The Ladies are in Town (Yardbird #35)

Before we left for Alabama, we had at least one male ruby-throated hummingbird visiting the feeders so I know we'd see females any day now.  They migrate slightly behind the males, allowing the males to establish breeding territories.  Today there appeared to be at least two females visiting the feeders frequently throughout the day.  The resident male did his courtship flights in an effort to impress the ladies - it's a spectacular thing to see and hear as they travel in a u-shape at very high speed, chattering madly, while the female sits and watches.  No doubt she's keeping score.

Anyway, this is heavily cropped and had to be sharpened (something I hate doing) but it had to be a hummer today - yardbird # 35.  And it was mighty fun getting my rather rusty hummer-shooting skills warmed up.  

A few other fun things in the garden today were seeing a pair of titmice courtship feeding - this is something I almost never see them doing so that was a treat.  Also saw the first baby bird of the season - a house finch, begging loudly to be fed by dad.  Got some cute shots of that, too.  I'll put both the titmice and the finches in Extra.  

I've also put six shots from my trip to AL on Flickr, starting HERE.  Some fun shots, if you have time.  

We ended up getting home at just a few minutes before midnight last night - a very long day but it was nice sleeping in our own bed.  The cats were overjoyed mildly pleased to see us and allowed us fawn over them and give them treats.  They're givers...

In other yard news...the bluebirds and chickadees are still sitting on eggs; the house wrens appear to be very near completion on their nest; a pair of catbirds has already staked their claim to the shrubs by the garage and have started constructing a nest; and I saw a swallow zooming around the front yard, perhaps scouting for a vacant box.

No sign of the foxes today but there is a big pile of some sort of fur in the yard...and we did see one of the kits when we drove up the Lane last night.  I suspect the parents are teaching them to hunt.  We're mystified by the fur in the yard though - it looks a lot like sheep fur, but there are no signs of a body... Mysteries of nature.

Thanks for stopping by!