Dinner with Bonser

Last night we had a great visit with our friend Don. I met Don almost 20 years ago at my first ANA Summer Seminar when he was just a chubby kid working as a grader for ANACS. Don is one of the nicest people you will ever meet in the hobby - always willing to teach and help out new hobbyist.

He got his start at ANA and returns every summer to teach grading and give back to the hobby that has treated him so well over the years.

Bill made a great dinner and we talked up a storm until past our bedtime. Don lives in Florida, as does his mother - and he promised to bring her to Fort Myers for a visit so we can all go birding at the Corkscrew Sanctuary and down into the Everglades.

This Western Tanager is one of the prettiest birds we see here in Colorado - but we only have them for a few days in mid-May.

He stayed around for several minutes this morning and let me take some pictures. I was afraid he would leave the area before I got my camera back - so this was a real treat.

While I was admiring the Tanager, Mr. Squirrel came for a visit.

He likes to jump up on the flower boxes and check out the flowers.

Unfortunately, he also likes to jump up on the bird feeder. Bill caught him in the act this morning and I sat outside to see exactly how he was doing it. He just jumps! Up and over the squirrel baffle that was guaranteed to keep him down! We need to move it up the pole another foot or so as it is obviously too low.

One of our frequent visitors is this Downy Wood-pecker. He likes the Birdacious Butter that Bill smears on the Oak log at the top of the feeder.

The peanut butter mixture is also a favorite of the Northern Flickers.

I think it's interesting to see how he uses his tail to steady him on the log while he eats.

We have lots of sparrows. This one is a Chipping Sparrow - but we also have House Sparrows and White-crowned Sparrows.

Other common visitors are Mourning Doves. This one was checking out the new pond.

We certainly are enjoying our backyard - but we have lots of appointments today - first with our financial advisor and then off to the doctors.