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It was a busy couple of days at the feeder. At one point, we had 4 hummingbirds sittin' & sippin'. We went through quite a bit of juice.

One!

Two!

Three!

I did a terrible job last week of visiting the other participants in World Bird Wednesday so I'm not linking up. I know it will be a busy week again. But I do encourage you to click on the logo above and see what others have seen lately.

Little Sipper

Hummingbird

Winged Friends

Just some shots I thought I would share from our recent "vacation".

Grasshoppers are out this summer, but nothing like in previous years. This fine specimen was caught lounging on a straw hat on top of the picnic table until I spooked him and he flew away.

Grasshopper

I did have a few restful moments one evening and got to watch the hummingbird as he arrived for another feeding.

Hummingbird at Sunset

Feathered Friends

One of the things I enjoy about the Chicken Dance Ranch and the local surroundings are the birds. I could sit for hours and watch them. Which I often do, camera in hand. I don't know what's what when I see most of them, but I sure do like them.

My favorites are the hummingbirds. We have a feeder just outside of what will be the living room window. The hummers are great entertainers. The most I've seen at once are four of them fighting over who's turn it is to eat. They climb and dive, putting on great displays for a potential mate. There's never a dull moment with the hummingbirds around.

Hummingbirds in Action (Rufous or Calliope still to be determined)

We are also in the migration route for sandhill cranes - heading south in the spring and returning north in the fall. This spring, we were lucky to catch some of them on the journey to the San Joaquin delta area as well as resting after a long day's flight.

Sandhill Cranes Migration

Rest Stop

One day, we took a side trip up to Buzzard's Lake in Okanogan County. I saw the prettiest duck that I later found out was a Ruddy Duck. I think it was courting another duck based on the little noises it was making.

Ruddy Duck

Not too far from our house is a snag by one of the lakes that seems to attract lots of birds. One day I spotted this Red-tailed hawk searching for a meal.

Red-tailed Hawk

This Red-naped Sapsucker was having a good time on an old utility pole in the Methow Valley.

Red-naped Sapsucker

One drawback to having our feathered friends around is their ability to nest in places that they shouldn't. Just the other week, we heard a noise coming from the refrigerator compartment on our camper. Unfortunately, a little tiny bird, species unknown, started nesting behind the frig. We had to dismantle the nest because replacing the refrigerator should something get blocked would be a very expensive proposition. I bought mesh and screened the ventilation holes for the frig to keep the little birdies out. Sorry, guys.

Nest in the Refrigerator Compartment

Look closely and you can see the new screening

On a future post, I will share some of the furry critters that make their home near or on the Chicken Dance Ranch.

Garden Visitors

Visitors to the garden today included birds and bees among others.

Rufous Hummingbird

Bumblebee

Spider

Blue Tailed Damselfly

Fat Cat - KC

More Hummingbirds

I'm still working at trying to capture the hummingbirds in flight. They are so fast their wings almost look transparent in the pictures.

These were taken on Wednesday.

Fast Little Buggers

I've been trying for about a week now to catch one of our hummingbirds in flight without much success. Today was a little better, but mostly I was able to capture them on the feeder.



They sure are fun to watch though, especially when one doesn't want the others around the feeder. Zippity do-dah around the porch they go!

In like a Lion, Out like a Lion

So much for March coming in like a lion and out like a lamb. For the 31st of March, it was another wet and blustery day in the northern Puget Sound area. Our lights at work even blinked a few times due to wind gusts.

Puh-leeze, Mother Nature, send Spring our way!

I did get to watch the hummingbirds dance around the feeder late this afternoon. However, they are just too fast for me to capture in a picture. Only when one stopped to rest in the tree could I snap a few photos.


I love to watch the hummers chase each other around the yard. They'll rise swiftly skyward and then zoom straight down towards the earth, all the while doing their little chirping noises. They'll pause in mid-air, their wings beating a mile a minute, before they swoop off for another go-round with each other.

No wonder they need all of that food energy from the feeder. There aren't many blossoms yet for them to gather nectar, but it won't be long now.

More Signs of Spring

I made another trip to Burien earlier today that also gave me the opportunity for some photography.

I went to Eagle Landing Park that is right on Puget Sound. After a short hike in from the road, I reached the top of the steps. Not just a few steps, but 257 of them.

What goes down, must come up!

View of Puget Sound near the top of the stairs

I started down a couple of flights and then happened to see a pair of bald eagles in a tree off to the side and behind me.

I tried to get a better angle on them but no such luck. So you'll have to settle for this.

Look closely and you'll see two eagles

I decided to skip the trip down the rest of the steps to the Sound and instead headed for a park near SeaTac airport, but not before seeing more signs of Spring.

Currant blooms

What is it? I'm not sure so post a comment if you know.

I felt like I hit paydirt at Moshier Memorial Park. The first jet I saw soon after parking the car was an Eva Air 747 cargo plane taking off.

Eva Air Cargo
Boeing 747

Then several smaller ones including these two.

Southwest Airlines
Boeing 737

Air Canada Jazz

Bombardier Dash 8-300

Then yet another jumbo cargo jet. All in a short amount of time.

Asiana Cargo

Boeing 747

It was great fun seeing these colorful aircraft. Sorry Alaska Air - I skipped taking pictures of your plain white planes.

Then it was time to head home.

This evening we had 5 hummingbirds on our new feeder. This is the most we have seen. I wish I could have gotten pictures, but maybe another day.

And to my sis - I'm proud of you! Three more days!!!

Sure Signs of Spring

Springtime has always been one of my favorite times of the year. Here are a few things that signal Spring has arrived.

The hummingbirds are back

My daffodils are in bloom

My lilac bush is starting to bud

I just love Spring. How about you?