Copyright ©2019 Deborah M. Zajac. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
I was sitting on the patio with a tasty glass of rosé ( Chateau de Beaupré) the other evening thinking about posting some recent bird sightings when this new title/ category popped into my head so, here is its debut; Friday most Fowl!
Sunday morning I was up early as I am wont to be and it was lovely out so, I opened the patio door and heard the sweet melodious sounds of a chorus of birds. I did what any birder does: I quickly grabbed my camera, snatched my freshly brewed cup-a-tea and headed to the patio. Of course the instant they heard me open the sliding screen door they flew into the far bushes and trees to hide. That was okay. I knew they’d back…this is home.
I settled in and was quiet…camera ready…letting my tea get cold. Oh, the sacrifices we make to get an image!
First back was the Female Rufous Hummingbird…a lifer for me!
…then the Songbirds returned,
a Tern made a pass over, I think it’s a Foster’s Tern?
Then Mr. Quail thought the coast was clear and hopped up on the bottom of the fence to be sure.
He looked me over real good. Then decide the oldest of his brood could come up for a little look-see. Last time I counted there were 6 little ones in his brood.
Then I had the biggest surprise I’ve had in birding in a long, long time. A Male Northern Flicker landed on my fence! A Northern Flicker! Right there less than 20 feet from me!! WOW!!
It only stayed a minute, but what a minute!! Of course, all the other little birds flew away, but I didn’t care just then. 😁
It was a pretty great birdy morning on my patio Sunday morning don’t you think?
He-Man was away on business most the week so I took a couple of days in the middle of that and went to Baby Girl’s to visit the Grandson’s and be there for #1’s first day of First Grade. He’s so stoked. His best friend is in his class and he likes his teacher. A great first day!
I’ll be catching up with your posts over the next few days. I hope you all have a wonderful week-end and Happy Friday!
Nikon D810| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2019
more to come…
Circadianreflections Blog 
Oh, my. This is certainly the best of all words if you’ve got the perfect birding spot right there at home. Lovely to be on your pages again catching up, Deborah. I wish you a lovely autumn.
Hi! It’s good to see you. Thank you so much for stopping by and checking out what I’ve been up to. I’m so happy here, and the birding, wildlife, and scenery are marvelous!
So great to see and hear! And in my comment I meant ‘best of all worlds’ not words, of course.
Ha! I read worlds not words! I got what you meant. Now I’m going to go reread it and see it cause I didn’t the first time round. 😁
😀 😀
It sounds like a fine bird morning, I too just love the surprise bird coming by. Nice set.
Thank you so much, John! I’m still so stoked about that Northern Flicker coming by!
Great photos especially that hummingbird. Love the baby quail!
Thank you so much, Lisa! Those were great sightings. I haven’t seen the Hummer since. The little quail chicks are getting so big!
What a treat to see baby birds grow up. We get to see this with cardinals & Carolina wrens.
Both of those birds we don’t have here in the West! Oh, how I long to see a Cardinal! You’re very luck to see them and have them and their babies to watch grow up!
Well, I’d love to those baby quail. We literally chase the gamble quail all over Vegas. Never got a great shot. They kept running off.
LOL! That’s funny. Did you make it out the Valley of Fire when you were in Vegas? I haven’t been there at all and I have been to Vegas so many times, and now in NV! Not close to Vegas at all, but still. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Yes my sister-in-law was married there. Did hike it but climbed the rocks to get to where the ceremony was. It is so awesome!
I hear it is! One day I hope to get there.
Excellent sightings and collection! We get the Rufous here too … they come late, bully the other hummers, then leave early.
Thank you so much, Denise! I haven’t seen the Rufous since. It must have been just passing through.
It occurred to me that although we had a vice president named Quayle we’ve never had one named Hummingbird or Flicker. We’ve never had a Tern, either, but Grover Cleveland did manage to Re-turn as president after an absence of four years.
