Rondeau Ric

I’m not sure if this young Baltimore Oriole was looking for something to eat when it started picking up this stone. It picked it up and dropped it three times that I saw.  Then it very deliberately flipped it with its bill into the shallow water of the pond. Icterus galbula Smaller and more slender than an American Robin, Baltimore Orioles are medium-sized, sturdy-bodied songbirds with thick necks and long legs. Look for their long, thick-based, pointed bills, a hallmark of the blackbird family they belong to. Baltimore Orioles got their name from their bold orange-and-black plumage: they sport the same colours as the heraldic crest of England’s Baltimore family (who also gave their name to Maryland’s largest city). Baltimore Orioles sometimes use their slender beaks to feed in an unusual way, called “gaping”: they stab the closed bill into soft fruits, then open their mouths to cut a juicy swath from which they drink with their brushy...

Camouflage , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. The boys were running around the cottage going full tilt. Then it was full stop for a cat nap on the cat couch. Perfect camouflage for tired cats.

Is he still out there? , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. My son and his wife are on vacation and their new kitten, Soul Patch, is visiting. He isn't too sure about Ozzie, Crash is ok as he ignores the kitten. but Oz wants to play. Unfortunately there is a significant size difference which is making the kitten a little nervous. Soul Patch likes to hide under the bed and come out when the coast is clear. You can't see the patch on his chin in this shot.

Whirling dervish , a photo by ricmcarthur on Flickr. Crash is never sure just where Oz is coming from. He isn't there and then,WHAM, he is there.