More Waterfall Visitors

I have at least two pair of Catbirds that come around.  This very pregnant looking one is standing in the purple lobelia at the edge of the waterfall.

I want to think this is her mate...  but who knows.  They seemed to have a conversation.  Doesn't she look like her feet should be swollen? 

Sneaking a drink at the bottom of the fall

Sparrows of all kinds show up and take a swim or get a drink

Once the flowers began to bloom one of my favorite birds arrives...

This is a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird

When the purple Meadow Sage Salvia took off I got quite a lot of Yellow Sulphur Butterflies hanging around

I plant Lantana for the hummingbirds but the bees love it too

Goldfinches enjoy the water as much as the next bird to come along

As the water continued to flow over the rocks and falls.....  the visitors continued to come

An Eastern Towhee would sit on my car mirror and cry to chase the bird he could see reflected there

One of the four groundhogs that live under my playhouse and tool shed came and found some cantalope  to devour

After a long bath.....

and thrashing around for some deep cleaning...  this young Female Rose breasted Grosbeak

Looking as if she would take off like a plane

      -

Hops onto a close by rock

and dries off in the hot sun

Last but not least... my favorite visitor to the waterfall ..
just as colorful as a beautiful bird and enjoying the water on her tiny feet.... Pandora, one of my daughter's twins.

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

Let The Birds Come..

The very first visitor was a  Yellow Rumped Warbler and I was so excited..  I never see them  in my yard!!!(May 12 2012)

The very next day on May 13th I saw an American Redstart in the water bathing

On Saturday May 23rd I came out on the deck and I saw one Cedar Waxwing in the waterfall

Now you know where there is one there is bound to be more....these birds travel in groups

Sure enough it didn't take more than a few minutes when a bunch flew from my oak tree to the water.  Notice the lone Black capped Chickadee in there with them.

They were having a good ole time

Nothing would be complete if you didn't get a bunch of these guys ..  They were checking out the bubbling rock.

The Starlings seemed to enjoy the rock more than other birds.

I had seen a Common Yellow Throat in my yard but for like a second and gone....  Now he stayed and stayed probably because of the running water.

Rose Breasted Grosbeaks are also common in my yard, but now there was a place for them hang out and get drinks and bathe

The most common of all birds to love my waterfall was the Robins.  When the babies began to hatch there were 4 or 5 in it at one time.

A female Rose breasted Grosbeak checks it out

A Mourning Dove

Here we find both a Baltimore Oriole along with the female Grosbeak

I have many Hosta planted around the waterfall and when they bloom the American Goldfinches visit

Oriole youngster

Now here is a bird that I have a hard time attracting..  They fly away almost immediately when you walk outside.  But today this Nothern Flicker stays to drink.

The baby Robins seemed to think they owned the water... and let the other birds know it.

A Chipmunk hiding among the flowers and hosta.

Even the Yellow Warbler came to visit.  I find the waterfall so entertaining and beautiful.  I never know what I am going to see out there.  But it was delightful fun!  The water feature made my spring and summer a birding paradise.

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

My Water Feature

 We had just gotten new sidewalks and walls (April 2012) and I had the perfect place for a water feature....  I got a couple bids and could not afford to pay the going rate of $9,000  to $13,000. 

I have 3 sons and all of them are very good at construction   so..  I decided to pay them to do it for me.

 

 With the help of a Bobcat they moved the bubbling

rock into place 

 

Once the liner, 200 gallon capacity aqua blocks, and all the stones were in place it was time to fill it with water and turn on the pump.

 

 

Seeing it work was so exciting

 

The hardest part of the work done it was time to do the planting and landscaping

 

 I used a lot of plants I already had and bought some new ones too

 

My friend used her iphone and took this panorama for me

Being able to get up and walk onto the patio and hear the water is like a dream come true...  A big thanks to all who helped make it a reality.   

Next.....   the birds come!

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