Wild Bird Wednesday

The black birds were very disturbed the evening that we went to Lurie gardens ...

Here they are mobbing a pair of crows ...

 watching and calling on a light post ...

 Two crows calling on the building across the street ...

 A Robin on alert ...

and a Grackle's intense stare ...

But they were not at all concerned with this Big Bad Bird (Great Horned Owl)

The blackbirds were dive bombing the Kestrel so we had to move him into the tent.  He was the culprit ... I learned something that had never occurred to me before.  This American Kestrel is a diurnal hunter ... a threat that all of the dirural birds recognized ... but the Owl, a nocturnal hunter, posed no threat to them because they never see them hunt.  I thought that was pretty amazing :)

Andrea

Mandarin Orange Monday

I am starting out innocently enough with a scarecrow, which is a symbol of the time of harvest, fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving.  Yes, it is once again November and I have to say that ... after a week from H___, a weekend of agility, the change in the month, the change in the temperature, the change in the time and now it is the dreaded Monday ... I am feeling a little discombobulated for some reason ... like everything has turned up-side-down.  Ever have a day like that?

 

A little cut and paste on a different background and posterizing (of course, I had to do something that seemed consistent).

A little more cut and paste ...

Then, as the mood strikes, things turn up-side-down ...

A little flatness, color wise and a little roughness, texture wise and I think I have captured my mood perfectly ... with a little humor, I hope:)  Have a Happy MOM!

Wild Bird Wednesday

Wild Bird Wednesday 32

Every year I have a little band of Mallards that come to my feeder then, in the winter once the lake freezes, they move on to a warmer climate where there is more food available.  This year though, I have one lonely little male who is still here.  I am sure there is a sad story behind why he stayed, but I have been putting duck food out for him every day to help him make it through the winter. 

But, on this day ...

My little flock of crows came along and told Mr.Duck that they were going to eat the duck food and he would have to leave.

He left and came back several times, but the crows persisted ... so he just left.

Later that day, he did come back to eat, but I haven't seen him since ... I may just be missing him because I come and go and am not always watching my feeders ... I sure hope so.

Meanwhile ... on the other side of the yard at the bird bath ... Look who is here.  My first Red Wing Blackbird.  Yet another sign that Spring is near ...

Today it is in the teens, we have had another dusting of snow and the wind is whipping it up in swirls ... Oh, I am so ready for Spring!

WBW addendum: The little boy Mallard was at the feeder this afternoon eating his heart out ... I was happy to see him