Wooee! I had a first ever yard bird earlier this week! This Eastern Kingbird stopped on our driveway snacking on little green worms that were dropping out of the birch tree. He only stayed a minute but it still counts!
"Be sure to wash behind your ears and scrub between your toes."
"Wakey, wakey- rise and shine!" These little guys fledged today!! 
"Can you see me?"
"Can you see me?"Our dog Gidget is afraid of the wind. She gets really hinky when the wind blows and moves the doors, like she thinks there are ghosts in the room! Here she is, directly under my feet, hiding her head under the bed so the ghosts can't see her.
"Can you see ME?"Is that a cute butt or WHAT?
I know my posts have been few and far between so far this summer. I kind of feel like I've lost my balance too. It's been busy and fun, lots of softball, family get-togethers, gardening and of course running the kids around to their stuff. I work a stretch of nights every other weekend and we are just swamped in the laboratory. The workload goes through the roof when the weather turns hot. Car, ATV, motorcycle accidents, and violent incidents such as shootings and stabbings run emergency room admissions up. Since school let out, other than the peregrine banding, I haven't taken any time for myself to get out and do what I love- bird. Tomorrow is booked with taking my Mom shopping and an evening shift in the lab, but Thursday morning we're headed up to Hasty Brook! Steaks and brats on the grill, bonfires at night, my morning coffee sipped on the hill overlooking the creek. Birds. The friendly chickadees, red-breasted nuthatches, herons stalking along the creek. Bald eagles and turkey vultures soaring overhead, ruffed grouse in the spruce trees behind the camper, and the best of all- veeries and hermit thrushes calling well into the dark. I had never heard or seen veeries or hermit thrushes before we bought Hasty Brook. Those magical sounds (THE most beautiful bird songs IMHO) are forever tied to that piece of land.
Hasty Brook is the loveliest place in my world.
It's a little piece of heaven in northern Minnesota.
21 comments:
What are the baby birds--robins?
I watched a wren bathe in our bird bath today, then fly to the interior of a rotting tree (I thought i'd discovered a nest site!), roll and flutter in the dry wood "dirt" inside it and have a ball--never seen that before--like a private dust bath!
Enjoy Hasty Brook!!!!!
Lynne, my gosh, you deserve a break and it sounds like you're going to get one. Listening to hermit thrushes - there's nothing else like it, is there?
And, oh, you've got goldfinches! They're so sporadic in my yard and I even let some thistle plants thrive just for them. If they only knew what they were missing.
Enjoy your piece of heaven!
Hasty Brook sounds wonderful! I had a hard time finding the animal in the photo that follows the baby birds. I was looking in the rocks for a bird, ha. That is a bunny's tail and feet under the bed, isn't it? How cute!(I used to raise Netherland Dwarf Rabbits so I'm a sucker for cute rabbit photos.)
Nina- Yes, the baby birds are robins. I took that photo last week. Cool about the wrens in the wood dust! I've never seen that before either!
"Heaven....I'm in Heaven..."
Glad to see you....
So, how much does the frequency of toxicology labs go up in the summer? More people doing freelance pharmaceuticals when it's warm?
Lostroses- I really love th hermit thrushes. They have such a beautiful song. We have lots of goldfinces here year round. They sure are pretty in summer!
erie's argonaut- That's our pet mini-lop Buddy sticking out from under the bed. He's a house rabbit (he has the run of the house except for the basement and the formal livingroom). Except for his afternoon naptime he follows me around the house all day.
Susan- We ran 10 urine tox screens on just one night shift last weekend! If you took drugs and alcohol out of the mix, ER admissions would plummet!
Lynne - your description of Hasty Brook does sound heavenly. May I tag along? (virtually, of course!) :) Have a fun, relaxing day on Thursday.
I bet just knowing Hasty Brook is there waiting for you makes it easier to get through the hectic times.
Nice post. Sounds like you are overdue for a break. Summer is going to rush by. It always does when you are too busy. Have a great weekend!
Ruth
Love your kingbird! And, what sweet beebies! Wish I could go to Hasty Brook with you as it does sound like a little slice of heaven. Hugs to you Lynne.
Lynne, you have beautiful birds in your yard. Sometimes there isn't time to enjoy the birds and it isn't nice, is it?
Your dog is hilarious - they think if they can't see you, you can't see them :o)
Hasty Brook sounds like a birder's paradise. I wish you 80 degree days and 60 degree nights, sunshine, and lots of birdsong. Don't forget the camera.
Mary C- I wish you all could come along!
Mojoman- Knowing it's there DOES help. I'm big on daydream vacations!
Ruth- Maybe it's my kids' ages (13 and 14) but this summer is the busiest ever.
Jayne- I wish you could come too! Hugs back! :)
Mary- Gidget is not the brightest bulb but we love her! Sometimes dogs are just so goofy! I'll take you up on your weather wishes for the weekend!
Glad you're getting a break to go to the place your heart calls home. I have half a mind to drive up and say hi!
Hasty Brook sounds great.-Right Now I'm looking forward to the fall-summer is nice but I love October!-Life gets so busy-good to see your getting a break.
These are wonderful! WOW just love seeing all your yard birds!
Oh Lynne - Hasty Brook sounds so magical. Have a lovely, well-deserved respite from the hub-bub of home. Thrush song is the loveliest song.
I LOVED camouflage bunny and 'yes' - those are very cute butts :0)
So who started going under the bed first--the dog or the bunny? Those photos are too cute.
What great photos - I really enjoyed them. And I can relate to the hiding under the bed so the ghosts can't see you. Seems perfectly normal to me. Enjoy you're visit to Hasty Brook.
Hi Lynne,
I'm playing 'catch-up' from last week. Love the kingbird and on your driveway no less! Very cool.
This summer, my kitty has started hiding downstairs in our "tornado room" when it thunderstorms. The dogs just sleep through it.
Hope you have a wonderful visit to Hasty Brook. I've heard a hermit thrush only once in my life.... such a beautiful song.
Wishing you more time to breathe slowly and bird. :)
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