Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Spying on the Birds


Despite the number of cats here at Our Little Acre, we have always had our fair share of birds. There are seven feeders within view of our family room and with most of them I can capture some decent photos of the birds partaking of the seed in them.

Our local Wild Birds Unlimited (in Ft. Wayne, IN) sends out a card once a year with a discount for 20% off any item, to be used in during the month of your birthday. This year, I chose a feeder that attaches to the outside of any window, and I put it on one of the family room windows.

We have two of these, of differing designs, each on their own window.
The blue jays found the larger, open one rather quickly and visit it on a regular basis. I've not yet been able to capture them with my camera, as they seem to be very cautious and sensitive to any little movement in their range of sight. I get the camera ready and they're gone. I just need to be more sneaky, I guess.


The smaller, container-type feeder on the other window was there for a few weeks before the goldfinches finally noticed it. Today, Baby was sleeping on my lap, but when she heard the tapping on the window nearby, she came alive and jumped up to check it out. She began that chattering thing that cats do, which told me the finches were feeding.


I had my camera right beside me, so I fired it up and snapped a few photos before Baby made a lunge for the window and scared them away. She then took up her post on the back of the sofa and kept her eye on the feeder for quite awhile after that.

Hopefully, other birds will make use of the "seed bars" on the windows this winter, and I'll be able to get some other photos of them. I'm thinking cardinals...



16 comments:

Amy said...

Wonderful bird photos :) We have several feeders in view of the windows here too, and the whole family has gotten in on the bird watching. The children will often seek me out if they see an interesting bird they think I would like to photograph.

Dana S. Whitney said...

The bird pictures ARE great... but I love the colors, composition and "story" in the "cat on the sofa-- watching" one. Vermeer like lighting! and high drama potential.

F Cameron said...

Your cat photo is just perfect!

We just took down our hummingbird feeders as it looks like our 70 degree days just left on Sunday. Put up the seed feeders...you're right, it is time for the 20% off card!

Cameron

Dave said...

That feeder really lets you get close shots. It also gives you great reception for Cat TV. ;)

flydragon said...

Great shots of the goldfinches. I have a feeder very close to my window too, but when I try to get a picture, I notice that I haven't cleaned that window in a while. What I don't see with my eyes, I do see with the camera:) Better go wash it now while I'm thinking about it.

Kylee Baumle said...

Amy ~ I wish we'd been into this when our girls were little!

Knitting Painter Woman ~ Thank you! I can see what you mean - Vermeer lighting - and your observation took me back to one of my favorite college classes - Art Appreciation 101. :-)

Cameron ~ I took my hummingbird feeders down a few weeks ago. Our seed feeders are out year 'round, but it's winter when the birds empty them almost quicker than I can keep them filled!

Dave ~ You're right! And it's fun for me to watch the cats watching Cat TV! LOL!

Cindy Garber Iverson said...

I love the chattering that kitties make when they see birds. You must have quite bit of that with all the lovely window feeders around the house.

Cindy

Rose said...

Oh, such beautiful photos, Kylee! The close-up of the finch is just precious. We must be thinking alike today, because I have a post about birds as well. But I don't have the wonderful close-ups you have. Putting a feeder on the window sounds like a great idea, not only for better photos, but just a better view for bird-watching as well. Besides, our cat Toby will appreciate it, too:)

Lisa at Greenbow said...

What a wonderful picture of your kitty watching birdavision.

Brenda Pruitt said...

Oh, I love that last photo of the kitty looking out the window at the bird feeder. And the angel's trumpet. I didn't think of potting mine and bringing it in. Maybe I shall. I love feeding the birds, but how do you keep the bad mice and ants out of what hits the ground? That's what I'm trying to figure out.
Brenda

joey said...

Sneaky or not, these are great photos, Kylee ... the last, prize-wining!

Rose said...

Kylee, I just found your comment on my post about our Bur Oak and went back to read your post. Your big oak looks much like mine, and you are so right about all the acorns this year. Ours is farther from the house, so they don't fall on the roof, but I can see how that could get distracting:)

Thanks for the link to discover the age of your tree! If my calculations are correct, my tree is over 300 years old! Do you think that's possible??

Thanks so much for leaving the comment; I'm glad I was able to read your post.

Kylee Baumle said...

Cindy ~ Yes, there is a fair amount of chattering going on and I love it, too!

Rose ~ I read your bird post, and it's GREAT! I find that happens a lot with blogging - that our minds run the same general course sometimes and bloggers will post about the same or similar things.

Lisa ~ Thanks! I don't know if Baby would know what to do with one of them if she got outside and caught one!

Brenda ~ You really should bring your brug in! You have nothing to lose by trying. Mine loses nearly all its leaves over the winter, but when it warms up enough outside, I plant it back in the ground, and it takes right off.

We don't have a mice problem here (seven outside cats pretty much take care of that) and no real ant problem either.

Joey ~ Gee thanks, Joey!

Kylee Baumle said...

Rose ~ I don't know, I suppose it is possible! How good at math are you? LOLOL

That Bur Oak isn't the one that drops acorns on the roof. It's too far away from the house. It's the swamp oak and the neighbor's oak that both drop acorns on the house.

Walking on them is more annoying though!

Unknown said...

Oooh... those are great bird photos! And I love the photo of Baby, and the birdfeeder, and the brug. Those flowers on the brugmansia are gorgeous. :)

Gail said...

I have to get this feeder...I might actually be able to get a photo of a goldfinch before they fly off! Lov the cat watching the birds from the back of the sofa...a nice perch for Baby!

gail

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