My wife and I spent a couple of days at The Ridges Resort in Hiawassee, Georgia this week. Tuesday morning a green heron (Butorides virescens) on the hunt for breakfast joined me as I was having devotions by the lake. I took a break for a couple of photos when the heron showed up on the hunt. Read on to see if he was successful.
Green Heron on the hunt
We’re heading back to Idaho in early June to meet a new grandson, who should arrive a couple of before weeks we get there (if he’s not, Lynn will probably have some harsh words for him.) In anticipation of the upcoming trip, I thought of the many Western Tanagers we saw while out there last year about the same time. Apparently the tanagers hanging around last year was due to the unusually late spring; too cold to move on to their normal summer territory. I don’t expect the same good fortune this year, and am grateful for last year’s opportunity. Here are a few photos.
Western Tanager - Piranga ludoviciana
Western Tanager - Piranga ludoviciana
Western Tanager - Piranga ludoviciana
My wife and I took a ride up Estelle Mine Road on Pigeon Mountain on this past Saturday. We wanted to go back to a spot to see a very vibrant batch of Wild Comfrey (Cynoglossum virginianum) that we had spotted the week before with only a single blossom open. Turned out to be a great drive. Not only was the Wild Comfrey fully blooming, but we saw many other wildflowers, including our first ever encounter with Yellow Honeysuckle (Lonicera flava) and the bicolored form of Bird’s Foot Violet (Viola pedata.)
My wife captured a photo of this butterfly in flight at a Wild Azalea plant. I think it was actually leaving the plant at the time, but I like it because it looks like it’s dive-bombing the azalea.
Butterfly at Wild Azalea
This Carolina wren – Thryothorus ludovicianus – was active around our house last year. I hope for his return this year.
Carolina Wren - Thryothorus ludovicianus
I was raised on a dairy farm, and the American Crow was the enemy of our corn crop. One of my jobs – or maybe pastimes, because I enjoyed it – was hunting the crows to try to reduce the crop damage. Fortunately most of the crows survived – I was never a very good hunter, and the crows were smart. One of the things they did was to post a sentinel in a tree. This sentinel would raise a ruckus when it spotted me, and the flock would fly noisily away from the corn field, usually in the same number as they arrived.
This may be the city version of my sentinel crow, watching out for marauders. There are a couple more photos down the page…
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos - The Sentinel
It’s interesting that while north Georgia is at the northern end of the range of this small bird, I only recall seeing it visit us during the winter. Either it’s attracted to our feeders during the winter due to reduced forage in the winter, or I’m just missing it. I’ve really enjoyed the visits.
Brown-headed Nuthatch - Sitta pusilla
Even though I’m sure these have been around our feeders for quite a while, I’m going to claim “lifer” for them. I previously thought they were goldfinches, but recently saw Pine Siskins (probably on Twitter) and realized that these are different.
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This is what our “bluebird” birdhouse looked like last year, the first year it was up. Things are more hopeful this year. Read on to check out the prospective occupants checking out their prospective digs.
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The “Northern” in “Northern Mockingbird” (Mimus polyglottos) seems strange for a bird now found throughout the United States, especially since in the past the range did not include the northern part of the country. Turns out, however, that there is a cousin species, the Tropical Mockingbird (Mimus gilvus,) found from southern Mexico down into Brazil, so I assume that would be the “southern” mockingbird.
In any case, this bird, full of personality, is one of our year-round residents. This one was on a post at Reflection Riding Aboretum in Hamilton County, Tennessee on January 3 of this year, and appears to be enjoying a meal of an insect.
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius) on a snowy day in early January.
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