The torment of an artist’s soul

I read an article in our small paper Monday morning.  It was about the importance of journaling.  I used to be much better at doing that, putting thoughts, drawings, and scribbles down on paper.  It got me to thinking about the artist that lives within me.  I’ve always considered myself an artist and have been so all my life.  I’ve dabbled in about everything art related through the years.  My problem is never having enough time to pursue everything I want to do in any given day.  I don’t think I’ll live long enough to accomplish all that’s in my head

I wondered how I’ll ever manage the Nano (National Novel Writing Month) this year when I can’t even keep up with my blogging.  I’m working too much, trying to do some rewrites on my mystery book, keep up with the house chores and my blogs.  It’s tough to do.  I came to the realization that Nano may be out of the question for me this year.  It pains me to say that unless I use it for notes, or my daily journaling, if I can get into that habit again.  I’ve always wanted to write a book about my experiences as a food demonstration person, but of course I don’t want to post much about that because I’m still working doing that job.  I don’t think my remarks would go over very well if anyone from work read it. 

These birds are having the greatest time.

So I spent some time enjoying the birds today.  They flocked to the birdbath and crowded in there shoulder-to-shoulder.  I love watching them frolicking in the water.  They always tend to do this when the weather is cooler.  Today it’s only 65 here with a cool breeze blowing.  It’s chilly if I’m not standing in the sun.  I do dread the thought of winter coming, but it’ll be here before long now.  Last night we had some very strong wind that sent patio chairs and plant pots sailing around.  I do hate it when it gets like that, but the wind blows hard here in the desert and quite frequently.

More next time.  I must weed out some email now with the thirty minutes I have left before hubby gets home.

The cleanest bird in town

Sunni's photos

This hawk comes to the birdbath daily around dinnertime.  Either he’s obsessed with cleanliness or he’s cooling off, or both.  He hangs out here, takes a spin around the desert, and comes back and hops in the birdbath again.  He’ll hang out here an hour or so each day.  Of course, this has discouraged the other birds, everybody that is except the hummingbirds, which aren’t afraid of him and will buzz his head while he’s cooling his behind.

 Sunni's photos

 

The other birds are here now earlier in the day.

I’ve spent hours watching this guy and have taken over a hundred pics of him and his routine.  I kept trying to get some bathing shots and finally did.  I’m usually at the sink washing dishes or cooking dinner.  I never catch him in the act because he’s usually already wet.

 Sunni's photos

I took all these pics through the kitchen window.  To my surprise, they turned out well considering the glass between this raptor and me.  But I knew if I went out on the patio, he’d fly off and I’d never get a photo.  The only time that’s worked for me was about two years ago when a monster-sized one of these birds landed in the birdbath.  It wasn’t afraid of me at all and let me get within about two feet of him with my camera before he flew off.  This bird is much smaller and he looks young and not yet full size to me.

Sunni's photos

The birdbath is about fifteen feet from my kitchen window, so I zoomed in as much as I dared.  Have you seen a bird of prey this close?

Sunni's photos

 

Enjoy.

Sharing

I have more wildlife to share with everyone today, as well as a beautiful sunrise.  We don’t get many of these orange ones in the mornings.  This color is usually reserved for sunsets around here.

Sunrise in the desert

We’ve had a bird of prey visiting us almost daily so he can use the birdbath.  I’m usually washing dishes when he makes his appearance, so I was lucky to get these shots so far.  I’m still hoping to get one of him splashing in the water.  I know he does because he’s all wet and displaces half the water out of the birdbath.

He usually hangs out a while, but you have to be so fast to get a good shot when it comes to birds.

Sparrow feeding her baby

I was lucky to get this one too of a sparrow feeding her chick.  I spotted the youngster on the table and grabbed my camera to wait for her to come back.

And here's more quail.

Of course, the orioles are still steady at it and drain the hummingbird feeder in a week.  This giant feeder holds six cups of nectar.  The poor hummers compete for their time to drink the sweet nectar.  I’ve started making extra and keep it in bottles in the fridge.  We have five females on there daily.  These gals hang out in the trees all day and frolic around chasing each other and feeding.  The males are more elusive and it’s harder to get a shot of them.

I never get tired of watching the birds and the cats don’t either.

The Robins are Back!

Robin in the Locust Tree in the back yard

Of course, I have one thing to say about this—yippee!  Spring must be coming shortly.  The first one showed up last Saturday.  This is thrilling for me.  They come and go all day.  I’ve managed to get a few pics, but so far have missed them splashing around in the birdbath having a grand time.  By the time I get the camera, they are out of there already.  I’m determined to get one.  If I do, I’ll post it.

Robin on the birdbath

Pool Time – For the Birds

These desert birds are the craziest things I’ve ever seen. They move around constantly, from the bush to the ground, to the wall, out into the desert, and back again, all day long. I would be so tired at the end of the day from beating my wings so much. The only thing I can figure out is that it must be a survival instinct and this constant movement makes them a harder target for the birds of prey that swoop in unannounced.


They use the birdbath as the neighborhood pool, usually in spring and fall. I have no idea why they don’t do it much when it’s 105+ degrees outside. You would think they would need to cool off then. Instead, they stand around with open beaks and spread out wings trying to endure the hot days. I caught this picture a few days ago, the mystery of what was happening to water in the birdbath solved.

Sunni's Photo Album

The word spreads around the neighborhood and that birdbath is like the public swimming pool with birds in there shoulder-to-shoulder splashing their hearts out, water flying everywhere.

We even have a yellow parakeet that has joined the group now and become part of the wild pack of birds. It must have escaped from someone’s house; I don’t know where it came from, just showing up one day this last July. We did attempt to catch it at first, but that was a lost cause, so I’m hoping it won’t freeze to death this winter. So far, it’s managed to evade the birds of prey too. I think it must be learning the ropes from its new pals because it does the same thing they do and flies in a flock.

Sunni's Photo Album

When the birds do take off on these erratic flights all day long, it sounds like an airplane, there are so many beating wings out there. Besides the normal sparrows and finches there are doves, pigeons, and quail along with other various birds from time to time.

They are ready to squabble over the birdbath come sunset because everyone wants in there.