God's Blessings - Spring Has Arrived

Every Spring a beautiful red cardinal visits us.  So many times I miss getting a photo of this beautiful bird but I lucked out yesterday evening.  I guess that's the perk of blogging....you always have your camera ready.  :)  I need to put my tripod at the back door so I can get better pics.

I was so curious about this beautiful fella that I did a little research on him.  He is a male Northern Cardinal.  His coloring is so striking you can't take your eyes off of him.  We spend most of our time (when we can't use the pool) in our family room.  We have three windows looking into the back yard so it is easy to spot the wildlife as it comes and goes.  The Northern Cardinal's color is a shade of red that you can't miss.  You will see something fly by out of the corner of your eye so you automatically look to see what it is and where did it go.

 

The Northern Cardinal is a fairly large, long-tailed songbird with a short, very thick bill and a prominent crest.  Cardinals often sit with a hunched-over posture and with their tail pointed straight down.  Male cardinals are brilliant red all over, with a reddish bill and black face immediately around the bill.  

The cardinal makes a beautiful sweet whistle sound. 

The females are pale brown overall with warm reddish tinges in the wings, tail and crest.  They have the same black face and red-orange bill.

 

Northern Cardinals tend to sit low in shrubs and trees or forage on or near the ground, often in pairs.  They are common at bird feeders but may be inconspicuous away from them, at least until you learn their loud, metallic chip note.

Look for Northern Cardinals in inhabited areas such as backyards, parks, woodlots and shrubby forest edges.  Northern Cardinals nest in dense tangles of shrubs and vines.

 

I walked over to my lime tree and found this baby bird.  He sat on this branch for a very long time.  I know 'cause I was watching him....not putting two and two together that she belonged to the mom and dad lurking around.  Yes, I hate to admit it, but sometimes I am slow.

Isn't it adorable?  This is probably about the time the bird singing got really loud.  Again....I did not put the two together.

Here's a pic of mom and dad watching over their baby and this crazy person that is way too curious.  They were definitely giving me the eye.  You know which one I'm talking about.  The one you give your kids when they had better stop what they are doing eye.

Needless to say I was constantly calling to the hubs to come check this bird out (over and over) that he was getting annoyed bored with me.  However, he did see something that I didn't.  The baby bird went to the ground and was trying to fly.  Apparently the parents helped it get away because it was gone.  They wanted to get it away from that crazy person!!!

Our mama dove is still sitting on her eggs.  I hope I at least get to hear them chirping after they are born.

I found this egg shell on the ground.  It wasn't very big.  I am guessing that it fell out of our neighbors tree.  There are several bird nests in there.

Here's a crime scene.  Either the birds or the squirrels were digging in my flowers.  I am going to have to find something to deter them from my plants.  Do you have any ideas?

This little fellow came out to play just as I was going inside.  Take note of the squirrel feeder on the left hand side.  We used to keep it full of peanuts and they would literally lay on the fence and pig out.  Once they were full they would plant them in my pots, landscaping, etc.  We would find sprouts coming out of them!!!  We do not need any help in growing weeds!!!

Hope you are having a great day!!!

Take care,

Debbie