Posts You Might Have Missed in 2015

Today my RSS Reader is filled with blogs that have headlines like "Top Ten Posts of 2015." 

I, however, decided to feature my "bottom five" or as today's title says, "Posts You Might Have Missed."

It's hard for me to believe, but one of my 2015 posts with the least number of hits featured Ruby.  I think that Ruby has quite a few fans out there, so in case you missed this one, here's a link:  Ruby, the Trees and More.

You'll have to read it to see what the "more" was!

Another post with low numbers was one simply titled, "Nests!"  Ruby is in that one, too!  While the title is self-explanatory, here's a look at how Ruby was able to fit in:

I have to say, I really enjoyed looking back through the next low-numbers post.  With the drab weather we've had the last few weeks, it was fun to see the spring wildflowers in "Late Spring Lovelys".  I remember struggling over the spelling of "lovelys" / "lovelies"???  Anyway, here's a peak at what you'll see if you go back and read that one:

The next of the 'bottom five' list was a post I wrote about our April birding trip to Texas.  In it, I posted a lot of the photos I took while we were there... some good, some not so good, and I wrote about making the choice between grabbing your camera or your binoculars when you see a bird.  I thought it was interesting, but not many people read it.  So, here's a link if you missed Birding Photography - Texas Birds.

I don't know these people, they were just patiently waiting to try to capture a photo of a Cerulean Warbler.

The final in my 'bottom five' is one that is dear to my heart, because it's about turtles.  Again, it is from our trip to Texas in April.  We happened to be in the right place at the right time to witness a Green Turtle release!  Here's the link for that one: For the Love of Turtles. 

I've had fun looking back through the photos I've put on the blog this past year.  It would be hard for me to pick a favorite post... would it be the ones about our bluebirds or barn swallows?  Maybe the chipmunks, or wait... the baby bunnies were cute!  Then again, there was the unexpected cuteness of the little groundhogs.  Or the excitement of the black bear.  

Maybe you are wondering what the top post of 2015 was for "This Is My Father's World"?  I will admit to being somewhat disappointed to say it was one called "To Bogota and Beyond, and Back Home". 

The reason for my disappointment is because that post was just a quick note about why I hadn't blogged for two weeks (we'd been in Colombia) and to say I would start posting photos from there when I had a chance.  I really don't know why it got (and continues to get) so many hits... there must be people searching the internet for something that leads them to it!  

This will be my 63rd post for 2015.  You can find the whole list of titles at the bottom of the blog page, below the thumbnail photos of the recent favorites.  

I'd love to hear which post you enjoyed the most... was it one of the ones I mentioned already or was it one about the Monarchs, or the Hummingbirds, or something else?

Wishing you all a very happy and healthy 2016!

Duck, Duck, Goose

Twenty acre swamp
Two mallards and goose nearby
Seem strange company 

Why crowd, food abounds
Winter has not come with ice
Hiding tasty bites

Savor while you can
Tidbits under ripples brown
Surely winter comes 

Playing childrens games?
Duck, duck, and Canada Goose
Eat, rest, maybe stretch 

O ache of injured wing
Flight a long forgotten thing
Overhead, flocks fly. 

Flock of Canada geese, migrating southward on December 28

They lingered long but
Now they fly quickly southward
Away from hunger.

One who cannot join
In the rush, hopes for the best
And, just perhaps,  trusts

That lady who goes
walking by, a cup of corn
Needed, will supply.

My Christmas Gift to You

For nature bloggers, this week has not been ideal, at least in my neck of the woods.

This was the forecast on my weather widget earlier this week, and so far it's been pretty much on track.  I don't usually take my camera outside in the rain!  While today isn't super rainy (though it hasn't exactly been sunny either) this morning I have been working in my kitchen on our Christmas cheesecake, so today's post will be from the window (again) with inspiration from the cheesecake as well.

My Christmas gift number #1 to you will be showing you what happens here when I put a couple handfuls of corn out for the birds.  Gift number # 2 will be the best-ever, easy-to-make cheesecake recipe.  

If you still have someone on your Christmas list you don't know what to buy for, head to your local feed store (it's  probably not as crowded as the Mall) and pick up some shelled corn.  They can simply spread it in their lawn and be entertained by the birds.  No feeder necessary.

They can count how many kernels a Blue Jay can take at one time.

Or they can count how many Blue Jays come at the same time.

I only had 5 this morning.

Or they can see what happens when other birds dare to come while the Blue Jays are there. 

First, some brave Mourning Doves.

Then, a Red-winged Blackbird and a Red-bellied Woodpecker.

The Red-winged Blackbird isn't even supposed to be here (at least according to my field guide, it should be a 'summer only' bird) but we've had one or two stay all winter before.

The Red-bellied Woodpecker makes repeat trips to get more corn.  He's bold enough not to care what the Blue Jays think.

Oh, by the way, our lawn has that nice bare spot which is an ideal place for me to toss the corn, don't you think?  It's not far from where I put the mixed seed on the ground, so it tends to keep the Blue Jays away from the other feeders, at least for awhile.  It gives the other birds a chance to have a meal, without being bothered too much by the Jays.

Our Cardinals are still coming but they aren't as 'close' as they were when they were nesting.  In fact, some House Finches seem to have come between them.

The Blue Jays make quite a racket, too, while they snatch up the corn, which momentarily startled the Mourning Doves.

"What's up?  What's going on?"

I love their demur look and their pretty pink feet.  Also, don't miss that patch of iridescent pink on the throat.

