Birds everywhere

Needless to say, this is the time of year we're dripping with birds. Here are a few we've seen.

Western bluebird.

Robin. Still one of my favorite birds.

Black-chinned hummingbird.

Barn swallow.

Tree swallow (down at the lake).

Osprey (down at the lake).

Loon (down at the lake).

Canada geese (with wood ducks behind)(down at the lake).

Mallards (down at the lake).

Eurasian collared dove.

Killdeer (three of them).

Meanwhile we have a blackbird nest in the corner post of the garden.

Here's the mother, eyeing me suspiciously.

She's sitting on five eggs.

A few days later, the babies had hatched.

Bump the post slightly, and mouths pop open.

Here's the mother, scolding me with her mouth full.

Here's a male red-winged blackbird. We have numerous nests in the cattails in our pond.

As a side note, yesterday a hawk flew low over me clutching a squirrel in its talon. What a windfall for the hawk. For the squirrel, not so much.

Brownie points in heaven

Aww, this will bring a smile to your face! A Spokane banker rescued some baby ducks from smashing themselves on concrete by catching them as they dropped out of their nest. Watch this clip. Restores my faith in humanity!

This guy's earned himself some serious brownie points in heaven, I'm guessing...

Cheese and Quackers

Some neighbors took a trip this weekend and asked us to watch their ducklings, Cheese and Quackers. Awfully cute little things.

Lydia certainly was curious. What's less known is what the ducklings thought of this huge massive head looking down at them.

We let them swim in the bathtub, where they thought they'd died and gone to heaven.

Lydia had to watch this too, no doubt wondering if these strange critters were new members of her flock she would be required to guard.

The neighbors came by this afternoon to collect the ducklings, but for a few days it was fun to have babies in the house again.

Poor little ducklings!

Here's a short video clip of some ducklings obediently following their mama in New Zealand - until a strong gust of wind scatters them.  Poor little guys!