Predawn Encounter!

   Being up before dawn gives one an entirely different view of the world.  At that time, the mind is not yet cluttered by the day's events and the brain can decipher things far more clearly.  Distractions of everyday life can often get in the way of what is really happening right beneath our noses.  I see things.  I hear things.  My brain absorbs things.  It is no wonder that this is a favorite time of day for me.  

  I was on the pier before dawn to watch the sunrise.  The show did not disappoint as a kaleidoscope of hues lit up the sky.  Since the weather forecast called for dense clouds, I was sure the sun would catch hold of each and every one.  It was spectacular!  Then, a real treat was in store for me as I meandered back up the board path to the Little Bayou House.  A soft chirp let me know that one of my bird friends was awake and aware that I was out and about.  On a dead branch of the avocado tree, a lone blue jay stared down at me.  It softly chirped again and looked down at the bench where I usually put seeds for my friends.  The bench was empty.  Obviously, the jay was letting me know that it was hungry!  I had to remedy that situation right quick.  With a cup of seeds in hand, I was surprised to see my friend still on the branch waiting for breakfast.  Carefully, I sprinkled the seeds on the board seat and stood back to converse with bird.  "There you go, my friend."  "Chirp" "Yes, I know you are hungry but it is still pretty dark."  "Chirp"  "Alrighty, then!  Have at it!"  "Chirp"  Yep, it almost seemed as if the bird was answering me.  I stepped back about two feet and the jay fluttered down to the bench, grabbed a seed and flew back to its perch.  Ahh, life is good.

  Being still dark, I headed inside to make a mug of coffee and, then, joined my friend in the garden.  There, in the stillness of the early morn, we shared a bit of satisfaction along with our repast...my coffee...the bird's sunflower seeds.  We were both happy campers.  Life is good.

Just Like In The Movies!

  More oft than not, the Bayou Neighborhood Watch is spot on with their calls.  I am referring to the network of blue jays who send up the alarm whenever a predator is near.  I can pretty much depend on the accuracy of their alarms...pretty much.   Then, again, if that predator is a fat and lazy thing, the alarm is moot.

  Yesterday evening, the alarms started.  This time, it was close...too close...and frantic...too frantic.  My first thought was that our huge resident rat snake had made an appearance in the arbor.  Since the seven foot long snake has not been seen in a while, this was the perfect chance to get a photograph.  With camera in hand, I slipped out the front door and eased my way to the east arbor.  Here the rose brambles were wild and woolly!  The neglected arbor seemed to be the perfect place for the snake to reside but no snake was found.  Instead of a threatening predator, I found a confused cat.  Fat and lazy, Ms. Nycto had been snoozing beneath the arbor when she was literally attacked by an angry mob of blue jays.  The bewildered cat had no idea what she had done to merit such a brutal awakening.  She darted beneath the house to escape leaving me to face the wrathful jays.  I was being dive-bombed from every angle and being hit by a bird is no fun.  It hurts!  This was like being in the midst of the Alfred Hitchcock movie "The Birds"!  It was not fun!

  Then I spied the source of all this ruckus.  About three feet from where Ms. Nycto had been napping, a baby jay was frozen in fear.  The little bird had obviously been learning to fly and made a crash landing next to the sleeping cat.  Once the parent birds realized how close their little one was to the potential predator, they sent up the call and every bird in the county seemed to come to their aid.  Once the cat made her retreat, the birds transferred their attack to me as I had nearly stepped upon the baby jay.  

  I picked up the little troublemaker and placed him high on the fence post.  There he could have another chance at a good takeoff without struggling too much.  With the birds still screaming at me, I made like the cat and took a hasty retreat. She and I did not need to be pelted by birds and Baby Jay needed to perfect his flying skills before it got too dark.

Be Quiet! I Am Trying To Nap!

