Birds and Barbeques

The Northern Flickers have been regular visitors to our backyard. They especially like the Birdacious Bark Butter that Bill smears on the Oak log at the top of the feeders. We often hear them pecking on the metal fixtures on roofs in the neighborhood - which the neighbors just love at 6 a.m..

The Western Tanager was around every day for over a week - but we have not seen him for two days now.

I make notes in one of my bird books when I see a particular kind of bird - and for the last few years, I've only seen the Western Tanagers in mid-May for 5 to 8 days. I assume they head north and west further into the foothills to nest.

The House Sparrows come early and stay late. I like to encourage them as I enjoy listening to them sing.

For the last couple of days this Black-headed Grosbeak has been hanging around. This is the first time I've identified a Grosbeak in the yard.

On Sunday, we had some of our friends from Einsteins over to burn burgers with us. This is Nancy and she has become a wonderful new friend. We get together and time flies! I love meeting her for coffee and conversation.

While we were in Florida, Nancy took care of some of our plants - and we hardly recognized them when we got back. (She must have a very green thumb.) I felt guilty taking them back but she needed the space in her sun room for all of the vegetables she has started.

Nancy and her husband Joe live in a beautiful rural oasis right here in town. They have dirt roads, lots of land bordering on a green way and a barn. Nancy's dream is to have horses. The view of Pikes Peak from their front window is amazing.

Mike is a car dealer and Einsteins is his office. We meet up several times a week.

Mike's wife, Lucy, works for a local dentist and Nancy and I have decided she spends the rest of her time ironing Mike's shirts. Just to make her feel at home, we put the iron and ironing board out in the living room with several of Bill's shirts. (First we had to find an iron and then try to remember how to set up the board.) She did not take the hint and Bill is still wrinkled.

To further solidify her position as a domestic diva, she brought over a lovely New Hampshire-made basket containing a homemade Amarillo pie. Wow was it delicious (the pie - not the basket)! Usually Bill offers leftovers to our guests - but he insisted on keeping the pie.

This is Nancy with her handsome (but also wrinkled) hubby Joe. Nancy and Joe moved here a couple of years ago from California to be closer to children and grandchildren. We're sure glad they did!

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.