Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird... this couple was obviously young... and disorganized.
(Click pictures to enlarge)"A bird is three things:
Feathers, flight and song,
And feathers are the least of these."
~ Marjorie Allen Seiffert, "The Shining Bird"
Again this year, the bluebirds showed up. They were on time and a group of four or five birds snacked at the feeders and checked out the house. But, they were young... the male was lazy.. and chickadees built a nest of soft moss in one day and eggs were laid. The chickadees seemed distressed and more vocal than usual and I saw the male bluebird look in the already occupied birdhouse several times. Then the crime. Someone invaded the chickadee nest, took an egg and threw it against the bay window of our house. The dried protein dribbled down the length of the panes and a small shell fragment remained glued to the top. Who could do this? I would like to believe it was a blackbird or crow or one of the birds I really don't care for; so I give the bluebirds the benefit of the doubt and say it really couldn't have been them, their beaks are too small to carry an egg. Whoever the culprit was, it was so sad for the chickadees as they have a short nesting season and will not likely have another round this year.
Mrs. Bluebird was more industrious and practical than her mate.
Dinner time.
Feeding time... how could one small baby bird make so much noise. 
I waited for almost a week, then opened the house and took out the abandoned nest and washed the house. The very next day... yesterday... I came downstairs to the pecking sound of bluebirds pecking on the window and much agitation. Male and female, flying back and forth from the house to the feeder to the windowsill. I don't think these are the same bluebirds that just vacated the premises with their baby as they are supposed to stay with him in the woods for at least a few weeks. Hopefully, it is a new pair.. more mature (although this head butting against the window behavior does not indicate any maturity to the female who continually chatters at him while he is doing it) and perhaps they will build another nest and raise another family. I hope so. I still have mealworms left.
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Friday's Ark
Camera Critters
Nature's Notes
Blue Anise Sage, Salvia guaranitica 'Black and Blue' "Flowers and plants are silent presences. They nourish every sense except the ear." ~ May Sarton
Summer breezes and sun warmed soil produce these lovely blooms. I have never seen such a rich and dark blue in a flower, nor stems and flower bases so dark... really a black color. Most often the "blue" flowers are really more lavender or purple tinged and any flower labeled "black" turn out to be a very dark burgandy. These flowers and the foliage are both fragrant and hummingbirds are said to love them. I'm not sure the hummers found these last summer; it was the fist planting after all. They did like the other salvia species I planted elsewhere and it was fun to watch them hover over the flowers and gently probe for nectar. The winder has been really cold and the ground feels frozen, but only near the edge of the flowerbed, so I am hoping they will return for a repeat engagement this spring and be more dense and lush as well. What a great welcome mat for the bees and hummingbirds!
So my offering for the letter "B" is "black and blue"; not a bruise... but, a beautiful bloom to begin this cycle of ABC Wednesday. Oops! "Cycle" doesn't begin with a "B" and I am late to post... again... but, better to be a blog behind than blank.
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ABC Wednesday Round 8: "B"
Cornflower blue.... a memory long gone and a hope of spring.
(Click pictures to enlarge) "The whole world, as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color.." ~ Hans Hofmann
The light blue petals of a cornflower aptly named in paint forever... cornflower blue. It seems like such a long time since these brought beauty to the garden and swayed so softly in the spring breezes. Here by the east coast ocean we typically have cooler weather in the months of October and November and then in the low 50's in December. But this year we have been hard pressed to make it out of the 30's or 40's for almost a month now. The north winds blow and their sound next to my bedroom window on the north side of the house is even more ominous sounding than the summer storms moving in from the south. I think the word "blustery" best fits the sound and the mood. But, for the first time in a week we have sun... real sun.. with shadows and with blue skies and no clouds. No fluffy clouds, storm clouds, gray clouds, snow clouds, rain clouds... just clear cornflower blue skies.
The mad goldfinch!
Everyone has seen the famous picture of The Mad Bluebird, but this little goldfinch seemed very out of sorts at our feeder this weekend. Perhaps it was the wind howling in the trees and setting off a sway in the feeder system that has made him a bit seasick. Perhaps it was the rain that was supposed to be snow but was rain with occasional large flakes of snow mixed in. Perhaps it was the empty feeders and that we had left a bit of a cake that had gone wrong in the baking, instead of the expected sunflower seed kernels; although I did see him pecking at and eating a bit of the orange slices in the cake. I do believe it might be that I was standing inside in the warm house, next to the roaring fire and pointing a huge black lens at him, while he was trying to eat. Some creatures just don't like to be disturbed and have no fear of telling you off about it. Hey! Little finch.. it is Christmas and I have left full feeders and special treats of fruit and nuts for your Christmas feast... so tell your friends (if you keep that face on, I'm not sure you have many) to come and have a wonderful dinner... just don't tell the hoards of blackbirds.
