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  • Puff & Stretch Cowbird

    March
    20
    2009

    brown headed cowbird photo by Leanne Wildermuth

    Last night, my daughter spotted what she thought was a Red-Winged Blackbird. I was immediately impressed because (1) she’s 12 and looking for birds and (2) she is pulling from the information I’ve learned and shared to try to identify a bird and (3) she ran inside for her camera! THAT’S MY GIRL!!

    While there was this scissor noise coming from a bird on top of a tree, I couldn’t accurately tell her she was correct without zooming in on a photo to check. She’s got a junior version of my camera with a nice big fat viewing screen on the back, it was easy to zoom in and correctly identify this gorgeous male Brown-headed Cowbird.

    (Listen here to the Red-Winged Blackbird, so you can hear the similarities)

    I left her with her camera to explore the yard and returned inside. I heard a new sound coming from the back of the house, so when I peeked out, I saw a squirrel, sitting angrily in the tree and barking at the cowbird every time he would start his song.

    angry squirrel photo by Leanne Wildermuth

    Hilarious! He even went so far as to try to spook the bird off his tree. Catybug got a live video of him yelling, you may be able to see it here (though I’m not sure of her privacy settings).

    Well I decided to try to get a few shots of the cowbird from my angle, and went and grabbed my camera. Halfway through shooting, he decides to do this cute little puff and stretch, fanning out his tail feathers and quickly resuming song. I’m not sure if this is part of a mating ritual or just stretching after a long flight home – but I couldn’t resist sharing the shot!

    I’m thrilled that Spring has “officially” arrived. It’s been a long winter, and I’m more than ready!! It won’t be long before I’m out back getting dirty moving my plants around. Aaaahhh yes – gardening. It can’t get here soon enough for me!

    (ooh nice deal – Spring Hill Nursery has free S&H on orders of $25 or more to celebrate the arrival of Spring! This is not a paid advertisement, I simply buy a lot of bulbs.)

    Don’t forget to enter to win a custom portrait in my weekly giveaway!!

    {4 Comments}

    1
    sharkbytes said,

    Leanne- you have to go help Ratty escape from Mr Nutz- he’s been captured by an evil squirrel at http://everyday-adventurer.blogspot.com/2009/03/squirrel-strikes-back.html

    Your squirrel doesn’t look angry- maybe he can make Mr Nutz relent! 😉

    3.20.2009 @ 7:27 pm
    2
    phoenix said,

    I love your squirlly pics. I also entered the contest but was an hour too late AND I sent my story linkage to the wrong e-mail address…. lol jist not my week. I hope you have kicked the sinusitus in the cahonnies. 🙂

    3.21.2009 @ 4:04 pm
    3
    Mom said,

    Hi Leanne!
    Hope you’re feeling better! I miss you!

    3.22.2009 @ 7:20 am
    4

    i don’t think i’ve ever seen that bird here, we are actually fortunate that we have quite a nice selection of bird here and lots of squirrels for my dog to chase!

    3.24.2009 @ 6:58 am

    Sorry, comments are now closed.


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