Seems as if I've been absent for quite a while. I did have a good reason for putting the blog on hold. I was caring for an injured player and taking on the many household duties he normally performs. But truth be told, I have actually been apathetic about my blog. Some call it a lost muse. Whatever it has been, I have not missed writing and I have managed to keep up with most of you even if I might not have commented. Now it's time to decide whether to continue so I will give it a try.
The injured player is nearly normal now and we are delighted.
Like much of the country, we have had very strange weather indeed. Temperatures all over the place. We are turning on the air conditioner one day and turning on the heat the next. But some things remain constant. Our woodpeckers are nesting and we are almost certain one pair of Pileated Woodpeckers has a nestling. The adults come to the suet to eat and then grab a mouthful for carry-out. Our Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are back and the spring migration is in full swing. The trees are filled with American Goldfinches as the migrants join our resident birds for a while. The Purple Finches are leaving us for parts to the north. And we've had several little Red-breasted Nuthatches join our large White-breasted Nuthatches for a brief while.
One of our favorite visitors is passing by now and we are always delighted to see them. These lovely migrants are the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. The males always come first and in a week or so are joined by the lesser brilliant but still beautiful females. Not long after the females arrive, the males will move on to the north followed a week or so later by the females. How lucky you are if you live where the gorgeous birds nest and raise their broods. Still we are happy to have them for the few weeks that we do.
The male Rose-breasted Grosbeak takes a break while getting a drink of water.
In coming days we will welcome more migrants. And throughout the summer we will take delight in seeing adult birds bring their fledglings to our feeders. It's a great time of year.
Seeing these lovely birds gives me great solace in times of such concern over our Mother Earth and what is happening all around us. But sitting on our deck and watching all the wonderful birds fills me with peace. Would that it could last.
12 comments:
You are so lucky to see the rose breasted grosbeak! I have seen it only once (I was home at lunchtime and saw him.) Pleased to say that I have gotten my Dad into birdwatching (he just turned 90 this week.) He called me and told me he had seen the most beautiful bird, he had never seen before, and when he described it and I told him it was a rose breasted grosbeak. He paused and said, "I knew you would know what it was". That gave me such joy! :-)
I hope you continue with your blog. You are such a good writer.
I love sitting in a North Caroline wood watching and listening to the birds. So many you have there! and yes, sitting on the deck surrounded by them is indeed a needed balm. I saw on the news that Raleigh is flooded now, or at least parts. Oy.
I know what you mean about feeling apathetic in terms of writing on the blog. I have started many posts, only to delete them. Who wants to read this stuff, anyway? So, I've decided to write only when the urge really comes over me, and forget the rest. Wordless Wednesday is usually the most carefree post of all!
WELCOME BACK !!! Although we are in the same State our weather can be vastly different. I am just an hour south of Raleigh but was very lucky not to get all the rain damage that they got. So glad you are back.
We indeed are the lucky ones with nesting RBG's. And also lucky to have enjoyed your thoughtful blog these many years. Hopeful you can continue in some fashion. Be well, Caroline. Both you and all yours...:)
So good to see you here! I selfishly hope you get your mojo back, but I totally understand the blog ennui.
Dr. M is in his happy place sitting on the deck watching the birds in our new back yard. And we have nesting Eastern Phoebes - our very first nest that we can observe!
Saturday is Independent Bookstore Day. I'm thinking about convincing Dr. M that we need to go to Malaprops (the closest one to us). We shall see!
Hi, Loved seeing all your birds-you are so lucky to have so many. I think many of us go through that blog funk where we just don't know what to write about or feel our blogs are boring. Hope you have a great day!
Noreen
Ouch, I hope your wounded player is back in the game now. I missed you but knew you were OK as I kept seeing a comment from you. Thank you for that. I do hope your muse returns and this is just the beginning.
I am on a similar parallel as NC so we have had about the same weather. I just get it first. I have had to do that heat and A/C in the same day. Weird. Lucky you having RBG plural. I have only seen one in all my 77 years.
Again, hope you are both back in the game.
I am so happy to see a post here. I've been wondering how you are. Love knowing that spring, as erratic as it has been, still has the birds on their migrations there. Their persistence gives me hope. I have also thought about my commitment to the blog, but we've had it so long, I would feel sad to let it go. It has been such an amazing way to look back and remember things I would have long forgotten. These are such interesting times that we find ourselves these days, it is good to have this online community to share our thoughts and the awesomely beautiful natural world around us. I hope you will continue whenever the muse strikes. You remind me that I only saw a Rose-breasted Grosbeak once in my life. It was far out of its ranging, eating bird seed out our feeder in the Sierra foothills. Thinking of you and glad to know all is well.
So good to see your post here.
Yes, the weather has been most topsy turvey no matter what part of the globe you live.
Good to see the Rose-breasted Grosbeak in your photograph.
Take Care
All the best Jan
Welcome back. I'm sorry that I've not checked in sooner.
While we have purple finches and their twin, the "house finch" in abundance, a sighting of the Rose Breasted Grosbeak is truly rare. In my 30+ years of living here in my home, and my lifetime (50+) in NEO, I've only ever seen ONE. They are lovely.
I've missed you. I was on one of our off-line vacations in the desert when you started posting again. Mainly, I want to say welcome back. I, for one among many, enjoy your posts, including your honesty about how you feel about our current situation in our country. I'm glad that your birds bring you solace. I have brief moments of solace too but I have to say that my angst is at record-high levels. I'll be out in the woods, and suddenly I won't even recognize where I am - because my brain was busy worrying about other issues. Terrible.
I can't wait to see more of your avian migrants!
I've been a terrible blogger myself so I'll give you a pass. :)
I'm glad to hear that your husband is doing well and getting along in his healing. Prayers that this continues to be the case.
Please keep writing when you can because I miss all the original connections that I've had in the blog world and I'd like to have those from time to time. We're experiencing someone out of our realm here and I'm SO hoping that I can find some time to write about it in the near future.
XO
Have a nice weekend.
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