LOL! I have not thought of that, but Re-Turn had me laughing out loud. 😀
It just knocks me out that you see quail. They are gorgeous, aren’t they? And a flicker! They have a special place in my heart because when we moved to the wilds of northern Illinois they were abundant. My parents bought a couple of acres far from the madding crowd, lots of trees, and lots of flickers. Then development came and there aren’t so many flickers. After my dad passed away I’d sit alone in the house, coming to terms with him being gone and the imminent sale of my childhood home, and as I gazed out the window, I saw a family of flickers.
These are such wonderful shots, Deborah. The birds are stunning. Lucky you! 🙂
P.S. That hummingbird is spectacular.
Thank you so much, Rob! You’re too kind!
I feel blessed and very lucky Rob. You have no idea!! Thank you so much, little one!
I hope you have a wonderful weekend! When you’re headed my way let me know!! I’ll go out and photography with you any day!
Thank you. 🙂
What a wonderful set of captures, Deborah!! I love watching the birds come into my backyard. I’m not very good at identifying them though…except the cardinals and woodpeckers because they’re easy. I had a hummingbird in my view just today, but he was so tiny and far away that I couldn’t make out any details.
Oh, how I would love to see Cardinals. We don’t have them in the west.
Birds are fun to watch aren’t they. I hope the Hummer comes a little closer next time.
A happy first day of first grade — now that’s a terrific beginning. Deborah, so glad you could be there for it. I love your new feature title! It has a Victorian ring to it. 😉
All the photos are marvelous. The quails are adorable and the flicker is quite handsome! Hugs on the wing!
I”m so glad you like the new feature title and I’m so relieved that #1 GS is happy with his teacher and classmates! It makes school so much easier. Which for me is tricky b/c I hate Public School! I have since my Big Baby Boy was in 4th grade and that was a LONG time ago! I just hate it. I want to go back to the way they taught in the the Victorian Era. Comprehension, Writing, Vocabulary, Understanding life, and Math Computing were so much more advanced than it is today!! 18th Century Women who schooled at home without a teacher were more educated today than our current day students dealing with this curriculum are! Don'[t get me started on this soap box. It’s not pretty. 😭
😀 I call it my Julia Sugarbaker Soapbox when I do that. But I have to agree.
Hi Deborah, The difference for me, is it would be coffee getting cold. I am impressed you know the names of these hummingbirds. Amazing, exquisite photos! I even have goosebumps on the Northern Flicker. Thank you for your positive, beautiful post:)
Hi Erica, I had to look up the type of Hummingbird this was b/c I wasn’t sure if it was this or one other type. I don’t know them that well!
That Northern Flicker was such an amazing gift! I am still excited about it.
Thank you for your lovely comment and visit!
It seems you have picked the perfect home for a birder. They come to you!! What a delightful surprise that you can sit in your yard and simply wait 🙂
All your photos are amazing but the one of “Mr Quail” with the green background sings out loud to me. What a handsome little guy!!
Thank you so much Joanne! I wish the birds come to me, but they don’t this was just such a wonderful morning. I hope it happens again!
Thank you so much for your lovely comment! I’m so glad you like the Quail image. That creamy background is yummy isn’t it.
Didn’t check “where” my comment went, but I misread your first sentence , thinking it started with Not – instead of “Now” (should have had my glasses on!) – thought you were making a joke, lol! Had a grand time, and the house we saw was so lovely. The owners can be proud of making that their home!
😀 I wish it wasn’t so chilly, so we could have stayed just a bit longer at the lake.
Who knows, we’ll have another chance at this?!
Yes, we will!
Oh for goodness sake! Look at you with all the pretty birdies! I’d say you’re lucky to have these birds, but it takes real talent to capture them so well! What a beautiful morning!
Thank you so much, Joey! It was a lovely morning, and I do feel blessed and lucky to be here!
Sounds like you’ve got an awesome ‘perch’ to enjoy your perched birds! Wonderful variety and captures, Deborah!
Thank you so much, Donna!
My goodness! What a glorious morning you had. Your photos are stunning. Thank you, Deborah!
