Blue for the Blues

On the home front…I was lucky to get one shot of papa bluebird fairly close-up, as he was checking out the tray feeder…nothing in there he wants, unfortunately. Don't think he and the Mrs. ate any of the mealworms I put out, but maybe I just never witnessed it. The past few days I had the feeling they were gone, and I finally got up the nerve to open the birdhouse door…empty. No egg shells, in there or on the ground, not a single downy feather. Just a perfect, neat grassy nest. So I'm feeling blue over the fact that if there were babies and they've fledged, I never got to see a thing.  :(  I do hear a lot of squeaky bird chirping in the trees around the house, so maybe they're out there nearby.

…On the beach front, I've been continuing my early morning visits to the beach, in time to see the sunrise, 3 times a week lately…

…I was recently thrilled to find this hermit crab, heading into the surf…it appears to be toting a tatty shark's eye shell, with an anemone on the back of it! This was my first hermit crab sighting…I just love how the beach is always changing, like a magical playground, displaying the sea's endless treasures at its whim….

Even though they're somewhat "plain", I really like the cross-barred venus shells…they're normally white, but this one had a cream color and looks nice on the orange shell hash…the criss-crossing lines make a lovely pattern…lately I've been finding several Venuses per visit...

…Besides the venus shells, I also find a few scallops and a few lettered olive shells at each visit to one particular beach, so there can be some consistencies on the beach as well as the surprises.

Backyard Blue

It's definitely spring here in NE Florida, with temperatures in the 80's but not too humid, yet. It's the time of year I love sitting on the back screened porch and reading or watching the different birds eating at the feeders, flitting around in the trees, or zipping by on their way to somewhere else. A couple weeks ago, hubby put up a birdhouse for me in the best spot available to attract an Eastern bluebird couple. Well, today while enjoying the bird action and reading a good book, two bluebirds showed up. One was making a fuss, so I hope it wasn't sniping about not wanting to move in!

This bluebird was outside, in a nearby tree, and on the fence...

…Or the rooftop…

(Shots are blurry due to being taken through the porch screen)

…While the other one went indoors to check things out…

There's lots of action at the feeders, too, including goldfinches…

at first they were all the dull, wintery pale grey-yellow, but now

I'm seeing a few bright yellow males. The chipping sparrows have been
back, too. We're also seeing the usual:

No. cardinals, tufted titmice, blue jays, red-bellied woodpeckers,

and Carolina wrens…plus an occasional downy woodpecker,

a scarce palm warbler, some pine warblers, and I did see a brown

thrasher recently, but none since. No buntings at all like last year.  :(

Who Let the Birds Out?!

Spring has definitely sprung in the kingdom of feathered frolickers…I barely posted about my long over-due ID of an Eastern bluebird, (seen on a power line, during a walk) when lo and behold, I looked out the window at the feeder pole and there sat a bluebird! I was even able to dash for the camera, which sits at the ready on the guest bed near the window…and get one shot before it zipped away. 

The following pictures were taken on two different days during a very short period of time...

I would think this is a female...

Not to be overlooked, finally a goldfinch sighting…I was beginning to wonder if I'd missed them this year...

I'm a bit thrilled to say, the Carolina wrens have become braver and less scarce at the feeders…this one didn't mind sharing with a pine warbler (r), even...

I saw four blue jays coming and going from the feeders at the same time…

The Carolina chickadees are appearing…no mistaking their distinct call…

But they're hard to capture…and fairly scarce...

I couldn't resist this shot through the lattice-top fence...

My guess is that this is a chipping sparrow, morphing from winter to summer coloring…

Update: A fellow birder, Laurence, feels this is a morphing palm warbler, pointing out the narrow bill…I would have to agree, the bill's too narrow for a sparrow. I've compared it to images online and it does match a palm warbler. Thank you Laurence!

…A female yellow-rumped warbler...

…And a male, hiding in a leaf-sprouting tree near the feeders...

…Up in the newly-leafed maple tree, a male No. cardinal waits for a turn at the feed…

At the front of the house, in the next-door neighbor's driveway, some serious drama unfolded…

One No. mockingbird gives the stink-eye to another…

…followed by strutting and posturing...

…Moments later, a kerfuffle!

…A blurry kerfuffle….

Until someone squawks, "I give!" and plays dead...

…Followed by more kerfuffling…

Now was this males being territorial,

Or a mating ritual?!

I hope the former, yeesh!

…Yet another new visitor…not very welcomed, either! An American crow checking out the base of the feeder pole…it didn't eat or even peck at a thing...

…While up above in a neighbor's pine tree, another crow looked on. The Stokes guide says they come to feeders. Please tell me this is NOT going to happen! N-o-o-o-o! It's bad enough I have to put up with the hoggish, couch potato mourning doves. Ack!