More beautiful yellow birds

Taking photos through the window doesn't always give the best reproduction, but I decided to post them anyway, 'cause these birds are so distinctive.

Their bright yellow feathers with the white swatches just make me smile. And when they landed in the tree next to my deck a couple of days ago, I felt as if I'd been given such a treat.

There were about 20 of them, hard to spot in the leaves so I consider myself pretty fortunate to have found a few to capture digitally.

These two males look quite content to just sit and wait. They had moved to this tree from a maple in front of the house that has a large feeder full of sunflower seeds next to it.

Their wings are so pretty - I was glad this fellow turned around for me to catch sight of the white on his wings.













And I learned one thing, not something new but one of the lessons I always need to be reminded of in this lifetime - patience. In my effort to keep them around for a while, I opened the deck door and tossed out some black oil sunflower seeds - not using my head and just enjoying them being around, I wanted them on my deck - closer! Well that was not going to happen - they took off in a huge flock calling to each other as they headed north to a neighbour's feeder - a neighbour who wasn't in quite such a hurry to see them up close! Well actually I think they were at work, but still, I could have waited. Patience is not my long suit.

Nor even my strong suit - all you card players know what I mean by that.

In any case I do have some photos and some lovely images in my head of this skittish group of beautiful birds. Hope you don't have that same tendency - the urge to hurry something along or force something to work, but can just wait and see what unfolds. I know it's more rewarding, I just can't seem to remember that sometimes.

And I hope that if you're patient today - something really amazing happens for you - like big yellow birds landing in your garden.

Evening grosbeaks - uncommon visitors

Can you see them in this mixture of the last of the leaves on the Siberian elm, the blue spruce against the drive shed, and the farmhouse and snowy farm fields beyond? It took me a while to figure out where they were in this tree, they blend in with the yellowing leaves.

Yesterday returning from a walk with the dogs, eyes to the ground, deep in thought I heard the rush of wings and looked up to see a flock of Evening grosbeaks heading away from one of my feeders. Grosbeaks! Evening grosbeaks I thought with great excitement. And then Oh no - I've scared them away. I snuck around the far side of the house in the hopes that the birds had moved only to the tree that leans against the deck where I consistently spread black oil sunflower seeds.

Yes, they were still there!

I whispered to the dogs and got them in the house, grabbed my camera and went up to the guest bedroom in my wee loft. The tree was closest to that window.

Many photos later, I was satisfied, and thought to myself I have to tell my brother, and then,  I wish Dad could see them!

That is really what underlies the great excitement, the desire to capture these lovely birds with my camera: my father's excitement when we would see them in our backyard in the city. They were not regular visitors to feeders so it was an excitement. He taught me all about being fascinated with birds in particular and nature in general.

I will have to post the rest of the photos in my next blog - the program has decided I have no more room to put up photos unless I purchase more space - not going to happen... so until next time - I'll show you the close-ups then... but I'm still excited that these lovely birds dropped by. For a brief visit anyway and hope they return again. There were about 20 or so in the flock. Such a treat - and may you have a treat today - something to make you excited!