Stop and smell the flowers

[best]

and you never know what you will see.

Today, May 5th 2008, I had seen the first hummingbird of the season at the feeder. If I was so busy in thought and distractions, I would have missed it.
Hummingbird Migration Maps gives a map of first sightings for the Ruby Throated hummingbird.

So what have you seen today?

[Rella927]

I saw two pretty blue jay birds sitting on a branch in the yard. They are not the kindest of birds ....but they sure are pretty!

[best]

Wow. Great picture.
I have not seen them here just yet.
Did see the chipmunk the other day though.

[felly79]

Oh! I remember when i saw the first hummingbird this season, it was a couple weeks ago, i love it.

Great picture Rella

Today I saw all the tulips blooming in the garden, another great sign of spring.

[barb dwyer]

best -

it was finally warm enough for me to get out the hummer feeder.

since i"m cat -= free again - I'm looking forward to putting it out.

[best]

You get about 5 different kinds. In the east, only the ruby throated one shows up. Can I visit? *LOL*

[Ann]

I know it's spring when Daisy my mallard comes calling at my door. I still haven't figured out how a duck knows to knock on the window of my patio door.



I'm still waiting for my hummingbirds to come back, they like my hanging baskets of flowers. This is from last year, I think, like Best we just have the ruby-throated hummingbirds but they sure are pretty.



Great thread, Best, it reminds me to take pause and just enjoy nature.

[historyteach]

I saw my first cardnal of the season the other day.
BEAUTIFUL!

Thanks for the thread. A good reminder to take a moment and savor what we have right in front of us.

Shalom!

[barb dwyer]

I can't put out the other bird feeder (seed) on account of I've been enticing the ravens to collect and run off the pigeons.

(by throwing out bread and a few table scraps on the roof of the shed in back of the apartment.)

But unlike smaller birds - neither seem to bother hummers.
(pigeons and ravens I mean)

I haven't seen a blue jay in ten years.

They get a strange black colored jay looking bird with bright and I'm talking CONYER bright blue wings. Took me three years to find a pic of it. Compared to a blue jay - it's more crow-sized or magpie sized than a blue jay.

But it's HUGE compared to a blue jay.
Took me forever to find out what it was!!!
And I'm still not sure but I *think* it's a Stellar's Jay.
None of the pics do this bird justice.

Ann - I love the duck inthe yard.

[Rella927]

Wow Barb that would be neat to see that type of Blue Jay!

Can you imagine the attitude the bigger one has?

[indigo]

I have 2 beautiful Redstarts living at the bottom of my garden, Iv'e taken some pix but can't for the life of me use imageshack lol.

[Rella927]

Indy try Image hosting, free photo sharing & video sharing at Photobucket that always works pretty well-

You upload the picture and it gives you a code to copy and paste into the body of your post.

[best]

A hummer mom from last year. This year I will try for a better picture as well as mom, dad, and babies. I wasn't ready with my camera when they all showed up last year. (other times I just sat and watch in awe)

[barb dwyer]

you're right also, best -

there's several different 'hummers' here.

we get the ruby throated one, too ...
there's a really small purple/green one ..
it likes the weeds' flowers in the pastures...

we also have the 'Continental Divide' Bluebird.

Rella - it's called a 'Stellar's Jay' ... I found it online but I can't upload ANYTHING here. Haven't been able to since the big 'change'...

[Ann]

Codie Annie to the rescue These are not my pictures but some I found surfing the net.

Ladies and gents, I present your Stellar Jay...

[barb dwyer]

dang! I can't see it, Ann....

well Best - you got me going now -
I put out my Hummer feeder just this afternoon when I couldn't sleep.
IT's not in a very good location - I hope to be able to hang it more in front of the LR window later this spring.