Emma's treasure and signs of spring

Since I didn't have to work today, Emma and I headed off for a nice hike in the hills.  I have been allowing her off leash occasionally so that she can burn up some of that never ending energy.  On the way back to the rig, she was the leader and had found a treasure to bring back home.

She found this shed deer antler and proudly carried it all the way home.  Last year we found a feral hog skull; this year it's an antler.  I wonder if she'll find the other antler the next time, or maybe it has been consumed by a porcupine.

I've been noticing some signs of spring's approach this past week.

Notice the cardinal, and notice the van.  The parking lot has turned into a gladiator's arena.  Kind of like David and Goliath!

It's the great springtime battle of the cardinal vs. the mirrors!  Last year, we had to finally cover the mirrors with bags so the cardinal wouldn't knock himself out.  He also leaves quite a mess on the mirrors and windows.

On a less violent note........

the wildflowers are beginning to bloom.

I think these are just color variations of the same flower.  I'll have to check with Chuck, the biologist next week.

I, for one, am happy to see these signs appear.  I've had enough of winter for this year.

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

Backyard Birds

Things are kind of slow around here, so I thought I'd take a few pics of the birds at my feeder. Those of you that know me, know that I really enjoy birdwatching and I haven't posted many bird pictures at this location. :) Some of the pics are not of the best quality, but you'll get the idea...

The most populous birds at my feeders are American goldfinches.

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Both males and females frequent the feeders.

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On the ground are plenty of common grackles. Many folks don't like grackles, but I do like their iridescent colors.

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This is a female brown-headed cowbird, another bird that many people don't like because of their habit of laying eggs in smaller bird's nests.

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A female cardinal stopped by the feeder this evening. She is obviously going through her summer molt of feathers, otherwise, she'd have a crest on her head. The young of the year look similar to the female, but wouldn't have a red beak at this point in the season.

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Another frequent visitor is the chipping sparrow. There is no way to tell if this bird is a male or female unless you can examine the bird in your hand to look for a female brood patch or a cloacal protuberance (balls) on the male.

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Dang, it's hard to get a good picture of a tufted titmouse. They don't just sit on the feeder and eat. They fly in, grab one seed, and then fly to a tree branch where they can peck open the seed with their beak while they hold it with their feet. Goldfinches, on the other hand, just sit at the feeder and eat because they are able to shuck the seeds while holding it in their beaks.

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Last, but not least, is the ubiquitous house sparrow. These sparrows are not native to the United States, and were brought over from England many, many years ago. Their population over the years has ballooned to such numbers that they have a very detrimental effect on some native species such as bluebirds and tree swallows. They are a common bird at feeders.

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Well, it's back to work tomorrow. Someone is supposed to come to fix the air conditioning in the museum area so maybe the folks that come for the movie on Sunday won't be uncomfortable. Temps in there have reached the upper eighties during the movie, and that's not conducive to happy visitors!

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