Thank you so much, Jennie! I’m glad you enjoyed the images.
You are very welcome, Deborah!
😀
What an excellent morning, Deborah! Reminds me of the morning in the park when I spotted the herd of deer or yesterday when I had some other fortuitous sightings. Lovely shots!
janet
Thank you so much, Janet! Aren’t those moments wonderful! I love seeing deer, they’re so beautiful.
Great post! Love the pics!
Thank you, Kendall!
Welcome!!!!!
Backyard birding at its best. Great pics !!
It sure was fun! Thank you so much, Jamie!
Wait, #1 grandson is in 1st grade? They doesn’t seem possible.
Great photos, and from such a convenient spot. Who knew they would come to you? Kudos for recognising the type of Tern in mid-flight. I’m lucky to identify them on the ground. Great capture of the hummingbird.
I like this theme.
He is! Time is racing by, he’s lost his baby looks completely too.
Thanks for the Kudos! I’m not sure it’s a Foster’s but sorta looked like one.
I’m glad you like the theme. I have lots of bird photos I can post using it.
I think it’s nice to have a regular thing that is unique. Your bird photos are always amazing.
Thank you! 🙏🏼
Sweet photos Deborah! I particularly like the quails 😊
Thank you so much, Belinda!
Tee-hee — I loved joining your birdy morning, Deborah. This is a marvelous, happy post. That is one very handsome quail. I don’t know what is about hummingbirds, but my heart skips a beat whenever I see one. Happy weekend. Hugs on the wing.
Ah, thanks, Teagan! I love having you along. 😀 I love Hummers too, they’re so quick, and beautiful. Hope you have a great week-end. xx
Beautiful photos, Deborah. That is the best shot of a quail than I’ve seen for a long time.
Thank you so much, John! I’m so glad he popped back up.
Wish I could; am in Honolulu now.
Oh, well color me green! You have some great birds there we don’t have! I hope you have some time to bird, and hunt for doors while there.
Hopefully, we can catch up when you get back.
Nice; when the wildlife start to come around and welcome you it’s a sign that you’re Home! Also, makes shooting easier than having to lug heavy equipment around to get shots!
It was so nice not carrying my backpack full of gear. 😀 Are you guys going to be near us?
Our artist friend in the mountains is coming over tomorrow to visit. It will be nice to see her and J.
Brilliant shots, especially like the Quail but the Flicker is exciting!
It was so exciting! They’re also so far away, and skittish!
Thank you so much, Brian!
Great photographs Deborah! I don’t know anything about birds but I do admire your skills of taking their pictures and I love the little plume on top of the head of the quail. 🙂
Thank you so much Peter! Their little head Plume is neat isn’t it.
Hope all is well!
All is well, thank you. Albeit I’m having a flu-ish cold, in the midst of summer! Severe enough to slow paces a bit. But I can still read and write 🙂
Ah, those are the worst! Hope you’re feeling better soon!
Thank you!
Fantastic photos, Deborah. <aybe I should change my habits and sit on the patop more!
Thank you so much, Pit!
Oh my, what horrible typing in my comment! 😦
No worries! I make typos all the time. I know what you meant.
I don’t worry, but I’m still embarrassed. 😉
Well, just sitting on the patio more must be good for our health, so yes, let’s do it when the temperature isn’t too hot! With your park-like setting, I bet you have some great birds there.
We do have some beautiful feathered guests, but when I sit on the patio, the angle is not good for photos. For good photos I need to sit in the garden. But still, just watching them, even from the living-room window, is great.
Wonderful photos, Deborah! Thanks for recreating the magic of your Sunday morning backyard birding. So many beautiful birds. “What a minute!” I’m also happy to hear that #1 Grandson had a good first first grade day and already has a best friend. 😊❤️
It was a great minute! Thank you so much for your lovely comment, Myriam!
Beautiful photos. You have a way with birds!
Thank you so much, Ally! My Baby Girl is an Allie I’ve been meaning to tell you. We call her Allie cat sometimes, but mostly Allie babe. 😀