"I'm ready fer my close'p"
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
United States
September 2, 2019 12:50am CST
Livin' where I do, birds 'f color 're rare. Most 're shades 'f grays 'n browns. Like this fella, a Curved-Bill Thrasher. But jest look 't those eyes! They seem to vary from a light yellow to this fiery orange.
Their song 'tis a delight to my ears, though imitated by a few others. The size 'f such's 'bout the equivalent 'f a robin they say, but I'd say a lil bigger? 't least that's been my findin' here. Very bossy 'n most intimidatin' to the smaller birds, 'xcept the hummers who pay 'em no mind.
Usually I see these birds perched 'top the huge prickly pear cactus out front. E'ery now'n then I'll witness one comin' to the waterfall fer a bath 'n a drink. Catch glimpses 'f 'em foragin' through the thick vines 't the back 'f my lil sanctuary.
Imagine the flutter 'f my heart when such sat so proudly 'top the hummer's feeder. To my surprise, 't then flew to the bird feeder 'n gobbled down a couple 'f pumpkin seeds.
Would'ja be frightened seein' such a bird? I think they're jest beautiful, gray feathers'n all.
19 people like this
16 responses
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Sep 19
yes ma'am, 've quite a few feeders fer the various birds. oh, that ms. carol 'tis blessed with blue birds'n cardinals, all sorts 'f beautiful butterflies 'n other critters. i'd love to go'n sit with her'n her garden!
2 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
3 Sep 19
@Janet357 yes, they seem quite fond 'f the shelter/nestin' places'n the trees planted, e'en more so the pond/waterfall.
'twas a rough time gettin' pic's 'f 'em today, lol. lots 'f activity today fer some reason?
1 person likes this
@Janet357 (75646)
•
3 Sep 19
@crazyhorseladycx yes. but i think you have a vast yard as well and lots of trees so that a lotmof birds come to visit your plac.
it is hard to get a nice shot of animals especially birds as they tend to move a lot.
1 person likes this
@kareng (59167)
• United States
6 Sep 19
@crazyhorseladycx Yes, it all started with Lucy, my Blue and Gold macaw that I hand raised. I wanted a parrot and wanted a tame one, so bought a baby out of the nest after training with the breeder on how to feed and take care of her. I also read a ton of books. She was awesome and of course, led to other pet birds. My girls all wanted their own pets and one bird led to over 200 at one time counting all the species and breeders I had. Hubby built me an aviary in our back yard and I had it filled with birds and cages. I had different species of finches, parakeets, lovebirds, green cheek conures, cockatiels, amazons, African Ringneck, African Grey, and maybe a few odds and ends over the years. It kept me super busy with working full time. The best part was taking babies to work with me for feeding every 4 hours. I had a great boss back then. I had professors and students who would stop by my office to see the babies and watch them grow.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
6 Sep 19
@kareng wow! that's a whole lot'ta birds to've responsibility fer. bet 'twas fun fer yer co-workers 'n students to watch such magic :)
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
5 Sep 19
i didn't know ya used to raise such :) yes ma'am, a beauty fer certain. they're usually here year round, jest hard to get a good pic 'f. comin' to the bird feeders tells me that with our lack 'f moisture, the pickin's 'd be slim out'n the wild fer 'em'n others who come to my lil sanctuary.
with the influx 'f the 'herd' 'f feral cats, many 'f the migratory birds 've abandoned my place. e'en the bullock's orioles (miss those somethin' fierce!) 'd started comin' durin' the spring 'n raisin' their young. i've not seen a single one this year - not e'en when the grapes ripened, which's what started 'em comin' years 'go fer those few weeks 'f the year.
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41428)
• United States
2 Sep 19
No fear, just a beautiful creature! Those eyes are other-worldly.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
3 Sep 19
i'm hopin' to see more 'f him/her? i believe there'd be 2, but need more pics to compare to be certain. 'tis definitely a looker! the hubs calls 't "that ugly gray bird" :(
1 person likes this
@1creekgirl (41428)
• United States
3 Sep 19
@crazyhorseladycx Men. What can I say.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
2 Sep 19
I had my feeder up until the squirrels knocked it down and broke it. I always buy the kind that shuts down if a squirrel gets on it. I will be looking for a new one before winter...I love your photo and no I'm not afraid of any of the birds. We have Hawks in our yard once in a while. They know they are too big for the feeder but they do clean up the grass by eating what the little birds drop to the ground... ( you bird looks mad but I think its just his look...)
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Sep 19
wait a sec, they've feeders that do such? so sad to learn they broke 't. the lil squirrel who came here'n june 's now been missin' fer 3 weeks. i hope no harm came to the lil fella 'n he jest found a place nearby with less feral cats.
i've ne'er seen the hawks eatin' seed here? 've sadly watched's they've caught a dove 'r other bird 'n eatin' such sittin' 'top my fence. i confess to gettin' a tad tickled last year 's a young hawk seemed to be unaware that 'lthough the small birds can/do land'n the water lily pads, such's not a good idea. i like to ne'er 've gotten 't to grab hold 'f the tree limb i offered. he 'twas plum 'xhausted 'n soaked to the bone. took a bit fer him to recover from such.
yes ma'am, they look cranky all 'f the time, lol.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Oct 19
@PainsOnSlate aw, 't least they'd a lil respite from the weather, eh? perhaps food 'tis still quite abundant 'round yer parts 'n that'd be why they didn't partake'n such offerin'. i can tell when the lands here're stressed 's my feeders're quite oft 'lways full.
