A Good Birding Weekend

Some of the best birding I've done lately has been from my own car. 

The dogs are used to me stopping, lifting the camera, and taking 

a bunch of shots quickly, and then driving on.  Jester usually doesn't lift his head now. 

I caught this barred owl yesterday morning, on the way to the old house. 

I did not get a really crisp picture of him, doggone it. 

I'll keep watching for him. 

This is the gorgeous red tail that lives on our corner. 

We can't forget our own (borrowed) biddies.

As I was literally in the gateway at the old house yesterday, I saw something move. 

It was a hen turkey, coming out of the treeline at our neighbor's place. 

Their house sits far back off the road... some 300 some feet... with a pasture 

in the front.  She saw the car and went back in. 

Then she gathered her courage and ran for it. 

In a matter of seconds, she was over the fence and bee-lining it through our yard.  I jumped out 

of the car at that point and ran through the yard to see if I could get her setting down in the pasture...

but she was gone! 

There is a place I love to stop on the way home, it is very quiet and open. 

I saw a truck sitting there yesterday, looking at something in the field. 

I stopped... to see this group.  I lifted my camera because I could 

see the man and woman in the truck looking at me.  They nodded. 

We all sat there for fifteen minutes, watching the two toms display. There were 

two more hens off to the right. 

As they left, we talked for a minute.  They were actually turkey hunters... and 

had been out all day and failed to see any.  I know people love to hunt... I just would rather hunt with my camera.  

At least they appreciated the birds. 

I saw this little group of wild birds on the way home... small ducks. 

This shorebird was with them too, poking that long beak 

into the water. 

Here were some of the little ducks this morning... they are beautiful.  I am 

still trying to figure out what they are.  I'm guessing they are stopping in their 

migration.  This little pond is quite a ways off the road. 

I saw this beautiful mallard drake this morning, too. 

Drakes are obvious, not just from coloring... but see the curly feathers at the 

end of his tail?  Sign of a boy. 

Biggify this to see his gorgeous feathers! 

I caught these two beauties at the side of the road this morning, too. 

And finally, the lovely mourning doves at the old house... how I love to watch them!