Happiness Turns to Sad

I'm always delighted to see the Rose-breasted
Grosbeaks return to the backyard. This year so far
I have 4 pairs. There may be more but I've
actually seen the four all at once.

The first sighting of the Male with his splash or Red on his
breast is always a thrill.

He sits in the tree and awaits his turn at the feeders.

We tend to make them 'human' and make-up things they
may be thinking or saying like this expression below...

"Hey, Get some seeds out here"

Then there is the occasional first year bird... look at his colors

They seem to be having a hard time getting settled in..
brown turning to black, a little speckled, and the red not
quite red yet

Then there is the lovely Female... not so colorful but just
as pretty...

I love her eye stripe and how bold and beautiful it is

She seems fearless...shown here watching two Blue Jays spar
for the feeder

Then as I was recovering from bronchitis and coughing my head
off....I notice one of the female Grosbeaks also coughing..

The next day she is looking a little rough around the
edges and just sitting on the feeder and not eating

Nothing scares her away

It seemed as if her mate is saying... "you ok?" as she
shuts her eyes...

I guess she was not ok...as the next morning I found her
on the deck under the feeder feet up.

"Hope ever tells us tomorrow will be better"

I just hope she didn't have a nest full of eggs somewhere but it
doesn't pay to question these things too much or dwell on them.
My dad always says to me "It's just nature"


To God be The Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath done.

Back to the Archives.....

Back in April before I went to New River I was

fortunate enough to get the very best pictures
of a Female Belted Kingfisher I had ever taken.
So let me share them with you.
The Belted Kingfisher is one of the few bird
species in which the female is more brightly colored
than the male.

Thanks to my Best friend Barbie, and her birding
route, I was able to drive by the stream where
the Kingfishers frequent.

I had gotten the male a few weeks earlier at the same
location. As you can see he is bluish gray and white
and not as colorful as she is.

Then, in the back yard I saw one of my favorite 'passers-by'
in the Spring. The Brown Thrasher.

A few shots of him in the tree

and a few more of him doing what he loves most....
scratching the ground for insects

The Female looks mostly the same as the male but
a little smaller..

Having a window to gaze through and
having beautiful birds to see is such a blessing.

To God be The Glory ~~ Great Things He Hath Done