Night garden visitors.....

I don't have any butterflies right now, but I sure have a lot of birds. They have been literally cleaning out my feeders every day. Instead of going through one bag of seed a week, I've been going through 2 bags!!! Now if I could just get the elusive hummers, I'd feel like I have a well-rounded yard! LOL!

Every person that visits my house and sees all the birds can't believe it! They are like dumb-founded that so many birds are all out there at one time and doing the craziest things! My dh gets a kick out of the mice and squirrels sneaking up to scare each other. It cracks him up to see how high they jump when surprised! The birds and rodents all eat together. Many of the birds will fly down from the hanging feeder to eat what is on the ground that the rodents are eating. It's funny how they all observe each other and check out what the other is doing. It looks like they are all friends! :-)

My dh (who used to HATE mice) was worried about them today when he saw the hawk. LOL! But he was just astonished to see a hawk that close-up checking out our yard out. My dh has been counting our little mice everyday now because he fears that either the owls or the hawk will get them. I heard the owls hooting yesterday. They must be hanging out in the trees behind our house. I guess if there is food (rodents) they are sticking around. I haven't seen them in my yard lately though. It's all very interesting to me, my family, and my friends who visit.

Maria - I missed it! Darn ..... I love watching Mike's show! LOL!

very cute becky, I think it's great you've changed his mind about the little critters... My dh does the same thing when he sees the birds in the backyard..... I don't even mind when he calls me "the bird lady" lol

Great pictures, Becky. I know what you mean with all the birds in your yard. When I am on the phone (and I like talking outside), the people can usually hear all my birds.

Yes, the DH's... Mine always complains about the birdseed burning holes in his precious grass. But he enjoys watching the birds and squirrels just as much as I do. He even repaired the squirrel feeder when the raccoon broke it. It is just the rats neither of us care for and I take the feeders inside at night.

Did you know that I even feed the turtles and fish in the lake in our backyard? It used to be my routine and know it is Molly's routine (my cat). Every night at 6:30 pm, she starts the concerto, i.e., Let's Go! Let's go! Then we both walk onto the deck and feed the water life and she becomes my turtle with fur and begs for some breadcrumbs, lol.

oh wow - look at all those turtles ! :) how fantastic - I can see why feeding them would be a nightly ritual.

Thanks Redtootsiepop. Here is Molly telling me to come on, lol.

And here is another turtle feeding picture...

Becky, don't feel bad about the hummers. I only had them in my yard for a few weeks in April. At least we get to enjoy the critters that do come and visit our yards, right?

The owls are awesome. My nightly visitor is an o'ppossum. lol. During the day however, I call a squirrel from a neighboring tree and he comes up to my feet to get his peanuts. It's not an owl family, but he's all I've got. lol

oh, your kitty ! Molly is a heartbreaker - look at those eyes !!! she's a real cutie.

well, I have alot of hummers all day, but we also have alot of skunks... one got run over down the street and P. U. it is soooooo stinky ... I guess we have to take the good with the bad, I'd love to have squirrels in our yard and owls - unbeleivable !

LOL Redtootsiepop! I have yet to see a real life skunk. What kind of animals do you get in your yard?

I'm currently being called "the bird lady" so lots of different types of finches (I don't really know all their names ) but supercute, goldfinches by the hundreds, those little red headed finches and then gray/black ones? And alot of Anna's hummingbirds. We've had baby raccoons eat the fish out of our pond, and were nice enough to spread fish fertilizier (again with the STINK!) all over my grass.... but I still think the raccoons are cute-they randomly visit. Some years we get little green frogs - none this year, not sure why -perhaps the cat? We have skunks, but thank goodness not in the yard - they are really cute, but I dont want the stink! I just recently saw a squirrel run across the street, so I'm hoping - I know alot of people think they are nuisances, but I love to watch them. Very rarely we get quail walking around the fence or backyard, they are really interesting to watch. My mom just told me a hawk took a 1/2 hour bath in her birdbath the other day!

Wow, that sure sounds like a lot of activity and must be very entertaining to watch. If I had all that here, I would have to move outdoors just so I would not miss anything, lol. I do get occasional fancy birds that visit the lake...

Amazing.
I will have to venture out into my garden at night.
Cool baby owl pics too - first time I'd ever seen one.

WOW - nice picture, I'm quite jealous of the lake ... is that right off you back porch?

Too funny about the skunks...ya'll are going to think me odd...but having grown up on the ranch I got used to the stench of skunks...it would never fail to have one cornered in the garage by the dogs or a scuffle take place in the back yard. And back then, there were no airconditioners...we all slept with the windows opened...peeeeeeeeeeeeewwwwwww!!! The odor!!!

Yet, when I moved off to Memphis and lived in the city - there were no skunks in the down town area but when we'd take a trip to Missippi or drive over to Arkansas to watch a Razorback game and the "scent " of skunk made me so homesick!!! ROLF!!!

What can I say, the horrible odor always brought back wonderful memories of growing up on the ranch....so I guess it wasn't so bad after all :o)


...and I don't get squirrels here...I think they are kind of cute and would love to watch their antics :o)

~ Cat

Bird Lady (hope you don’t mind me calling you that), my property borders on the lake. To get to it, I cross my backyard and our deck is built over the water. The attached picture is a view from the house onto the deck… and note another visitor on the railing of the deck

Becky, no hummers or owls, just birds that take an occasional break on the lake although I have seen less and less over the years. When we first moved here, we had ducks on the lake. Now, it is mostly turtles and fish, not much in the way of birds anymore. Well, at least I can hear the owls and see hawks and possible ospreys circle overhead.

