Saturday, May 4, 2013

The Saturday Update

Yesterday began with a bit of excitement.  It was about 7:30am, and I had been at the front of the house refilling the peanut and suet feeders.  As I came around toward the backyard between the house and the garages, I happened to see a Bobcat loping along the backyard from right to left.  A truly beautiful, healthy animal with bob-tail up.  Before I could fully process this sight, Padma-Cat took off chasing the Bobcat!  I screamed which only served to excite Tom-Cat who then also took off as part of the chase.  After more heartfelt yelling on my part both of my cats stopped before turning the corner around the garages - while Bobcat disappeared around the corner.  I truly think that Padma had no idea who he was chasing other than a "Strange Cat in Padma's Backyard".  Tom-Cat, while he willing joined the chase, appeared to have second thoughts and was a bit jumpy and skittish about the entire affair.  That was far closer to a Bobcat than I ever expect to be, and given the proximity of our domestic cats, worrisome as well. 

Here is a male Lesser Goldfinch.  I like the little puff of white feathers at the junction of his leg and body.

I miss having Barn Swallows.  For a couple a years a pair built a nest on the edge of a pillar on our back porch.  This year we do not have any, so it was nice to see several pairs at a plant nursery.  

It is nest building time.  While they prefer rafters, they can daub mud against a wall and create a nest that way.

This pair seem to feel the perfect site was over an outdoor seed display.

The nursery had an open shed structure.  A perfect home site.

I have just two pair of Evening Grosbeaks this year - far fewer than I've had in the past.  Even so, it is amazing how much noise these four birds make for their contribution to the Morning Chorus.  

We had a pretty hard frost Thursday morning - that causes Puffy Quail.

I've counted as many as fifteen male Goldfinches at the feeders in the backyard.

Here are two Goldfinches and one Lesser Goldfinch.

9 comments:

  1. Please don't tell me things like that...I worry about you and the bears. My daughter has a place in the NH the first time I was there we saw a bear crossing the front yard. We all ran back to the car. from then on it was bear watch.......and make noise while you took a walk down the street.

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  2. Yikes! Sounds like something my cats would do!
    Cats all think they are 10 feet tall, even the smallest kitten!

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  3. Exciting stuff indeed Beth, not the kind of excitement that you want though. I love the photo with the peachy, puffy, feathery chest - it's so bonnie.

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  4. So far behind on my blog reading... A bobcat?!? WOW. My cats would certainly act like they could take it on but the windows and/or screens would stop them from really doing it. My folks have bobcats in their area but I haven't heard of any around here. Barn swallows are some of my favorite birds - we had a pair that nested in our garage when we lived in Tennessee and it was so much fun to watch them fly.

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  5. You get some of the most beautiful close-up bird photos! We've been seeing bluebirds on a regular basis now that we have the boxes up, but I haven't been able to get a picture. But we're enjoying watching their comings and goings.
    Cathy
    CraftyCat

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  6. I'd say that was too close! I've encountered a bobcat a few feet in front of me on a trail and while it promptly ran away, that was too close for me.

    Love all the birds. We have a pair of Swallows making a nest under the upstairs deck, which happens to be right over my swing on the downstairs deck.

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  7. Yikes! I hope the cats don't encounter the bobcat again. That's scary! Your bird pics are always so wonderful.

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  8. I'm so glad the cats are safe!! How scary! As usual, wonderful bird photos!

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  9. Yikes. :(
    Fearless tigers a house cat may be but they won't win a fight with a bobcat. :(

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Thank you all. I appreciate that you've read my blog and are taking the time to comment.