Bird Migration and Morning Walk

Last night I’m thinking I was in the pathway of a bird migration – ha.  I was sitting outside in my swing and I had several different kinds of birds all over the place.  I had robins, magpies, king horns, western tanagers, woodpeckers, swallows, and cedar waxwings.  I’m sure I’m missing a few.  They were everywhere around me.  Some of them in flocks……lots of flocks.  It was amazing. 

These two swallows always sit on the wire above me and quietly guard their mud nest that they built in the top peak, under the eave of our home.  There little mud nest sure makes a messy area under the eave but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it.  I’ve seen this pair attack and chase off several magpies…funny.  I hope they never get that agitated with me watching them.

 

Now Gus…that’s a different story.  Last week my husband and I were out sitting in the swing when Gus came and lit on the ground right in front of us.  I guess he was expecting his bread feast but I didn’t have any bread so he flew off.  Last night I took him out his bread and he was happy.  I still can’t believe I’m becoming friends with a squawking magpie….of all birds.

This morning along a two-mile walk a friend and I were taking, I saw a meadow lark.  I’ve heard many meadow larks but this is the first time I can remember seeing one.  Their song is just beautiful and I was expecting to see a very different bird than the one I saw.  I looked it up on the internet and I guess this one was a female because the males had a bright yellow color on their throat and chest.

We usually head up this road, go 1.5 miles then turn around and come back, making it a 3-mile walk.  It’s quite a pretty walk.  We didn’t go the 3 miles today so after walking I got in my car to see how far we had walked and it clocked out as 2 miles, round trip.  We start out on level ground and then it gradually starts to incline.  After reaching the top of the hill, it drops down and there's an entirely different piece of scenery.  Love this walk.

When I went up to clock the miles, I saw some cows walking a fence line.  In the many walks we’ve taken on this route, I’ve never seen the cows.

 

At the end of our walk there were some Iris/Flags along the side of the road.  They were there last weekend, too and I was surprised that they were still there.  I didn’t think that they usually bloomed that long.  Sure are pretty flowers.

 

The next few pictures are just some sights I spotted along my drive home.  I’m telling you, I live in a very pretty area…..a photographers dream spot.

As I was getting out of my car, I heard a bunch of squawking in the trees by me.  I identified the sound immediately – magpies!  I walked over to the tree and there were lots of baby magpies hopping from branch to branch…….except one was being totally lazy and not moving an inch.  Maybe he thought if he didn’t move, I wouldn’t see him.  Another one was squawking, wildly.  He did not seem to like the fact that I was invading his territory.

Whether it be from scenery, wildlife or just about anything, this type of living is my happy place.