These are my pictures for Blue Monday and Mellow Yellow Monday this week.
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Blue Monday
Carmi's Theme ~ Favorites of the Year
Black-eyed susan, Rudbeckia hirta
Common Fleabane, Erigeron philadelphicus
(Click pictures to enlarge) "I wish more people felt that photography was an adventure the same as life itself and felt that their individual feelings were worth expressing. To me, that makes photography more exciting." ~ Harry Callahan
Gray days give better colored pictures... less glare and fewer shadows in the way, a softer light. But these Black-eyed Susans shine and gleam on their own as if they grabbed every tiny molecule of light on this cloudy day and concentrated it into the substance of their yellow petals; enough shine to make their own shadows. Sharing the stage are the small white fleabane, with tiny yellow suns dotting the background. I can imagine laying on the ground looking up at a canopy of these wildflowers overhead, smelling the warm fresh earth and watching as they sway hypnotically back and forth in the light summer breeze. What a joy to experience nature through childlike eyes!
Nicky...the Clark Gable of Cats
"Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever . . . it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything." ~ Aaron Siskind
I have a lot of cats, I've had a lot of cats down through the years and they have all lived to a relatively old age. They go through the stages of life as we all do. Kittens play and jump and tumble an are quick, often too quick for the camera.. little blurs running around. Then suddenly, they drop... sound asleep, like babies have to take small naps in between making large noise. In young adulthood the cat is most interesting to photograph; a bit slower with more refined movement, he is interested in everything and often provides moments of comic bliss to capture on film.
Now, my cats have entered the "golden years" of life; all five are over 11 years old and no longer enticed by the latest catnip toy. They have developed sophisticated wants... a certain banana shaped catnip toy, a certain ball and mouse... all others lay dormant and untouched. Life is slow... no more fast movements, high leaps or intense curiosity... except for Mr. Rhett.. but that is a different story. Now, the cats sit for portraits, sometimes I think you could leave the shutter open for four or five seconds and they wouldn't move; the most difficult task is getting them to open their eyes for a good look at those baby blues. You wouldn't believe how many shots I get with eyes half open.
Soon, all too soon, they will pass on to be with the others who have gone before and I cannot stop time... except in pictures. So, even if the portraits tend to look the same and they sometimes show less than suave perfect fur... I still try to see that little spark behind the eye.. that shows how different each cat remains even now. And they are...unique... beautiful... friends.
Sepia Serenity... Camellia (Norfolk Botanical Garden)
"When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence." ~ Ansel Adams
Sepia or black and white photos speak of age and wisdom. Our eyes and brains interpret what we see in color... and because of this, only the monochrome pictures can reveal mysteries that our eyes miss. These shots level the playing field for the flower... a lowly, dull, looked over plant brings as much beauty as the vibrant red rose. I love the colorful camellia flowers in our botanical garden.. they give life and warmth to the winter months here in Virginia. But I also love the delicate yet strong look that this sepia shot gives.
I chose three very different pictures for three different memes today... Mellow Yellow Monday, Blue Monday and Monochrome Maniacs (Monochrome Weekly).. these sites have many more participants with gorgeous photos. Please visit them to feast your eyes.
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Bluebird Chronicles Part One: The Arrival
Bluebird Chronicles Part Two: Go Lay An Egg And Wait
"Humans have it easy... usually one baby and they don't have to hunt for food."
(Click pictures to enlarge) "Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are?" ~ Matthew 6:26 (New Living Translation)
After the hatching... the fun begins. Both parents pitch in, the incessant flapping and yearning to get into the big house is over... only the needs of the chicks are important. Mama and Papa bluebird work hard, day and night, to bring tasty morsels to their young; first mama shows up, then papa. She doesn't seem to mind that I sit out in the yard and watch with my camera trained on the house. Papa, on the other hand, is annoyed and jittery; he flies in a large arc from the fence on one side of the house to a spot equal distant on the other side... trying as if to sneak in to feed. Soon the tiny voices of the chicks can be heard above the breezes. All will be quiet, but just a touch of the mounting pole and high pitched "cheep, cheep" sounds come from above. Mama has taught them well... "When we are not here... BE QUIET!"
Beetles and worms and moths... OH!MY!
It's quite a variety of food coming in here.. no leftovers, no complaining..."Oh, Ma, do we have to have grubs again?" Hard shelled beetles, beetle larvae, small moths, earthworms... but no seeds. They didn't seem to be into seeds or the dried larvae I put out especially for them. Those bluebird nuggets didn't fly either. Mama was quite the hunter. One evening I saw her pluck a small moth out of mid air as it fluttered towards the spotlights on our house. And with all the rain we had had at the time, there was no shortage of earthworms and other bugs. The babies don't look too pleased with my flash there in the lower left picture, do they. (above)
The Hallelujah Chorus: "Hallelujah! Supper's here!"
