Merry Christmas to my little backyard flock...

I thought it would be great fun to make a little 'birdy' Christmas feeding station...

and I knew my grandkids would get a big kick out of the set-up...I hope you do too!

The little bows and holly I added in photoshop - just for fun...

It didn't take the little guys long to go right for the gold ;-)

and I had fun shooting these right through the dining room window...

As you can see ...these are all the usual winter PA birds that I've grown so fond of...

from chickadees to titmice to the sweet little downy :-)

Each one checking things out and gathering food in the snow...

a pair of house finches land together...they are never shy!

and how about this hilarious sparrow...such a funny pose!

He looks better in this shot - haha...

And then there is the nuthatch who made a fast get-a-way...kind of lovely in an odd sort of way...

The goldfinch seem to like the sunflower better than the niger this time of year...

but they still munch on the tiny seed now and then...I thought this stocking was just so neat!

my little nuthatch looks up as if to say, "what the...."

I couldn't keep my snowman from twirling so you can't see his cute little face -

I'm sure the birds don't care one way or the other ;-)

Sometimes the birds perch for awhile before they decide which way to go...

and sometimes they peacefully share the feeders...

Downy really likes the suet mitten...and that makes me happy...

 The Carolina wren stopped by, too!

It sure makes a snow day lots of fun...!

A favorite photo shoot...

Last summer I was blessed to have this little 'run in' with a male Common Yellowthroat...it was so close I could not believe my eyes!

Funny how these birds each have their own personalities...some are shy and some are 'in your face' - and much of it may be timing (courtship, nesting, etc.)Whatever the reason - what a joy to see one the little sprite so animated and lovely!There is no end to the poses you can capture...

and in each pose you see a different bird emerge...

If I could have a bird in captivity...I think I might choose this one...

the only problem, I think...just might be...

hearing that "wichity, wichity, wichity, witch"...for hours on end ;-)

To all my Blogger Buddies, have a blessed Thanksgiving with friends & family!

Time flies faster than the birds...

Well, I certainly have been out of the 'blog mode' as of late...and it is fast approaching mid November - wow! My white-crowned sparrow is back and I was delighted to seem him outside my window...

He stayed for only a few seconds...

and he was off to feed on the ground (though he does love the platform feeders)...This funny little tufted titmouse appeared a few weeks ago...At first I thought he was molting but I do think this is just an odd patch of dark gray feathers on his side...all the others have white feathers there...hmmm...I need to give him a nickname ;-) Maybe Patch?I watch these hen pheasants sneak back and forth across the road between the corn field and the weeds around my property...they are very good at blending into the environment!I decided to take a drive through the valley and noticed these crows sitting on this old fence row...the same fence where I once photographed the turkey vultures sitting in a row... a bit further I saw what I thought was a big fat cat...but when it turned...I was pleased to see a fox!

He was really too far away to get any good pictures but what made me happy was that he was healthy! A big nice fluffy tail! It seems every fox I've seen in the last few years has a terrible case of 'mange' !

Sunday afternoon I watched this red-tail circle the sky above...

I just can't imagine what it must be like to fly above the earth at will...

He's just a little fella...but he is handsome!

And I actually think that I know this guy...since I see he and his mother and his siblings a lot...

They of course are stand-offish ;-) But they hang out in the same place all the time and I think he might remember me and my car and my camera from last year as well as this year...funny...I could watch him for a very long time if were not for other cars spooking them... Young Mr. Bluebird was flitting through the branches...while my guy just watched...

This cute young mockingbird was watching, too!It was that nice light...just before the sun goes down...

and...later... the geese were honking my way home...

Finally...the SUN came out!

I was so happy to see the sun when I got up this morning! The bluebirds were flitting around the nest boxes (as they always do when the sun comes out after several dismal days). Just as I stopped to watch the bluebirds play -- this little warbler landed right in front of my window...

