors today, so I guess you could say it was pretty boring.  With only two weeks to go here, I can do most anything to pass the time.

Last night I tried taking some pictures of a few birds in the campsite even though the setting sun was in my face.  This morning dove was strutting it’s stuff!

Being spring, many birds were bursting out in song as the sun set.  There is a red-winged blackbird that has one of it’s singing perches in the live oak just outside my door.  I know you can’t see his red wing patch, but you’ll have to take my word for it.

After all that work singing, he dropped down for a little snack at the Hard Rock Bird Café.    His tail may look brown in this light.  So much color in birds is due to the reflection of light as opposed to light going through their feathers.  Did you know that there are really no blue colored birds?  It is just a matter of reflection that causes the blue appearance.  Hard to believe, but true.  The next time you have a blue colored bird in your hand (better than two in the bush), pluck one of its blue feathers and hold it up to the sun.  You will notice that it is not blue at all.  How amazing is that?

 

Being a bird nerd, I feel compelled to respond to two comments I had the other day when I posted pictures of the summer tanager.  Both DONNA and AL commented that they didn’t have tanagers in Illinois and Ontario, respectively.  I beg to differ with both of you.  You certainly don’t have summer tanagers up north, but you do have scarlet tanagers in both areas.  Scarlet tanager males are just as bright red, but they have black wings.  I’m not surprised Donna hasn’t seen them as she lives in town.  Al, on the other hand appears to live surrounded by woods.  That’s where you’ll find the scarlet tanager… high up in the tall trees in the woods.  Being that tanagers like the top of the tree canopy is one of the reasons I was so thrilled to get the pictures I did the other day. 

 

I noticed that I have a couple of new followers, but as I’ve mentioned before, sometimes I can’t figure out who they are.  I welcome those folks along on our journey.

                                                 THE END!!  (ruby-throated hummingbird style)

 

Thanks for stopping by…. talk to you later,  Judy