  Normally, I would say that blue jays are not my favorite birds.  They are raucous, eat my fruit and do not play well with the smaller songbirds.  I prefer those who can get along with other critters and let things stay happy on the Bayou. I will say, however, that occasionally the birds are good to have around the place.  In their defense, they do eat a lot of bugs, chase off the crows that feast on other birds eggs and make lots of noise.  Yep, that same cacophony that is often irritating, can also be a lifesaver of sorts.  The blue jays are the alarm system of the avian world.  Let one snake slither into sight and the alarms can be heard for miles.  Let a hawk, fly overhead and every bird and small critter knows to take cover because of the shrill yells.  Let a sleepy owl be discovered and it has to find a new snoozing spot because the jays scream bloody murder.  They do their part of protecting critters from a possible predator.

  This morning, I was sitting in the rocking chair looking out over the calm waters of the Bay.  The morning air was cool coming through the screen doors and I had a mug of hot coffee in hand.  All was right with the world or at least with my little spot of paradise.  Then, one jay started yelling breaking the silence of the morn.  Within fifteen seconds another blue jay joined the fun.  Then another and another and yet another.  Soon a dozen or more jays were in the top of a nearby pine tree.  They were joined by a bevy of other birds.  Woodpeckers, thrashers, wrens, cardinals...all were there to see what the trouble was and to help scare it from the area.

  Ok, so curiosity got the best of me and I left my comfy spot to go investigate what was causing all of the commotion.  It took me a few moments to find the jays' target but, just as I thought, it was a potential predator.  A beautiful owl was perched on a high limb in the same pine tree.  With my presence, the jays soon decided to depart which encouraged the other songbirds to go about their business as well.  The owl, on the other hand, stared at me groggily as if to say "May I please get some sleep?"  Yep, Mr, Owl! Take a nap!

The Quick Escape!

  Watching the critters on the Bayou and surrounding hillside is a favorite pastime of mine.  After the chores are finished, it is not unusual to find me on my hands and knees staring at some critter.  A couple of days ago, it was another skink that caught my eye.  A gorgeous red headed skink was lounging on a groundsel bush limb in the edge of the marsh.  I had the perfect vantage point to watch the lizard while sitting in somewhat comfort on the pier.  The skink caught a few swamp flies before drowsing for a bit.  The bit of sunshine made me want to do the same.  It was quiet, hot and humid which made for a good resting time.  At least I was in the shade!  The lizard, however, was sitting out in the wide open as he dozed.  He had nary a care in the world....so he thought!

  My pretty skink almost met his pretty end by being lazy.  It was not long before a blue jay spied the lizard and decided that it looked a lot like lunch.  The bird was in a pine tree that sat right above the groundsel bush.  While the skink rested, the jay swooped down to make the catch!  Oh, my!  I have never seen a lizard move so fast in all my days!  The startled skink flipped off the branch and raced toward the pier.  If he could make it under the pier, he might be safe!  The blue jay was having no part of this and flew after the skink.  Twice, the bird flipped the lizard up in the air and, twice, the skink escaped.  Hurry, Mr. Skink!  Hurry!

  I am happy to say that the skink did, indeed, make it under the pier. Just in the nick of time, he darted under the pier and dove under some matted marsh. Whew!  The skink was safe, the bird was still hungry and I just witnessed a near miss.  I bet old Mr. Skink will think twice about snoozing on the groundsel bush again!

Baby Day on the Bayou!

Today must have been officially declared "Baby Day" here on the Bayou! Being as it was so hot..too hot to work..I retreated to my "birdwatching" chair. Hubby decided to join me in the difficult task of sitting and watching the birds come to the feeders and birdbath. I guess he figured since I was working so hard, he would help me! I was glad to have his company because it made me feel less guilty about whiling away the hours staring at birds. He was the first to notice that it must have been Baby Day..the day that a lot of the little hatchlings took flight for the first time.