Of course it landed in the shade and I didn't have my camera set - but how cute!

We had a heavy frost this morning in the valley and yellow-rump was taking a break from its foraging - if you make the picture big...it almost looks like this bird has blue in its feathers? Must have been the light...

It is amazing how just one visit from a sweet little bird can lift you up!

I went right in the house - grabbed my cameras and out for a walk (might be the only blue skies for a while-ya never know)And it was one of those very blue sky days that I just LOVE!I could hear the waxwings high in the trees - but rarely could I see one...The woods smell so good...and to breathe the crisp fall air...to see the leaves - from very green and alive -- to red and and yellow dying mingled with the dead crunchy leaves... Birds migrating in huge, noisy flocks...

And this young fella playing peek-a-boo with me ;-)

It was a good day...

Guess I'm in a 'funk'...

definition of funk

–noun

2.	a dejected mood: He's been in a funk ever since she walked out on him.

Well...no one walked out on me ;-) but I sure am in a funk -- haha... maybe it's too many football games or just no birds to be easily seen -- or maybe I am burned out! I was out two Sunday's in a row with barely a thing to show for my travels... this has to be the worst 'fall foliage' on record here in Pennsylvania - but I managed to capture a little to share...

I couldn't resist taking this picture of a sign someone was selling at a festival...

The shot below was taken right through my front windshield as I drove down a steep hill...and I do think the glass acted as a filter making the trees look better than they actually did - though it was a beautiful sight! The picture below was taken a week from last Sunday and you can see no evidence of fall! However...this farm was so well manicured! If you make it large you can see perfect stone foundations on each building - quite unusual around our area... The barn with the cupola isn't on a farm, but a golf course in Bedford County...and the trees are really lacking on the ridge behind... I'm not seeing hawks lately either! This one lives in the area but there should be some coming through soon...I visited a wetland restoration area two weeks in a row - the first week I could see an Osprey in the distance...sitting on a nesting platform...As I watched-- a Crow came by to torment. I wondered if this was this year's young still hanging out before migration??? Or was it a migrating Osprey that stopped to fish the lake during migration???This week there was no Osprey...but the leaves had peaked as much as they were going to...

It was pretty -- but nothing like what we spoiled PA'ers are used to!

The only warbler I have seen is this poor Ovenbird that flew into my daughter's window and broke it's neck. So many people never get to see this shy bird of the forest. It is a gorgeous little thing with feathers that look between green and brown on the back and a chest very much like a wood thrush. But the defining attribute is the orangish crown with the dark, crooked stripes. You'll most certainly hear this bird loudly sing, "teacher, teacher, teacher" - before you will ever see it! How cute this little Phoebe is and they are literally the only bird that I am seeing consistently (except for feeder birds)...

What a nice place to see a Kingfisher...right?well...I wasn't fortunate to see a Kingfisher here...instead...on a lousy line near my house!

and with a fish halfway down its throat to boot!

Darn...that wire! Really ruined my pictures ;-)

But my youngest grandson was in the car and quite excited to see this bird swallow a fish! And last...does Eve or anyone else know what this old shrub is called? It looks like some type of hydrangea. I see them in yards blooming white in late summer and turning pink in the fall - I would LOVE to have one of these!!!

Wish me luck on getting outta my funk!

More from the old PC archives :-)

Love to see doe in the lime greens and bright yellows at summer's end...

The very berries that our little warbler fall friends love to eat!

Couldn't resist this shot of a nicely painted canoe parked at the lake's edge...How I ever caught this pose...I don't know, but I sure do LOVE it ;-)

Another fawn still sporting heavy spots in September...

Just a tad of foreground color before fall at the lake...

Pretty scene again...

Last of the Rose of Sharon...from August

Gotta love these posing fawns...

Red-eyed Vireo in nice light

These birds are heard constantly - they NEVER stop singing...

But it is extremely difficult to get a shot in the light to show the red eyes...