Mockingbird Hill Cottage

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A Day at the Birdbath

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It was 95 degrees here yesterday. And very humid. The birdbath has become the place to be.

I’d jump in there if I could.

These pictures are in chronological order, as birds visited, revisited, dunked, drank and chilled out.

All shot with my camera through the kitchen window. I don’t have a special lens, so I just use what I have.

Does anyone know what kind of bird this last little guy is? He is part of a pair, the other member (most likely female) has a more muted coloring. They are small compared to the robin and catbird. Are they finches?

Must go out and replenish the water.

Scout is still sleeping most of the day and drinking a little water. Her eyes have calmed down quite a bit but she still doesn’t want to eat. I imagine it will be another day until we can coax her to start eating again.

I’m off later today for Manhattan and a performance of Harvey starring sweet Jim Parsons. I can’t wait to give that boy a hug. Don was supposed to go with me but Scout really can’t be left alone for that long a time. Since Jim was my student, travel buddy and friend (still is), Don thinks I should be the one to go. So I am.

Now tell me. Why does it have to be 96 degrees on the day I tootle off to the city?

Comments

  1. Claudia, the last little guy looks like our House Wrens. You are right. He is a male. His poor wife runs around in very plain feathers. We have lots of them here in Tucson.

  2. I think the birds you are referring to are finches. The brighter red one is the male and the plain one is the female. I grew up hearing them called red polls but I think that is a country name for them.

  3. I like all of the bird bath photos. There is so much texture in them with the concrete, feathers and petals. Lovely, Claudia. (No fancy lenses here either, just a dandy little point-and-shoot, for now.)
    I’m glad Scout is getting a bit better. Have a wonderful time seeing your (talented) friend.
    -Karen

  5. Yes, that is a pair of House Finch. The female being the colorful one. Looks like your bird bath was like the city plunge!!
    Enjoy your time in the city.
    Kris

  6. I believe it’s a male house finch. I love taking pictures of nature in our yard. I have a story to share about a mockingbird in our yard. All last week whenever I would go in the back yard she would squawk and swoop down on me. It was so bad I would carry an umbrella sometimes. Her babies were out of the nest 2 weeks ago so that was not the reason. Well, that Sunday afternoon, after a week of her squawking, my husband was sitting in the swing in the back yard on Sunday, and out of the corner of his eye about 10 feet away he saw something move…it was rattlesnake about 5 1/2 feet.
    When all was said and done it dawned on me when I went back in the yard the next day the mockingbird did not make a sound and it has almost been a week and still no squawking…she was trying to warn me of the snake..I believe he was in our yard all week long and right at the clothesline where I was at 4 times on that Sunday.
    Thanks for sharing your pictures.

  7. We had the same kind of birds down on the coast, don’t think I saw them up here yet. They were lovely…we were kind of thrilled to see them take up house so to speak in front of our condo.

    Glad to hear that Scout is improving.

    Jen @ Muddy Boot Dreams

  8. as someone else has already posted, they are red house finches. Used to be just here in the west and then somebody released a mating pair on the east coast and they are all over now. According to Wikipedia, anyway.

    We had a nest of them in our patio by our back door … there are photos, but I think only one of them ended up on my blog. It would be the Joy Dare post two Mondays ago. Anywho, we had guests over for dinner and they identified them for us.

  10. Your bird pictures are great…..I love looking at all the birds flying in and out of our yard…..we had beautiful cardinals male and female the other day……they are great….and the humminmgbirds are so fast……there are so many different kind…….hugs for scout….get better soon sweetheart…..rizzi

  12. Claudia, you might try boiling some hamburger and white rice together, no salt or pepper, and let that boil until the hamburger is thoroughly cooked and the rice, too. I had a lab get hit by a car once, broke his back end, and he was down and out for 15 days, every day I took this to him at the vet’s office and fed him. It might work and it might not, just a thought. Enjoy Harvey! Jim is one talented guy!

  15. I think it’s called Murphy’s Law, Claudia (re: the heat going into the city today!)
    Tell your buddy that he has HUGE fans here in New England! Wish we were going with you!
    I think that’s a male purple finch. I don’t put out thistle seed anymore so I don’t get them as much as I used to. The goldfinches still use the birdbaths though!
    Hope Scout is feeling better in no time. What a good doggy daddy Don is. That’s very sweet for him to stay home.
    Hope the heat wave breaks soon! I don’t sit out and enjoy the yard as much in this weather as I do when it’s more tolerable! … Donna

  16. The images are so sweet. I try to keep our bird bath replenished but in the heat it is hard to do. I am so excited that you are seeing Jim Parsons. We watch reruns of BBT each evening and it matters not if we have seen them four times before.

  17. So glad that you are going to see your talented friend. Wish your hubby could go but I certainly understand that someone needs to take care of Scout. You could also try some pumpkin from a can. I did this when my puppy had parvo and he liked it and it is good for them.
    I wondered what kind of bird those were as well. Reminds me that I need to fill my bird bath up like right now.

  18. Your bird photos are wonderful! Have fun at the theatre – Hoda Kotb said that she saw Harvey and it was wonderful! You give Jim a hug from me as well!

  21. Beautiful photos… and I can’t believe you shot those from your window!
    Have a great time in NYC~ try to stay cool!
    Hugs,
    Jill

  22. I enjoyed seeing your birds. So different from the ones in our area, or the area where I grew up! I do think the small couple are finches. We have those, but in other colors.

  26. They are house finches as many have said. They love to be near people and often build their nests on things on or near the house. Our front porch wreath has been home to a couple of them each year.
    Hope your day is a good one…don’t envy your trip in this terrible heat.It will soon pass according to the weather forecast this morning.
    Balisha

  28. We call them here red finch or another name same bird is purple.

    May you enjoy at the theatre.

    I am sure all things will be fine when your gone.

    Suprisingly what happens when the best is away.They will appreciate you Claudie all the more when you get back

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