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Sunday, March 14, 2010

The Outdoor Shower Season - Day Light Savings, Red-Winged Blackbird & More

This Canada goose has a mate and they have been coming to the shore right in front of the house every day. I think they may be scouting out a nesting site. They make a tremendous honking racket. When I've been on the phone I've been asked if there were geese in the yard as the caller could hear them.  I'm assuming they are a mated pair as I've heard her call him "Honey" and he calls her "Babe."
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It's official! This morning, I lurched awake and immediately, looked at the clock. It said it was quarter to eight; I had grossly overslept! Nonetheless, I felt, as my father would have said, shot out of a canon. What was going on here? What was going on was that for my brain and body, it was actually quarter to seven. David, in his state of glee over Day Light Savings, had leaped from bed before daylight and made busy changing all of the clocks. He has drained the anti-freeze from his outdoor shower and had his first of the season outdoor eye opener. It's thirty-six degrees Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing thirty-five miles per hour. He is prancing around, whooping and hollering that I should try it, "It's exillarating!" He shouts. "No thank you," is my polite subdued response. There are primroses and crocuses blooming in my gardens, but they don't look enthusiastic to me. They are healthy enough, but they don't look like they really mean it. They don't look like they want to be out of bed this early either. It is official, though. Spring is here even if we get a foot of snow, which we could. The lists of projects are being compiled, the lawnmowers are being tuned, blades sharpened and the migratory birds are arriving. There will be no peace in the Robinson house until November.

                                                                  Northern Cardinal in all of his glory. He has a girl friend here, too. Even pigeons are pretty if seen in the right light.



This Cedar Waxwing was one of twenty feasting on rose hips on the Popham Road yesterday. I looked, there were no Bohemian Waxwings in the bunch. A reader told me that I had erred in my previous post about the Black Guillemot. I had said that they turn white in the summer, which is not true; they turn black. The good news is that meant the one I photographed had molted to its summer plumage about 75%, a sure sign of spring.
 
This is a Red-winged blackbird. Its epaulets are concealed. It does have bright red under the scapulars, the median coverts. They show the red in flight and when they are flexing the pipes for girls and to impress other guys. They are very migratory, so it's a sure sign of warm days to come.


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5 comments:

  1. Just wait until a few sleet pellets start pinging off your hubby's noggin and see how long he stays in the outdoor shower! The tail end of this storm is to bring (possibly) an inch of snow/sleet tomorrow night. Then a warm up to the upper 40's.

    I have only seen 2 Bohemians all winter and they were with a flock of Cedars last week.

    I will be in your area bright and early Tuesday morning looking for birds. It's spring break and I need to get out and do some birding.

    Sharon says hello!

    John

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  2. Love the brilliant colors of the pigeon! I prefer the real birds rather than the T-birds!
    HG
    PS If you are in need of more Canadian geese, I'll send up a trailer full...we are inudated with them.

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  3. Love the vibrant colors of the pigeon! I really prefer your beautiful bird photos rather than the T-Bird! Tell your husband to be careful he doesn't turn into a popsicle! Since you are enjoying your Canadian geese so much I am sending you a truck load...we are inundated with them.
    HG

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  4. How about a few pix of David prancing around in his outdoor shower in temps of 35 degrees (or lower)..

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  5. I love your northern cardinal photo, that might be a good one to submit !!

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