bird watching

sunrise along the seawall and boarded up cottages at the beach where we walked on all those car-less mornings

I have a female Baltimore Oriole at my bird feeders. Hung on the branches of my double mock orange bush, just outside my kitchen window I have a tube of black sunflower seeds, a big suet cage and a Niger seed feeder. I spied her a few days ago, and her citrus colour belly was what attracted my attention. I thought to myself "what is that bird?". After studying my Peterson's bird guide I identified her. Apparently she shouldn't really still be here, she should be winging her way to South America for the winter and to help her make it through our cold winter's she'll need lots of suet, and sunflower seeds, water daily (apparently water is especially important to this bird) and come to find out she's particularly fond of red grapes. I can't wait stop to pick her up some grapes in our way home from the beach this morning.

Miss Lady Baltimore

I think bird watching is an age thing, it seems you cross over some imaginary age line in life and suddenly you become fascinated with watching birds. That's how it seemed to happen with me ... and several of my friends as well, come to think of it. My two outside cats, Lulu & Bleet, thankfully, are both past the hunting birds phase in their lives and I'm able to feed the birds all year round now. In summer I often park my chair outside in the back yard with my glass of ice tea, mini binoculars and sit and watch and stare at the birds at the feeders and water bath for endless amounts of time. It's like a tranquilizer, like a sitting meditation.

With my small selection of bird treats I see daily in these cold months

-chickadees
-gold finches
-purple finches
-assorted sparrows
-blue jays
-a downy woodpecker
-a hairy woodpecker (usually shy -not a regular at feeders)
-nuthatches
-mourning doves
-and now Miss Lady Baltimore

and occasionally large flocks of grosbeaks & starlings (the poor homely birds)

9:14 am - am happy to report that Lady Baltimore began feasting on her red grapes, literally, moments after I put them out for. She also has a dish of water and I cut up an orange and an apple for her ... maybe she likes a variety of fruit ?