The little birds grew and their chirps became louder and more demanding. I couldn't have been easy in that little house with four growing kids and such a small space. Privacy is non-existent and they are all trying to jostle for first place when feed arrives. The largest flaps his little wings and leans close to the opening... waiting for than next worm.
One interesting thing I began to notice was that mom would bring food, go inside and then leave with something round and white in her beak. Papa never did. Yes, he brought food and dropped it in mouths, but never left with a full beak. Then I realized that Mama was cleaning up... scooping the poop, so to speak. Even in the animal world it is the MOM who tends to those nastiest of jobs.
Back and forth; this mouth, that mouth.
A parent's work is never done.
I never saw more than four open mouths, although there had been five eggs. Probably one failed to hatch and the parents may have cracked it open and cleaned out the shell from the house. No broken shells were found on the ground or in the house after the birds fledged. These four were quite the eaters and posed graciously... ok, sometimes without much enthusiasm. And they grew quickly while mama and papa never wavered in their care.
Mama counting heads (Left)..Curious but cautious (Right)
The largest baby was also the bravest.. still cautious, but brave. After mama flew away to chatter at me from the tree and the other siblings had withdrawn back into the house.. this little one dared to watch and peek over the top of his doorway to see what this strange lady was doing. He was met with a flash and quickly scowled.. then all became quiet as they settled down to rest. Their final trials were almost here... it was almost time... to try their wings.
The bluebird chronicles will be visiting Friday's Ark and Camera Critters this week.
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Columbine bud...keeping me guessing.
(Click pictures to enlarge) "Wisdom is oftentimes nearer when we stoop than when we soar."
~ William Wordsworth, 1798
Usually I try not to mix too many different memes into one post, but I have quite a bit to do today and if I can squeeze it in, I would love to visit the new butterfly outdoor garden and the indoor butterfly house at our botanical garden here in Norfolk. So, for my Mellow Yellow entry I have this beautiful yellow and white columbine that I just cannot get away from. What is it about this flower that intrigues me so? I haven't yet decided, but it grabs my attention, whether at the local nursery, in my cousin's yard, at the highly groomed and polished botanical gardens or in my own flowerbed. Its angles and curves never fail to surprise and it has that amazing shape that morphs constantly. Some flowers are plain and boring before they open and broadcast their beauty for only a short time, then wilt and die. Columbine, on the other hand, teases the spectator before blooming with its lovely green bud.. and throughout the process.. never gives the full hint of the final product. Columbine keeps you guessing!
..Until the final reveal, yellow and white columbine.
"To analyze the charms of flowers is like dissecting music; it is one of those things which it is far better to enjoy, than to attempt to fully understand." ~ Henry T. Tuckerman
But the final reveal is definitely worth the wait!
Plumbago auriculata,leadwort or skyflower.
Brooklyn Botanical Gardens
"In the hope of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet." ~ Albert Schweitzer
I understand that these are best grown in Florida and perhaps that is why they flourished in the hot houses of the Brooklyn Botanical Garden. It is probably not feasible to yearn for these blooms here in Virginia... but we can hope. I am looking for a lovely vine to train up over a trellis that will attach to the new sunroom addition. My dream is to have wisteria for spring, but also to incorporate something that will give us color for the summer months as well. Who knows? My research is not yet complete.. nor is construction....I can only dream at this point.
So, for Mellow Yellow and Blue Monday as well as Macro Monday... enjoy!
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Left upper: April 12th... the nest is finished and one small egg.
April 26.... five small perfect blue eggs...but no mom.
(Click pictures to enlarge)"A man's interest in a single bluebird is worth more than a complete but dry list of the fauna and flora of a town." ~ Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862)
Bluebird Chronicles Part One: The ArrivalSeveral websites feature nest cams of different bird species including bluebirds. The bluebirds in Texas had built their nest and were happily laying eggs, while our crazy couple were fluttering wings at each other and trying to break into the "big" house. The last time I had checked on their nest it consisted of three pine needles.... and I was in despair. It seemed this misfit pair would never get it right... always late. So it was with much trepidation that I climbed the ladder and peeked into the house on Easter Sunday. To my amazement, the nest was actually finished and there in the middle lay one light blue egg. Of course, my next worry was... where is the mom? Why is she not sitting here?
Further investigation on the internet told me that the bluebird lays one egg a day until there are four or five eggs in the nest and she does not sit on the eggs until they are all in place. Yes, the house and nest are warm, but around Easter we were having unseasonably cold weather; we wore coats on Easter Sunday! We waited... I gave her several more days... two weeks in fact... to get her act together. When it seemed as if she were again hanging around the yard a little more than usual, I looked again. There they were all safe and sound... five little blue eggs....
"SO SIT ALREADY!!!"
