Monday, April 27, 2009

Birds in the Back Yard

We feed the birds practically all year round - looking out our picture window and watching them eat is always an interesting past time.

For the past several years we have had Canadian geese on the pond and some of them will come to the house to eat. Watching them nest and more times than not something happens to the eggs is part of the cycle. On occasion the eggs will hatch, babies are born and then something happens to them. In 2006 Ethel and Fred had babies (6 of them) - but in defending the babies and Mother - Fred was killed. But Ethel was a determined mother and raised all of those babies herself. She would bring them up to the house and parade them around just like any good mother. Ethel still comes around and some times she will eat out of my hand.

According to what I have read the geese will come back to breed where they were raised...so I believe the pair we have this year are ones from that raising. Today was the first day they came up to the house for the proud parents to introduce us to the goslings...and vice versa.100_0935 I named the parents Dick and Jane (yes, real original names) - can't tell them apart as both have the same markings and are the same size. You can tell how close they came to the house in this picture as you can see the porch railing in the lower left hand side. 100_0931 Leon first spotted the babies a week ago - so they are not much older than a week to 10 days.100_0945 100_0948 Aren't the babies cute!

We put up the finch feeders a couple of days ago.100_0950 100_0920 The first picture was taken of the feeder closer to the house - reason it is clearer...second picture is feeder further away...yes, it is fuzzy somewhat.

This is just some of the birds that come to eat...saw a pair of dove out there while I was working outside this afternoon.

Earlier in the spring we had 16 wild turkeys in the yard - right by the patio - eating away on the bird feed. The hens are sitting now...so we won't be surprised to see baby turkeys coming around.

Living in the country definitely has some advantages.

20 comments:

Michelle said...

Thank you for sharing! What great entertainment you have!
be blessed,
Michelle

Picket said...

Oh you lucky thing you....I would love to see such as that in my back yard...we feed birds all year also...and see several different kinds but no turkeys or Canadian geese...But I do get to see the geese when they fly over head migrating..those baby ducks are precious! Thanks for coming by...I will put the pillow cases in a shadow box....I could never bring myself to use them! lol I hope you have a great week sweetie!

Val said...

We love our birds too. We have a couple of geese that raise little ones on our pond. Very seldom do we see the babies much if at all. I guess that is why. Something must happen to them. So sad. Your pictures are great.

Christina said...

Oh how precious. I've never seen any geese with little ones. I wouldn't ever want to stop watching.

Three Birds Inspired said...

After I get a treen in my yard, I would love to put in a feeder. I miss watching the birds. Your goslings are darling. At my house in Virginia we had a wild mallard pair (and family) but never geese.

Kristie said...

How beautiful! I just love country living, I find it very relaxing! I love watching all the birds coming around! Love your big geese!
Kristie

Belvie said...

I love birds. I'd love to have all them come visit my house....except those Canadian Geese. We get flocks of them on the pond by my house. They are beautiful.....but leave the nastiest mess behind!

Jen said...

You know I totally would enjoy this!! :D Those little ducks sure are cute and have a place to call home - how sweet.
Your Finches are sure do add nice color to the yard too. Enjoy!!

Amanda said...

What fun to see the goslings grow up. I love your finches, they're so colourful.

Hunter said...

Oh, what fun. Your yard is a nature preserve.

Thank you for sharing the great photos.

Darilyn

bj said...

O my gosh...these are so wonderful. How I envy all you ladies that live on the waterfront...out here in West Texas, it is so far to a body of water, we can seldom go. We have a little lake fairly close by but it is always so full of people, you can't find a spot to do anything.
Thanks for sharing these with us...

Norma said...

It must be so much fun to sit on the deck and watch all the action in your yard. I know there is a lot of work there but definately worth it!

Thank you for sharing the pictures of the geese and ducks!

Bo said...

Hi Amelia...Just getting a moment to come by for a visit...Your yard setting looks so beautiful & peaceful...no wonder the geese are so happy there....and the finches & cardinals are happy too I see...
;-) Bo

KyQuiltlady said...

Thanks for sharing. I have never seen the babies before, although I live close to a pond. They are always much larger when I get to see them. A friend and I went to Yatesville Lake couple of days ago for a picnic and those drakes are viscious. He hissed at us and wouldn't let the malards eat. He took all their food.

Stacey said...

Amelia, thanks for coming to visit me. I am in love with your baby geese. My mom had geese in Texas and they would disappear too. She always thought it was from coyotes.

You know, we have lots of bird feeders but only but out sunflower seeds. I can see that I'm missing out on the finches!

Have a great day. Like you, we are growing webbed toes here.

Stacey said...

Amelia, I came back to tell you...you probably don't know this because you are new to my blog but we are Texans who've lived in Oklahoma for 20 years. We love it here!

LKPheartsfood said...

Goslings! Finches! Wonderful photos! I spotted TWO cardinals today in my neighborhood and got so excited--Spring is here!!!!

homegrownsongwritersalabama said...

I miss living in the country. Thank you for the tour. I love birds and have many in my city yard. I try to leave my back yard as natural as possible and have lots of birds and some squirrels. But, to have geese...wonderful. My camera is broken!!!

Victoria said...

Oh wow, I love the picture of the finches! Also the little goslings.

Thanks for your kind words. Wish I would have learned a few things earlier in my marriage too but I'm glad things are where they are today! So much better than 11 years ago. :)

LKPheartsfood said...

Your bird posts always make me smile. I love finches!!