A baby Blue Jay was sitting in the fork of a large oak for the longest time. We had tired of looking at him after about fifteen minutes and as many pictures. It was then that we noticed he had moved. Where had the little tyke moved? We were a bit wary, since Ms. Put was on the prowl and baby birds always make easy targets for tired, old cats. I could hear the soft chirps of the little one but could not locate him. It was then that Hubby pointed to a small bush right near my feet. I had pulled a second chair in front of me to use as an ottoman and practically right against that was a crape myrtle bush. There in the bush, which was little more than a twig, sat the baby. I quickly swapped chairs so that I was within hand's reach of the itty bitty bird. I cooed softly at it..it responded. Not with a "happy to meet you" look but with a scared-stiff, deer-in-the-headlights look. It let out a panicked screech. The leering looks of the parent birds caused me to back off a bit. Still with arm's reach, I snapped picture after picture. The little guy was in no hurry to leave so I figured he must not have been too frightened. After about another fifteen minutes, he hopped to the ground and headed for the birdbath. It was there that the parent birds were calling softly to him. Once there, he hopped up on one of the benches and proceeded to flap his wings as if he wanted to fly. And fly he did! Not far but at least far enough that it made me feel confident that he would be ok. From there he headed to the oak tree near the marsh..Mom and Dad bird hovered around him until he made a painfully slow ascent high enough in the tree to be safe.

At the same time this saga was unfolding, the Red-bellied Woodpeckers brought their young one to the feeder. The little one was perched on one of the nearby oaks and evidently told to stay there! The parent birds would fly to the feeders, pick out a seed, fly back to the tree, shell out the seed and finally feed the hungry squirt! The tot would flap its wings and make all sorts of racket each time Mom or Dad would land on the tree. Eventually, they stopped visiting the feeders and started looking along the ridges in the tree bark for bugs. They would chirp for the little one to search, too. Finally, I think it was getting the idea! Bugs! This little tyke was one happy camper!

I did notice that the Titmice were busy introducing three of their brood to the feeders and one Redwinged Blackbird had two of her chicks out of the nest. Baby Day! Maybe with the temperature hovering near 103 today, the nest was just too hot!

Hot Times on the Bayou!

Its hot! It is very hot on the Bayou..and it is not even summer, yet. Technically, we are still in spring..so, it seems that something is amiss here! Perhaps this is just another effect of the drought..but then you would think our humidity would be way down..not so! Here is how it stands weatherwise on the Bayou..temperatures are in the mid 90s during the day..low 80s at night..dry, very, very dry due to the lack of rain..but with high humidity..in the mid 70 percentiles. Oh man, does that ever make for a blistery hot day and a hot, muggy night! Today when I was out planting Moon Flowers and Morning Glories, I noticed the thermometer that sits in the rose garden. I suddenly felt a lot hotter! Whew!

With the hot, dry weather, I noticed that the birdbath was always empty! Every morning, I would take two gallons of water all the way down the hill to where the birdbath is situated. Every afternoon, I would notice that the bowl had only about two cups remaining. I had started thinking that maybe there was a crack in the bowl or maybe Ezzy was drinking out of it again or the water was just evaporating. While sitting in my favorite chair this afternoon, I was treated to evidence that none of the above were the correct reason for the disappearing water. There were just that many birds visiting the birdbath! In just a short time over thirty birds flew in and used the bath. Some just drank while others made complete use of the facility!! One female Blue Jay really seemed to enjoy herself! She would fly in, bathe, perch herself on the roost to fluff her feathers. Then back down into the bath again! She would splash water everywhere! Most likely, she had been on the nest most of the day and really needed to cool off a bit! This Blue Jay stayed for a good bit but Red Winged Blackbirds, Titmice, Red Bellied Woodpeckers, Cardinals and Doves all made stops to either drink or bathe. Some, I think, were just trying to cool off a bit. I might have to rig up another birdbath or two just to keep my feathered friends hydrated this summer!

As a final thought about the drought and heat..how in the world is my Old-fashioned Petunia plant doing so well? The picture is of just one plant and it has been blooming for the past several months. What started as a tiny plant in the corner of the then cabbage patch, has almost taken over the squash/ bean garden. This plant has hundreds of blooms and is probably a good six feet across! I have never seen a petunia do this well! Perhaps it likes the water that Son pours on it from the kitchen! Each day, several dishpans of soapy water are dumped on this plant. You would think that much soap would be a mite detrimental even if it is biodegradable! Evidently that is not the case with petunias! Somewhere in the midst of all those blooms, there sits an onion plant! It is almost like searching for Waldo!

