Birdwatching

Ricky and Lucy have been raising two babies in the yard. They have taken to escorting them in close to the feeders in an attempt to teach them how to feed on their own.

For now Ricky has been flying to the feeder and then to a nearby tree where the infant awaits hungrily. Every now and then the infant attempts to land on the feeder but has not been successful that we have seen.

Of course the whole family is quite skittish and getting a good shot is difficult as I am having to shoot out of the back window and use the highest digital zoom settings on my camera.

We are also seeing some juvenile House Finches and many young sparrows as well.

Yesterday as we were in the yard we noticed a huge Swallowtail butterfly swooping and diving in the yard. Photographic evidence later revealed she was probably laying eggs on our plants.

Meet Ricky Handsomepants.

Click!

We were watching the hummingbird feeder this afternoon expecting to see our migrating little friends.
As I went into the kitchen Cynthia exclaimed loudly “Oh my god! What the heck is that?”

When I got to the window I did not immediately see what she was talking about but I spotted it shortly.

I had never seen one before and never expected to see one down here in Texas feeding at the hummingbird feeder, but there it was…

a Baltimore Oriole.

We put out the feeders today.
This guy showed up as we were hanging them.