1 person likes this
@PainsOnSlate (21852)
• Canada
2 Oct 19
@crazyhorseladycx for my birthday my best friend gave me a new bird feeder and its up and not used until yesterday. It was raining and the new feeder has a hat so the birds didn't look hungry, just wet, they stayed on the feeder for a long time but didn't eat...must not have been hungry.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Sep 19
sure made my day :) he returned 'gain today to grab some tasty seeds. i reckon our native birds need to blend 'nto the landscape, so few natural places fer 'em to seek refuge from predators. wonder if'n such'd be the case where ya live?
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
9 Sep 19
@nela13 aint that jest sad? they'd a piece'n the news here last eve 'bout a place here'n new mexico where's they've been puttin' out poison fer rats 'n mice. a lady's a critter sanctuary/rehab place there. she was showin' the repercussions 'f such. lots 'f owls, hawks, fox 'n e'en a couple 'f coyote pups 'd been killed by such. nah, they didn't eat the poison - they ate the rats 'n mice who'd eaten the poison.
that's why i fight with the hubs constant 'bout undesirable critter control. he wished to spray poison out here due to the mass population 'f grasshoppers who've destroyed the garden 'n damaged some trees/shrubs. the birds, lizards, fox 'n feral cats catch'n eat said grasshoppers - the residue would be ingested by 'em 'n they'd die, too.
wonder if'n somethin' similar aint happenin' 'round where ya live? the farmers 're prone to their toxic poisons, too.
1 person likes this
@nela13 (58669)
• Portugal
9 Sep 19
@crazyhorseladycx I live in a rural area and there are some woods around but you are right natural places are disappearing and they have no places to hide from predators.
1 person likes this
@stringer321 (5644)
• Kiryat Ata, Israel
4 Sep 19
Big like for you for looking at the birds. Now that you've described the bird's eyes colour, I think you can find a small diamond surrounded by regular rocks. Those eyes are magical :-)
What a nice closeup. Keep taking pictures and maybe record them and upload to youtube.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
4 Sep 19
thanks much fer yer kind words 'n great observation, too! i love critter watchin' 'f all sorts. used to've quite a few 'f my pictures there'n youtube, made slide shows 'f the various birds, horses, sunsets, etc. i dismantled such some time 'go.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61102)
• United States
2 Sep 19
I rarely see the birds in my neighborhood, I hear them chirping but they hide in the trees.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Sep 19
i'd not here either 'xcept fer the waterfall/pond 'n feeders. i reckon that'd be cheatin'? the pond/waterfall 'n plantin' 'f all the trees 'twas most selfish'n my part - since none're native. but, o'er time, critters 've found 't a purty good place to hang out.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
3 Sep 19
thanks :) this species most oft looks quite serious, like'n a mission, lol. i 'twas tryin' to catch him by the pond. not fer certain what he 'twas doin'?? perhaps gettin' a bug, lol.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Sep 19
yes ma'am, i thanked him fer such. most oft they're quick to flight 'n foragin' through the thick vines.
1 person likes this
@RasmaSandra (79858)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
3 Sep 19
That is sure a cute bird and a great close-up. I have gotten some closeups on pigeons and gulls that don't seem so skitterish.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
3 Sep 19
i'm surprised this'un remained still long 'nough fer me to snap a pic. usually they're gone with any movement. i reckon the pigeons 'n gulls're used to human activity, so're not so bothered?
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Sep 19
yes ma'am, quite majestic lookin'. sure makes 't easier when they do so, lol.
1 person likes this
@just4him (317062)
• Green Bay, Wisconsin
3 Sep 19
@crazyhorseladycx Yes, it does.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
3 Sep 19
i'm so glad folks here say they'd not be frightened by the eyes 'f this regal lookin' feathered friend. seems this might be a female? perhaps a youngster? jest snapped this pic a bit 'go 'n the eyes/feathers 're darker. then 'gain, could be due to the cloudy skies?
so nice to be able to share this passion 'f photography 'n bird watchin' with ya. yes ma'am, 've 'lways gotta've a camera ready, though i've yet to find one compact 'nough to take out'n the pasture with me. a large hawk landed not 40 ft from mr. whiskey's corral this morn. 'twas a beaut with the early mornin' sun settin' highlights to 'ts feathers. i figure such's been drinkin' out'ta mr. whiskey's water tank :)
photo is beautiful
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
2 Sep 19
yes ma'am, yer cats'd no doubt catch a few. such happens here with all 'f the ferals. 'twas a tad more rare with jest the one resident cat.
