Rondeau Ric

Hot enough for you? , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. He had a drink of water then just flopped down as if it was too hot to do anything. Maybe he should have worn white. Summer is definitely back.

It's summer, I'm allowed to wear white. , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. This leucistic squirrel is all set for summer in his flashy summer wear.

Sometimes I sits and think , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. other times I just sits.

The visitor , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Our yellow throated warbler still shows up occasionally. He stops by for a quick drink and a bath and then he disappears.

We need more water over here! , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Most folks don't think about how the heat wave affects animals including our feathered friends. This grackle isn't singing it is panting to cool down. Put out a bowl of clean water and watch who comes to visit. Don't you love that glowing purple on its head? Quiscalus quiscula

You pull from that side.... , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. and I'll pull from this side and we will both get a grape. Usually red-bellied woodpeckers don't play well with others. This time the grosbeak and red-bellied seemed to be cooperating in getting at the grapes. This feeder attracts robins,grosbeaks,red-bellied,hairy,downey,and red-headed woodpeckers, catbirds,grackles and orioles.

Tuffted titmouse. , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. These birds used to be unusual in our area. Now they are regular visitors to our feeders. Baeolophus bicolor

Blackpoll , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. The appearance of the common blackpoll is a sign that migration is coming to an end. While they do show up ant time during the spring migration the majority come through later in May. Setophaga striata

Red-bellied woodpecker , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Up close and personal. We have red-headed woodpeckers, red-bellied,hairy and downey coming into our suet feeder regularily. We have had six of the seven local woodpecker species in our yard in one day, the 7th, the pileated, was heard from the yard making it a seven woodpecker day. Melanerpes carolinus

The spin cycle , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. I love watching birds take baths, they are so enthusiastic. First they dip, then they splash and then they hit the spin cycle.

The next American Idol , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Singing his heart out in the auditions.

wormy robin , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. I often over look robins as they are a common bird around here. If you stop and watch them they are a good looking bird with interesting behavior. The way they cock their head while listening for insects, the quick dash often followed by a tug of war as they try to pull a worm from the ground. Looks like the chicks will eat well this time.

Feeding the family , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. We have had hairy and red-bellied woodpeckers bringing in their young for a feast of suet. It's fun watching their behaviour. This morning we had a read headed trying to feed it's young but the young kept flying away and the adult had to look for it to feed it. They were skitish so I had to shoot through the living room window.

Smorgasbord , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. If you look closely you will see that the rocks have a nice selection of insects for this thrush to snack on. This is the little streamlet connected to the small pond in the yard. I rewally like the look of the water around the birds feet. Swainson's Thrush - Catharus ustulatus