Oh Maria, just gorgeous, love how your yard just flows right out - how lovely !


Cat - lol loved your story, I had a friend (who's mom had a pet skunk on a farm) who liked the way skunks smelled !! - so I can understand what you're saying.... mmmmm smells like home ! lol

Thank you Bird Lady!

Well maybe one day I get to see a skunk... I said see NOT smell, LOL

Ya'll are too funny. Yep, smells like home indeed...what a great way to put it. Why didn't we farm roses?! ROLF!!!

~ Cat

Maria - Love your lake view! And wowee! Look at all the water lilies! I grow them in containers. Can only dream of a large pond or lake to grow them in! LOL!

Cat - One of my old high school friends had a pet skunk. It had it's stink pouch removed. (Whatever that is.) LOL! It was just like a cat. Used a litter box, loved being petted, and slept curled up next to my friend at night. It was the cutest thing! One cold winter day, the skunk disappeared. My friend feared the worst that a neighborhood dog or something else got it. They tried to keep it indoors, but it was smart and often got out. No sign of it for weeks and then months, so they just figured they'd never see it again. Come Spring and warmer weather, the little thing showed up out of the blue one day. My friend watched where it went later when it was outside in their backyard. Seems it had made itself a little den and had crawled into an area under their house to hibernate during our unusually cold winter that particular year. LOL!

They make great, but unique pets!

This message was edited Jul 19, 2007 3:36 PM

Smell, odor, or fragrance?.... It is aquired I suppose, and very subjective. LOL!
Cat, and you guys had me LOLing! I do know what you mean by nostalgic smells.

:-Deb

oh, a pet skunk that sounds so cute... funny how it wanted to hibernate like that.

This will most likely be the last photos of the owlets. They are quite big now and look so much like the parent birds. Am thinking it will be any day now that they'll fly the coop :o)

These photos were taken early today when I was at the ranch.

Little one was hiding behind the bigger owlet...cute!!!

~ Cat

A better photo of the two of them...they probably won't be there any more...they look big enough to fly away now.

~ Cat

Oh good, Cat! I was wondering about them and am glad you posted the latest. Yes, they are probably ready to move out to the big wide world. They are just beautiful birds! I am thrilled that you were able to photograph them as they grew up! You did a great job on the commentary and photos! Thanks so much! I really enjoyed your owlet experience! :-)

Cat -- they are adorable!!

Oh, I'll miss them...they are so beautiful! Thanks for sharing Cat!

LOL....at the one peeking out from behind. : )
They are cuter than they were a few weeks ago. Thanks for sharing the pictures that we probably would never get to see, otherwise.

~Lucy

Wow Cat! Your pics are priceless. In your last picture, it looks like the bigger sibling is giving the smaller one a protective hug. Too neat. Thanks for sharing!

Cat, thanks for sharing your beautiful pics with us!

(we have been at the beach for a week, so just saw the photos!)

The owlets were still in the deer blind...I took this photo on Saturday. Little one just peeked from behind big brother/sister. Both look very healthy...then again, considering there must be thousands of mice, ground squirrels, bunnies and whatnot in the back fields am sure they were always well fed.

~ Cat

I wonder what they are thinking when they see you.
"Get behind me, Sis. I'll save you." lol : )
~Lucy

I gotta tell ya, Cat .... when I saw this thread come up ..... I had my fingers crossed that it was YOU posting more photos! And boy oh boy are they just beautiful! That is so funny how one is more the protector and the other is so shy! I wonder what they think whenever they see you each week ..... "Oh here comes that weird creature again flashing that light in our eyes!" I bet they are almost used to you by now! LOL! I was really surprised that they were still in the nest/blind. Such a treat that they were still there for another weekly photo session!

As always .... such a pleasure to see these lovely owls! Thanks for continuing to take photos and post here for all of us to see! :-) The photos are awesome and such fun to see!

More owls!!! Had checked on this old deer blind about a month ago or so and saw two eggs. Decided to open the door and look inside today...two owlets...quite big - and counted three eggs from an upcoming new brood too.

Here's a photo of one of the owls. This is almost the same pose as from a few months ago!!! All those white streaks across the photo are dust and feathery fluff getting whirled about. It was windy today and when I opened the deer blind door the wind stirred up lots debris.

~ Cat

This message was edited Dec 2, 2007 12:01 AM

...another of the owlets standing on the floor of the deer blind. The one perched on the shelf flew out right after I took its photo. This one started fluffing up its wings and hissing :o)

~ Cat

This message was edited Dec 2, 2007 12:00 AM

Three eggs of the new brood to come. There was another egg in there too but it was squished. Am thinking the big owlets stepped on it. Guess if those two big owlets don't leave the nest soon the hatchlings to come will get stepped on, no food or get killed off by the bigger owls. Time will tell...

~ Cat

ps...must say, the breeding pair of owls that frequent this deer blind keep themselves busy!!! Am assuming it is the same pair of parents from earlier this year.

This message was edited Dec 1, 2007 11:58 PM

...this one is not a hummingbird or butterfly...but since I was out photographing the owls I came across this fellow rooting for food around a pile of debris. It posed nicely for about ten seconds...I had just enough time to snap this photo before it scurried off into the woods.

We get lots of Road Runners out at the ranch but it's very rare for one to stay put long enough for a photo. Guess letting Dad paint the golfcart with camo colors worked! I was able to drive pretty close to this one!!!

~ Cat

Cat - You are SOOOO delighting me with all these new bird photos! I just love your owls! I am so enjoying the photos and stories! What a great shot of the roadrunner! I used to live in Nevada when I was a young child and remember seeing these birds! So cool! :-) :-) :-)