In Trees

The weather has really improved over the last couple days and I've been motivated to find interesting ways to get exercise. I've been snooping through some forests in town and wanted to share some unique views of a few interesting things I found.

Robins nest (Turdus migratorius)


Northern Flying Squirrel drey (Glaucomys sabrinus)


Black Capped Chickadee on young (Poecile atricapillus)


Black Capped Chickadee young at about five days (P. atricapillus)



Black Capped Chickadee nest (P. atricapillus)


Common Goldeneye duck nest (Bucephala clangula ) 30ft up in last years Piliated woodpecker cavity (Hylatomus pileatus)

My granddaughter was in studying for her drivers ed this morning and when I went outside, the crows were teaching their young to fly. It's hilarious listening to them. They act like a father teaching his boy to drive when the boy keeps thinking he can go fast without experience. A lot of raised voices by the parents of the young crows going on here. I would imagine there is stuff like this being said. "Would you just hop off that branch and flap your wings already, I am not going to carry you back to the nest." "Quit complaining about the poor feathers you inherited" and that is probably just a few things that were being said, think of the swearing going on.

Great pictures!
I did the same thing a few days ago. I got a pair of wood ducks in the swamp, a tree frog sunning himself, and I am currently stalking a den, which may be a fox den. I'll be in a tree stand tonight.

I love getting pics of wildlife. Thanks for sharing yours.

a reply to: rickymouse

here, Spring means the Grackles are amorous and want to put on ridiculous displays so that all the ladies know just how amorous they are.

They are very comical birds. We have plenty of them in the less tree lined parts of town. And the males....boy do they like to put on a show.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

A very beautiful bird they are. When I was a little boy, I shot one with a BB gun. Instead of killing it, It's leg broke and it fell to the ground. When I went up to see it, something inside me changed forever and I started crying.

What have I done to such a beautiful creature? I managed to hold it in my hands and feel it's pain. I learned a serious lesson that day that and a new appreciation for life in general.

a reply to: eisegesis

my wife and I are bird lovers. Our backyard is like heaven for birds, and all the birds in the surrounding pasture do us the honor of coming to see us. The hummingbirds are our favorites....but they are mean to each other. We also get orioles, bluejays, cardinals, and a billion other less colorful birds. Dove are the most numerous.

They all come for either the birdseed we put out, or the flowers we have. This tree is still only 3 years old, and is known as a "Birds of Paradise" tree. The hummingbirds and bees LOVE it:



The lantana and the red yucca are big favorites, too.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

...do us the honor of coming to see us.

Yeah, that's how I feel now too. I owned a single peach faced love bird for about 15 years and I was his lover and friend. He would sit on my bowl and eat cheerios with me and preen the hair around my ears while sitting on my shoulder. He was a magical friend. I never clipped his wings once and he loved me so much that I was able to do some pretty special things.

I would take him outside and throw him up in the air as high as I could and he would fly to one of the surrounding trees. I would call him back with this toy voice changer I had that he seemed to find fascinating. I would sit on the deck and he would fly all around the yard and play in the bushes. Totally unreal.


After he passed, I got myself one of these and I could not believe my eyes when I say an indigo bunting begin to make a nest in it. It was stuck to my bedroom window when I was younger and helped nurture my bond and relationship with nature.


The indigo bunting is beautiful as well. I felt spoiled and deeply grateful to have him while it lasted. One day I will have a yard (animal sanctuary).

WOW! Awesome thread and posts in here!!!!!!!!! LOVE these photos! Keep them coming!

a reply to: CraftBuilder

Beautiful pictures and a great thread, I thank you for sharing it with us.
S%F
Regards, Iwinder

Thank you craft builder! wonderful photos.

originally posted by: rickymouse
My granddaughter was in studying for her drivers ed this morning and when I went outside, the crows were teaching their young to fly. It's hilarious listening to them. They act like a father teaching his boy to drive when the boy keeps thinking he can go fast without experience. A lot of raised voices by the parents of the young crows going on here. I would imagine there is stuff like this being said. "Would you just hop off that branch and flap your wings already, I am not going to carry you back to the nest." "Quit complaining about the poor feathers you inherited" and that is probably just a few things that were being said, think of the swearing going on.

Great analogy!

Last summer, I watched a mother duck teaching her young to fly. She had them lined up on a narrow stretch of grass on the banks of a canal, like a grass runway for small planes. One by one, they would make their attempt, running about ten yards and then clearing the ground a foot or two, only to come down tumbling in the grass. That was a very cool thing to see. Reminded me of the Wright Brothers.

soulwaxer

originally posted by: soulwaxer

originally posted by: rickymouse
My granddaughter was in studying for her drivers ed this morning and when I went outside, the crows were teaching their young to fly. It's hilarious listening to them. They act like a father teaching his boy to drive when the boy keeps thinking he can go fast without experience. A lot of raised voices by the parents of the young crows going on here. I would imagine there is stuff like this being said. "Would you just hop off that branch and flap your wings already, I am not going to carry you back to the nest." "Quit complaining about the poor feathers you inherited" and that is probably just a few things that were being said, think of the swearing going on.

Great analogy!

Last summer, I watched a mother duck teaching her young to fly. She had them lined up on a narrow stretch of grass on the banks of a canal, like a grass runway for small planes. One by one, they would make their attempt, running about ten yards and then clearing the ground a foot or two, only to come down tumbling in the grass. That was a very cool thing to see. Reminded me of the Wright Brothers.

soulwaxer

You ever notice that ducks shake their heads sideways a lot. People think they are shaking the water off. It's really because they shake their heads in disappointment because of their kids so much.