An exotic gift

does wonders for a tired soul in late January. I’ll get to the gift later.

The best photo of a Belted Kingfisher I’ve taken so far but not good enough!

I’ll share all of the few photos I’ve taken this week, one of which is a photo of a Pine Warbler on campus. A lifer? Yes. Why am I not thrilled? Because,

it’s been a real struggle at my house. The Mockingbird saga continues but the situation is getting a little better. He’s still in the attack mode, but less often, and I haven’t seen a dead house finch since last weekend. Earlier in the week, I let the feeders dry up for two or three days in hopes he would leave and check into rehab due to dough withdrawal. Take the house sparrows with you, too!

There were only nuts and store-bought suet cakes on the birds’ dinner table. No seed. And a rain storm was approaching on Thursday evening. One hundred birds were waiting for me and the Nuthatches and Chickadees returned from their long vacation away from here…

How could I deny all of them?

How could I deny my resident beauties?

I stood on the deck and watched them waiting for the “evening fill”. In just a few minutes I decided, “No. Can’t do it. Won’t deny them.” A flock of Cedar Waxwings flew overhead while I brought out the BOSS and Thistle and showered all of them with an intoxicating amount Zick dough. We’ll get through this, somehow.

Back inside, dinner in the oven, I opened a surprise package from Jayne at Journey Through Grace. All I did was count nearly eighty Goldfinches in her backyard... It was a fun task and I most certainly did not expect a prize.

David Burnie

A large, coffee table style book, with over five hundred luscious pages of the most glorious birds of the world you will ever see! It’s more than a field guide. Numerous topics are covered including anatomy, birds under threat, extinct birds, habitats, and much more. I can’t keep my hands away from it as the photography in this book is absolutely stunning. My toes haven’t uncurled yet.

Included are the most exotic, brilliantly colored African and South American birds as well as the common North American birds I see every day.

Osprey. Whew!

Atlantic Puffin. Poor thing. Sad looking but cheek-pinching cute!

Eurasian Hoopee, in search of peace pipes and local Pow-Wows in the wrong places.

Wonder if I can get a low fare on a round-trip to South America? Ooooo. Motmot. Love the name.

Me in the morning, right out of bed.

Now, THAT’S a great photo of a Belted Kingfisher!

Jayne, thank you.

Your Georgian accent is as sweet as you and your grace arrived when I needed it.