Wednesday, September 30, 2009

CHECK OUT www.ebird.org JOIN AND REGISTER WHAT BIRDS YOU OBSERVE

Walked along Struble Trail located in Downingtown, PA today with my good friend Carol (see picture below). She is the one who knows all about birds, not me! I like taking photos. Following is the list of what she says we saw:
(1) Osprey; (2) Belted Kingfisher; (1) Great Blue Heron; (1) Turkey Vulture-"big wup"!! 
(2) Red-bellied Woodpecker; (2) Downy Woodpecker; (1) Red-eyed Vireo; (1) Blue Jay;
(1) American Crow; (6) Carolina x Black-capped Chickadee (hybrid); (4) Tufted Titmouse;
(2) White-breasted Nuthatch; (12) American Robin; (5) Gray Catbird; (2) Blackpoll Warbler;
(1) Song Sparrow and (2) Northern Cardinal.

     NOW YOU DECIDE WHICH OF THE FOUR BELOW IS THE ''RAREST'' BIRD:

            



                   Be sure to check out http://ebird.org/content/ebird/.org

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

GLENMOORE PROPERTY A BIRD SANCTUARY





What a spectacle of birds viewed on our 5.5 acre property. Here are a few: will post more as I catch up with past photos. The EASTERN SCREECH OWL, in a poplar more than 100 yards away/70 feet up from my deck, taken Nov. 30th, 2008. Beautiful.The peacock appeared one fine day in 2006. Our son, Michael, was attempting to nap in a hammock and ''thought he saw a peacock fly over his head onto the roof!" Well, he was right. After finding the lowest spot on the roof the peacock flew to the ground and Frisk (or aptly named cat,"Tubbs") pounced; the peacock took flight to a nearby poplar approx. 60 feet up remaining through sunset. His colors became most radiant with the setting sun!!! This is our second peacock come to visit.The nest below was found by our daughter Johanna; it is on the ground among Solomon Seal. All the babies survived and we had one cat at the time. Had all four cats still been with us I don't think they would have made it.



The nest to the right I found in a Japanese Pine in the Pinetum below eye level early spring 08'.
The pot below is home to 3 baby Vireo's. The hilarious part of this story: We placed a pot hoping that birds would not build a nest on the ledge to avoid bird doo on the deck. So, my husband placed the pot but did not put it upside down, voila, baby birds; and, we watched them take wing. This has been for two summers now, three sets of fledglings. I know I have a better pic somewhere: will exchange this one when its found.


Friday, September 11, 2009

BEFORE THE FROST-an EYE CUP as a Vase!!!





This time of year I particularly enjoy cutting individual flowers, fern, hosta leaves and arranging them in a variety of vases, etc. as most will soon be gone!

The Garden Club has a contest/challenge each year;
submit a flower arrangement no larger than 4"x6" including the container. Two winners are selected. They actually chose my arrangement as a winner! The photo is a little blurry. Arranging it was a challenge. I was kneeling on the ground and Rufus, a kitty cat, kept crawling up on my shoulders to sit a spell. He likes being up high. Sometimes he sits on the back rim of my hat when I am weeding or plays with the my hands and the weeds. Isn't that fun; there is lots of laughter that takes place during these escapades!
The last 3 photos are other arrangements I made for fun...they are ok to me; the plant material was heavy because of all the rain we have been having so they do not stand upright as I would like. The hosta leaves in the yard are already drooping, browning out and filled with holes so it was difficult to find great leaves; and, I have tons and tons of hosta! Oh well, got to get to them earlier next year. The other two arrangements are very small water gardens; I love water. I love being anywhere near, in or on water!!!


Wednesday, September 9, 2009

THE EENSY WEENSY SPIDER......


I was fortunate to get three photos of this spider web! The headlights of my car happened to illuminate the web as I was entering my home.  Although it is not evident in this photo, the web is a complete upside bowl shape with the spider top center waiting for its prey. It was fun trying to capture the shot; shutterspeed, aperature and all that goes along with my Canon digital SLR is a challenge at this point in time. But, the night was warm, breezy and beautiful. No full moon though, rats!