Clockwise from upper left: Mom...not on the nest.
Finally sitting as she should. Nervous father waiting...
Bluebirds are not like robins who sit carefully and almost continually on their small eggs. Of course, bluebirds do use nesting boxes... but still. Some days it seemed that momma bluebird sat still in the box for less than ten minutes at a time. I know waiting and being still is boring, I had obligatory bed rest while pregnant (no, not now... a very, very, very long time ago)... but please... don't you want these eggs to hatch. It seemed as if she resented papa bluebird... he would hang around on the fence and sometimes bring her food, but I never once saw him go in and stay for an extended period. She sat with her head poking out the entry, looking as if she would fly off at a moments notice. Still momma bluebird was more calm than papa and didn't mind my presence as much as he did. I knew that the incubation period was between fourteen and nineteen days and we were getting close.
May 10th: A bunched up fuzz of babies.
Finally, one day I saw momma and papa bluebird carry small bugs into the house and when I tapped on the pole holding the house there was the barely audible high pitched cheep of tiny birds. I waited a day or two and then carefully opened the hinged door to see this intertwined tumbled mass of fuzz and feathers and the occasional open beak. I couldn't count them.. are there four or five... we will have to wait and see.
As for the two new parents.... now the real work begins.
To be continued........
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Blue Monday entry.
Centaurea cyanus, blue cornflower
(Click picture to enlarge) "Blue thou art, intensely blue;
Flower, whence came thy dazzling hue?"
~ James Montgomery
It is definitely a "blue" Monday here. The rain that moved out and gave us a glorious Mother's Day is back... and along with it a gloomy, cloudy, drizzle of a day. With is has come the north winds and the high today of 62 was reached in the wee hours of the morning.... temperatures have been falling all day. In fact it is currently down to 55 degrees... so I am about to scrounge through my closet and pull out a light weight winter sweater to wear this evening. Brrr.... Not to worry though... it will be back up into the 80's by tomorrow, I'm sure.
So, since I missed Macroday's topic "blue" last week and since this has been a "blue" day... and, simply because I love blue flowers... this is my choice. When thinking about coneflowers, this shape is not what first comes to mind. Most cornflowers have the raised gumdrop center with more daisy like leaves. This one, while related is just a bit different. I have seen a variety with more purple in the center and fewer flowers.. they are all beautiful!
Macro Monday photos can be viewed here.
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Down by the bay! "We all like to congregate at boundary conditions. Where land meets water. Where earth meets air. Where bodies meet mind. Where space meets time. We like to be on one side, and look at the other." ~ Douglas Adams, "Mostly Harmless"
It was hot, but not too hot; certainly not like today, when you literally could fry an egg on the sidewalk! Perhaps not on the sidewalk, but definitely on the hood of a parked car. Yes, that hot! And it has been so for four days now. But on this day it was a perfect hot day, one with a breeze off the water, not too much, just enough to keep those of us who relish the low lawn chair in the shade, coolish! (Yes, I know coolish is not a word.) Anyway, the sea grasses swayed in the breeze and this had a most hypnotic effect.... the type that made any hope of movement almost impossible and kept your focus on the motion of the dark grass against the bright intense blue of the sky. All the cares of the world fell away and for a moment time stood still. Then with a click it was captured: the moment, the space, the feeling. And on these stifling hot, humid and hazy days, I can still "click" and again return to that moment, that space, that feeling.
Anna is ending her "Project Blue" tomorrow, so this will be the last "blue" entry here as well.
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"Hello, Mr. Bluebird... how do you do?""When God made the blue-bird He wished to propitiate both the sky and the earth, so He gave him the color of the one on his back and the hue of the other on his breast." ~ John Burroughs
This bluebird is part of a scientific study as noted by his banding. I saw him in a little park up in Williamsburg. We have bluebirds in Hampton Roads as well and mom wanted to put up a bluebird house at the new place. We have the pole just the right height and placed facing the correct direction..... there are woods close but not too close and a golf course nearby.
In February, three males showed up and checked it out. They went in and out and made a visit on two consecutive days. One put a bit of leaf inside.... I decided he must have been the real estate agent. Then they left. In April, they still had not returned and I noticed tiny chickadees going in and out of the box. I opened the box and they had filled it half way with a beautiful green moss nest, topped off with bits of down and clean lint from the dryer vent. I didn't have the heart to clean it out. Sure enough, they laid their eggs and successfully raised four babies (another post).
While the house was still inhabited by the chickadees... the bluebird showed up again and looked in.... I just shrugged my shoulders and said..."What can I say? You're late!" We cleaned the house after the baby chickadees left and now another bluebird has been visiting... Who knows if he will get his act together and let the female in on this prime property! We'll see!
Another entry for Anna's project.....blue! There are some fabulous pictures being posted!
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