Dr. Ruby and Bird #100

Dr. Ruby hasn't been on the blog for awhile.  Yesterday, when I told her that no one has mentioned missing her, she looked rather sad.  Oh wait... she's a basset hound, 'sad' is her standard 'look'.  But you have missed her, right?  Right!  So today, Ruby is back!

 Did you know that Ruby is a birder?  She likes to sit by our window and watch the birds at the feeders.  It's also very nice that the windowsill is the same height as her chin.  Very relaxing!

She also likes to watch birds in our front yard.

There are tree swallows nesting in the box you see in the distance above her head.

Next on our walk, she sees an American Robin.

That was in the front yard, too.  We need to get out of the yard and into the woods.  We're looking/listening for bird species #100 for our property list.  If you'd like to know what a property list is, or see our list for 2013, you can read about it by clicking on this blog post.

We'll keep an eye out for fawns, too, because it's that time of year.  I've seen one so far this spring, but not today. 

Ruby wants to point out how GREEN it is!  YAY!

Now, we're in the woods.  Doesn't Ruby have almost as good camouflage as a fawn?  (and on a funny side note... spell-checker wanted me to change 'camouflage' to 'guacamole'!)

Okay, Ruby and I are listening carefully for one particular bird song.

There it is!  "Pee a wee.  Pee - yoouuu!"  That's an Eastern Wood Pewee's distinctive song.  I thought I heard one faintly a few days ago, but I wanted to make sure before putting it on the list.  Dr. Ruby was excited to be with me when we reached bird #100 for the year 2014.  This was a bird I expected to have on the list and knew where to listen for them (in the woods like their name implies). 

Same way with the Common Yellowthroat.  They are common... but hard to get a photo of because they are usually in the underbrush.  I knew they would be on the list.

male Common Yellowthroat  May 19th

There are always many birds on the list that are expected, but each year we have some unexpected ones as well.  We certainly were not thinking we would see Sandhill Cranes fly over our house, but they did!

Sandhill Cranes  May 1st

Last year we didn't have Indigo Bunting on the list, so I was really hoping to see one this year. I didn't go birding on May 19th since I was doing housework that morning, but then I saw this one right outside our window:

That's one of the neat things about birding... you never know what you are going to see.  And sometimes I think the birds enjoy seeing us, too!  How about this Blue-grey Gnatcatcher checking me out with his spectacles on?

The birds' beautiful colors and songs can really cheer a person (or a basset hound) up!  Here's another common warbler in our area, singing his heart out:

Chestnut-sided Warbler  May17

 Ruby and I hope you have enjoyed our birds!  We will keep watching birds because we love them, not just to put them on a list - so "stayed tuned"!