.
It’s the Year of the Dandelion!
.
The fields are always full of dandelions but this year it’s a bumper crop.
Bees are happy!
.
Other wild flowers are thriving as well.
Beneath the trees a carpet of blue:
Ground ivy.
.
Wild strawberries have to be subdued because of their rampant nature.
But I enjoy the shape of their leaves
.
When we first lived here I was seduced by their pretty white flowers and soon they took over the flower beds.
So now I restrain them though how could you not appreciate the artistry of Nature?
.
Watching out for deer late yesterday, I noticed something in the grass.
A white flower? That’s new.
.
Orchid-like in shape
and quite delicate.
.
PlantNet assures me it is a white violet.
Every year brings another surprise.
.
This time of year there is almost always something going on outside my window.
.
We can’t be sure of his parentage but Little Red has certainly had several lots of babies. At the moment they are shedding their winter coats.
.
Recently Grant did his thing again.
“We haven’t seen a catbird yet.”
Behold: a catbird.
.
“You called?”
Not only a catbird, but one that was keen to pose for photographs.
.
We’d never seen one so close before.
“Did you know it has red feathers?”
.
“Let me show you.”
.
Eventually, it took a bow.
“I’ll be off now, ‘Bye!”
.
We drove up one day just in time to see Mrs Grosbeak at the feeder.
She doesn’t get out as much.
.
When I went to get the feeders in the other night, there he was having a late snack, so I waited.
.
…and waited…
Finally, I opened the door quietly and went out onto the porch, but instead of flying off the bird hopped onto a feeder which was closer.
.
It was rotating in a blustery wind but the grosbeak happily nibbled its seed, seeming almost to be watching me.
Perhaps it recognised that I have a deep love and respect for birds.
It’s a nice thought anyway.
.
Not long after, the curtain came down on another day.
…and what a wonderful day that was!
Animals have a sixth sense to know our feelings towards them. 😉
You are so lucky to have birds that allow you to get that close. Even though we are kind to our garden birds, the only ones that don’t fly away from us are Robins. They just move ‘out of range’ in case we might grab them.
Best wishes, Pete.
They aren’t all so cooperative. Most fly off the moment I think “photograph”! But I do have a good zoom lens. The problem is that I can’t hold the camera still so I use the setting that shoots multiple shots very fast and hope for the best. Chickadees are the most tolerant and that grosbeak.
How beautiful the strawberries’ leaves are with the droplets on them – they look like tiny beads. I’ve never seen a catbird – and it’s a lovely bird, isn’t it? But I think today Little Red’s little one is my favourite in your post!