While my wife and I were in Venice, Florida for a family visit, we took the opportunity for a couple of trips down the road to the Venice Rookery. There we got to watch cormorants feasting on catfish in the pond. Here are a few photos and a video.
(Click on the photos for a larger image)
Cormorant drying in the sun.
We had an unexpected snow event – we were expecting some flurries, but the northern edge of the line of precipitation was further north than expected. The snow and cold has the birds busy gathering calories, and with a full feeder in our yard it was a popular place. Here are a few photos.
Red-bellied Woodpecker – Melanerpes carolinus – several of these are regular visitors to our feeders most of the year.
Friday was another spring-like day, so when I finished up my part-time job for the week, my wife and I took the opportunity get our cameras down to the Riverwalk in Chattanooga to see what birds we’d see. It was a good day; great company and a lifer for us two beginner birders – a Pie-billed Grebe that we spotted on the pond at Amnicola Marsh.
Pie-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podiceps – peering through the waterfront underbrush
As always, click on the pictures for a larger version.
Around 20 years ago when I planted a row of Bradford pear trees in front of my house, I thought I liked them. Now I’m thinking of replacing them, even though I still like them – occasionally. Those occasions are the 2 days in the spring while they bloom (OK, maybe it’s 3 days,) the week or so in the fall while they turn a beautiful red/purple/orange before dropping their leaves, and finally whenever the Cedar Waxwings show up to eat the berries. I still want to replace the trees, but it will have to be with something (native) that will continue to feed the Cedar Waxwings (wonder about Serviceberry.) This fall the arrival of these lovely birds coincided with the fall color of the leaves – reducing my time of appreciation for my Bradford pear trees. (Click on the photos for a larger view.)
Cedar Waxwing takes a Bradford pear berry
Well, we’ve never been to Kansas, but we’re not in north Georgia, where we live, either. That’s pretty clear from this photo from yesterday morning.
Willet eating a coquina