Now, the cheesecake is out of the oven and it smells sooo good.  I've been making a cheesecake for Christmas for many years (it's a good birthday cake for Jesus) and I've shared the recipe with many people.  It's really the BEST cheesecake.  So, here is my Christmas gift to my blog readers--

Creamy Sour Cream Cheesecake

1 1/2 cups shortbread cookie crumbs
2 tablespoons butter, melted
3 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
4 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
1 tablespoon vanilla

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Combine cookie crumbs and melted butter.  Press firmly on the bottom of a 9" springform pan.
In large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese til fluffy.  Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth.
Beat in eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
Pour into prepared pan.
Bake 50 to 55 minutes until lightly browned around edge.
Cool, then store in refrigerator.  Serve with fruit topping and whipped creme, if desired.

It's simple to make and you can make it several days ahead (it only gets better!)

Hope you all have a Merry Christmas! 

From my Window and from Afield

I've been waiting for just the right day to present a new type of photography on my blog.  Today seemed promising for it -- some clouds, some sun, and possibly some snow showers.  

Hopefully, in that video you can see what it was like from my window today... every 10 minutes!  (Yes, I am now the owner of a time-lapse camera, which was a birthday present from my husband and daughter).  Don't miss the glimpse of a red truck, and hang in there until near the end when you can see the snow we got in the late afternoon, and our Christmas lights come on.  

Now, I also have some photos to share from my walk today.  After the spell of rather gloomy days we've been having, the sunshine this morning made me anxious to get outside even though it was cold.

I was definitely rewarded for bundling up and getting out there!  

The blue sky and the snow-covered ice were so pretty.

Do you recognize this spot?  It's the place where I took the four-season photos at the header of my blog.  One thing you probably have not noticed is that one of the trees is almost totally girdled at the bottom from beavers gnawing on it.  Here's one side...

and the other:

I think it will stand for a long time yet, but probably not actually live much longer.  Maybe it will have a hollow spot in it for a Wood Duck nest someday?

After walking along the swamp, I headed back toward our yard, where I heard a Bluebird singing.  Of course I had to try to locate it.  Here it is in our magnolia tree--

From there, I headed up the hill and took this photo of our place in silhouette.  It seems a surprise to me that the hemlock tree is not taller than the other trees... it always seems so imposing, as if it is huge in comparison.

I was watching for birds, as always, too.  I was happy to see this female House Finch eating some natural food (White Ash seeds).  There are so many finches this year that I'm glad that my sunflower seeds aren't all they are eating.

There are lots of seeds for the sparrow and juncos around the pond, too.

And the privet bushes are still covered with berries.

I think the Ruffed Grouse like them, because that's where I usually see (or, more often hear) the grouse.  There are grouse in here....

I know, because when I walk through there, 2 or 3 usually fly up.  I walked through very slowly and quietly today, hoping to get a photo of one.  No luck... maybe I was too quiet? 

The Black-capped Chickadees aren't shy about being seen.   They are just hard to photography because they don't stay still long.

This one was part of a small flock.  One bird in the group, however, was different... ah! A Golden-crowned Kinglet.  I didn't get a photo of it as it flitted around in the branches, but I enjoyed watching it with my binoculars.  

By this time, more clouds had rolled in.  There was only a little patch of blue in the sky...

It was time to head back to the nice, warm house and a cup of hot chocolate.

The sun did come out again after awhile (as you can see in the time-lapse movie), but we also got some snow.  I was glad to spend the rest of my day inside!








 

Today from my Window

Today was damp, grey, and it drizzled off and on.  So even though the temperature was balmy (50 degrees!), it seemed chilly.   The birds must have thought so, too, because there were lots of them eating at our feeders today.  Let's take a look...

Pine Siskins have been appearing off and on.  Today, there were about 10 of them.  For their size, they are rather dominant at the feeders, sometimes chasing other birds off.

Today they mostly seemed to be sharing the spots.  Doesn't the next one look graceful while waiting its turn?

We also had lots of finches today.

You can see them coming and going in that photo.  The bottom bird is a female Purple Finch... you can tell by the predominant light eye bar.

The male Purple Finch has more color and less streaks than the male House Finch.

Here's the House Finch:

and his mate:

We also have lots of American Goldfinches.  This one was only sitting on the sweet corn, waiting for a spot on the sunflower feeder to open up.

This is better...

Meanwhile, Black-capped Chickadees swing in and grab a seed whenever they get a chance.

Then off they go!

 Tufted Titmice also come in and grab a seed quickly and go...

Then they take the seeds over into our crab apple tree to eat.  As you can see by the bark on the tree, it gets a lot of abuse by the birds.

White-breasted Nuthatches like the sunflower seeds, too.

They also are quite good at landing upside-down on the bottom-only suet feeder.

Chickadees are as well.

Today I was taking a photo of a Downy Woodpecker on the suet feeder-- when...

an instant later, there was a switch.... this Hairy Woodpecker took its place. 

I was looking thru my camera and sort-of missed the switch.  I thought I was seeing things!

The other woodpecker at our feeders today was a Red-bellied.  He likes sunflower seeds. Can you tell this is him at the feeder?

Once he gets a seed, he takes it to this spot on the trunk of the crab apple tree to eat it.  He usually does this for several seeds in a row, then goes off somewhere else for his next course.

Dark-eyed Juncos like to eat on the ground.  I have a natural stone with a depression that I put mixed seed in for them. (And I scatter it around the area for the other ground feeders such as the Mourning Doves).

American Tree Sparrows also eat the mixed seed on the ground and the deck.

Blue Jays had already cleaned up all the whole kernel corn I had spread on the ground in the morning, so this one came hunting for something else.

My husband doesn't like Blue Jays because he thinks they are greedy, but I think they are handsome enough to be excused for that trait!

I really enjoy watching the birds from my kitchen window, perhaps especially on a grey, damp day like today.  They certainly brightened the day up for me, I hope sharing my photos brightened yours!