New Bird in our Neighborhood

The other day I set up my blind in our backyard to photograph some of the birds that visit our feeder. We had placed the feeder close, but not too close, to our serviceberry so that the birds can scope out their surroundings before flying to the feeder. The fall foliage provided a nice backdrop. I expected the usual tufted titmice, chickadees, and cardinals. When a bird sat on a perch for quite a while it seemed to be saying, "photograph me." I did not recognize it and was thrilled that I could take almost a dozen photos before it took off. Imagine my surprise when I viewed my images on the computer and learned that the mystery bird was a "Myrtle" yellow-rumped warbler! I had never even seen this bird, ever. Sometimes the best subjects are as close as your backyard.

Return to North Chagrin

Around the same time last year I attended a photo workshop in Ohio focusing on wood ducks. I had so much fun that I decided to return on my own. This time I had plenty of sunshine. Another plus was the fact that the deck near the nature center and a trail to another deck were finished. This allowed me to zip around checking on possible photo opportunities. I knew the ropes by now and, when the lighting was good, I was ready with my camera and lawn chair to await the action. And action I got.
Besides wood ducks, I also observed Canada geese, a great blue heron, red-winged blackbirds, chickadees, a robin, and a marsh wren. It is no wonder that the park was very popular with visitors young and old. I consider it one of the best places I have photographed birds at so far.

An Autumn Garden

Our backyard is a riot of colors right now. Red, yellow, and brown trees compete for our attention. Bumblebees and honey bees are still visiting our native garden with its New England aster, goldenrod, and panicled aster; creating a pleasing color scheme in purple, yellow, and white. The milkweed seed pods are opening, releasing their seeds to the winds.

The hummingbirds have departed and other birds show up in their place. We hung our feeder last week and have attracted a variety of birds. Besides the usual chickadees, titmice, cardinals, house sparrows, and mourning doves I have also spotted a white-crowned sparrow and an Eastern towhee. Last night we heard a great horned owl through an open window and went outside to investigate. Without the help of a moon we could not make out its shape, but we heard its hoots through the night air. There is always something new to discover in our backyard.

A New Bird in our Yard

As far as bird sightings are concerned, summer has been quiet in our yard. There were the usual robins, and goldfinches drinking from our bird bath and eating seeds in our garden (and dozens of house sparrows in our front yard). So, when the blue jays out back made a racket on Monday morning, my husband went to investigate. He never did find out what upset them, but instead he spotted a warbler. Now, we have lived here for 13 years and have never seen a warbler in our neighborhood. As is usual in those cases, identifying which kind of warbler was impossible. A few minutes later I headed out with a camera to perhaps photograph an intruder, and saw a female rose-breasted grosbeak instead. I haven't seen any grosbeaks since spring and it is a sign that the birds are beginning to show up. We are therefore getting ready to hang up our feeders because they really are bird magnets. We purchased black-oil sunflower seeds, thistle, and safflower for cardinals.
We haven't spotted any hummingbirds for a while and assume that they are on their way south. May they return safely next spring!

Backyard Visitor

As we strolled through our backyard last week we noticed this small groundhog in a tunnel made out of cut grass. We wondered:
Maybe it is sick?
Maybe it is young?
Maybe I should get my camera?

That last thought spurred me into action and I set up my tripod and 400mm lens. All this commotion did not disturb the little guy, but when I clicked the shutter once it made a hasty retreat. Such is the life of a wildlife photographer. You may only get one shot...

Award Winning Bird Photography

Today's issue of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review has an article about me and my incredible feat of winning three major awards for the same photo of an airborne Tufted Titmouse.

Failures of the Gardening Year

While the successes outweigh the failures, we had a few duds in our garden:

Annuals
We purchased salvia for the first time this summer and, while they added a splash of red to our flower island, they did not attract any insects at all.

Perennials/Shrubs
A spicebush had been on our wish list for years. This year we finally found one at a local nursery and planted it in our backyard. Here it receives shade in the morning and then full sun. Its leaves are now black around the tips and edges and the whole shrub looks sickly. We don't know whether it is getting too much sun in this location and are considering to replant it in a shadier spot. Or perhaps it needs some nutrients and a dose of fertilizer would help. Or--it has just been too dry this summer to support a newly planted shrub.