I've got your back, babe!

Anyone who is lucky enough to have Gray Catbirds around would probably agree with me that they are a delight in every way. Like mockingbirds (to whom they are related) they have a wide and varied song which can go on for up to 10 minutes. They make a distinctive mew call which gives them their name. And they are beautiful, elegant looking birds with their long graceful tails and lovely soft gray coloring. And just for fun, they have a splash of orange under their tails. They show up in my part of NJ sometime around mid to late April, about the same time as the house wrens. Right now, they are most likely nesting somewhere in the shrubby vegetation on our property or nearby.

They were busy fluttering around inside our weeping cherry trees today, gobbling up the tiny little cherries that are just forming. I had to wait awhile for them both to come out of the foliage to get a shot, but it was worth the wait! While I was waiting, one of them popped its head out and I very nearly blipped that shot, but then decided I like this one with them both in it better.

Chickadee update: I quickly checked the box today where I got a snap of the one-week old nestlings arranged in a nearly perfect pinwheel, showing off a few new feathers.. Honestly, aren't they adorable? They are about 3/4 to one inch long right now - so tiny and helpless.

I also had several dragons in the garden today which was very exciting. A young male Common Whitetail was hunting from a stake in the garden. He'd sit there and watch until something caught his fancy, then dart off, only to return to his perch a minute later. He didn't seem to be having much luck hunting, but maybe he was already full. I think he is the first immature male I've ever seen, so that is kind of exciting.

I also watched the kitchen window spider (a big thing who lives in the window frame (outside) drag in a corpse from his web. I usually never see him, except in the evening when the sun starts to go down or during the day if some tasty morsel lands in his web. I vacillate between being repelled and fascinated. If you are afraid of spider, don't look at this!.

If the promised thunderstorms hold off tonight, hubs and I are going to try to get our drip irrigation system up and running so I can plant the flowers along the front walkway - deep purple alyssum!

Hoping you are all enjoying Hump Day and for those of us in the US, it's only two more days until a 3-day weekend!! Yay!

xxoo
Debbi