Rondeau Ric

Common yellow-thraoted warber , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Such a pretty bird to be called common.

Going squirrelly , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. According to Crash, the cat, it isn't fair to have squirrels running up and sown the screen door. Now if the door was open a bit...

Big Bird , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. He may not be yellow but he is still big. The birds beside him are caspian terns which are a fairly large bird. The one in the foreground is a ringbilled gull, another good sized bird. He is a great blackbacked gull and is is really big. We get them in the early fall as they migrate through.

Doesn't that make it a tent? , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. If you can carry your lodging what else would it be?

The Kingfisher , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. He is stting on a charter fishing boat on one of the rod holders. Not sure if he is mooching for a meal or looking for some equipment to make him a better fisher bird. Belted kingfisher Megaceryle alcyon

Any shelter in a storm , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. An enterprising bird found a sheltered spot to build a nest. It probably was a robin based on where the it was and the construction. Found while birding at the Midwest Birding Symposium

American Redstart , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. We were in northern Ohio over the weekend at the Midwest Birding Symposium and the birding was good. We stopped at Magee Marsh and birded the boardwalk near the lake shore. The birds were down low and feeding which is SO much better than having to look at the tops of trees to see them. The MBS is a great event, if you are a birder and live in the midwest check it out.

The skulker , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Hidden deep in a bush an ovenbird looks for a few bugs to snack on. The fall migration is underway and we are getting lots of fall warblers and other types om birds, moving through the park. Ovenbirds are more often heard than seen and they are not calling this time of year.

Red , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. The tomatoe harvest is in full swing

messy eater , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. We have had a number of woodpeckers still feeding their young. This redbellied woodpecker, yes I know it has a red head, had a mouth full of suet which it feed to the young bird at the left of the photo. Shot through a screen.

Pretty pattern , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Just hanging around in the backyard. Happy spidery Friday.

Wind in the willow , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. This is the remnant of the willow that fell on our roof last year. It has filled out and provides shade in the morning. We have been having strong winds and rain the last few days, blowing in off Lake Erie, stirring up the lake and whipping the trees near the shore. Out willow looks like an inside out umbrella or a little bit like a palm tree. The view is from the lake side to the forest across the road from the cottage. We did have to tie the gazebo down.

Coal Mine , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Really. That small opening on the side of a hill is a drift mine in West Virginia. Drift mines have horizontal entries into the coal seam from a hillside. This one was probably used back in the 1930's. Men would crawl in and excavate a coal seam and sell the coal to one of the mines. Dirty dangerous work. Would You crawl in there?

Wilsons warbler , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. We put in a small water feature in the yard. It has a recirculating pump and two small shallow ponds that the birds are attracted to. Since the water flow was added we have had lots of activity. Yesterday we noticed 3 warblers on the south bound migration that stopped for a drink and bath. This one, a wilsons ,a black and white ,and a nicely cloured Cape May warbler.

Hi, I'm Gremlin and I'm 7 weeks old. , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. I was adopted early as I was abandoned. Now I live in a nice house with a BIG cat called Ninja. He's 14 weeks old.

A different perspective , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. I don't think you are supposed to do that on a pogo stick. In the process of doing a back flip. I can barley stay on one just bouncing around. Have a great long weekend Canada.

Tiger swallowtail , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. In the front Yard. We have had a good selection of butterflies this year.