Birds and Birders!

Today when I was taking a break from peeling the mountains of grapefruit to be canned, I wandered outside for a bit. It was a beautiful sunny day with just a light breeze..just the perfect day for a stroll. As I walked, I thought..pondered anything that popped into the head. Then..oh, my goodness! A redheaded woodpecker! This bird has to be my all-time favorite! It looks as if it is dressed in formal attire! A bright red hat topping off its tuxedo! I love this bird! It tickled me to watch as he would try to stay on the opposite side of the tree from me. He would peek around the side to check if I was still there then..rat-a-tat-tat..he would hammer into the tree. Perhaps he thought that Ezzy, the dog, and I might steal his grub worms! Yes..this has to be my favorite bird..but no..I do not want his grub worms!

Like I said..I pondered things while I was out and about. The redheaded woodpecker made the thoughts turn to birds. I remembered another bird that wears a tuxedo..the rose-breasted grosbeak. Oh, yes! Another lovely bird! I think perhaps the grosbeak is my all-time favorite bird! It is a bit early for them yet..but come the first part of spring, they will be here. They will only here for a short visit as they migrate through. I wish they would stay for a bit longer but I know they must be on their way. The male grosbeaks, too, wear the black and white formal wear but instead of a bright red top hat (their's is black!), they opt for the crimson ascot! A little patch of red on their breast..hence the name! Add a few splashes of white and their outfit is complete! They usually intermingle with the indigo buntings making for some pretty colorful gatherings at the feeder.

Then a flash of crimson..ahh..my all-time favorite bird..the cardinal!! Yeah..I know..this one does not wear a tuxedo, but it is just so pretty that I had to throw it in here! The brilliant red of the cardinal does something to brighten up an entire winter. It can be the most dreary, grey day out, but if the cardinal makes his presence known..the day does not seem so bleak. This one will devour every black oil sunflower seed in the feeders all the while tossing the other seeds to the ground. The doves do not seem to mind this one bit since they are ground feeders and with the cardinal above, they are literally showered with feed! I do believe this must be my sister's favorite bird..she has several paintings of cardinals in her house. What a gorgeous bird!

Well, now that I think about it, I have an awful lot of "favorite" birds! Perhaps all of them are favorites. Ones like the red-bellied woodpecker, the blue jay and the summer tanager..lots of favorites! This reminds me of a comical thing happened about a month ago. I have a cousin that is an avid birder. She prides herself on being able to identify most birds with just a glance. I stand in awe of her ability to do this and truly wish that I would take the time to learn a bit more about my feathered friends. She has all the trappings of a serious birder..the binoculars..birding scope..bird identification books..and much more..too much to tote! Anyway, last month, this cousin had a houseguest that she wanted to take birding. She called to ask if it was ok to visit the Bayou to view any unusual birds that might be around. I agreed and immediately set to making this visit a success. I filled the feeders to the brim, scattered a bit on the ground and filled the birdbaths. That should help. Then, since both of these ladies are in their 80s, I lugged two of my wicker lawn chairs to the end of the pier so they would have sturdy seating. No hard benches for my guests! Two lap-throws were added to the chairs to shield them from the icy winds. (Which I thought was a nice gesture!) All was set..birds were flocking to the yard..waterfowl had settled in on the bay..the ladies arrived. By the time we got them settled in to watching for birds..there were no birds. No birds..anywhere! It seems that every bird within a quarter mile had gotten wind that some one was there to look at them. They hid!

No ducks on the bay, no osprey in the dead pine, no chickadees on the feeders. Where had they gone?? The ladies did see on osprey in the distance and a beautiful egret but nothing out of the ordinary. The bird-watching trek was a bust! I must say that the house guest and I had quite the amusing time but my cousin was miffed. Then to top it all off..I was told that it was the lap-throws that scared all the birds away! hehe..It is funny how navy blue throws were deemed "too loud"! I can just imagine all of those fine feathered friends sitting in the bushes, giggling at their successful joke!