Watching and watched

[nlbarber]

It's a beautiful sunny Sunday, temp about 45 degrees F, so why am I at my computer? Skip that question...

I am managing some desultory bird-watching as I deal with bills and email, at the feeder setup in the backyard. A pair of bluebirds (male and female--must get that nest box with the gnawed out hole replaced SOON) and a wren scavenging suet cake crumbs that the squirrel scattered on the pinestraw, brown thrasher, mourning dove at the birdbath, downy woodpecker on the suet cake itself. I turned back to my screen a few minutes ago, then caught movement at the corner of my eye. A Carolina wren had landed on the ledge below the window sill and was staring intently into the house. Lots of head cocking and turning from side to side, some long stares, then it had enough and flew away. It's cool to watch a bird at an arm's length distance.

Good thing the cats are napping elsewhere this morning, or the wren would have had quite a scare.

Comments

[filkferengi]

Is that icon a bluebird? We've seen quite a few of them around the nature preserve.

[nlbarber]

Yes, that's a male. The females are bluish-gray instead of brilliant blue.

[filkferengi]

Cool to have the confirmation; thanks!

Can you make it to the housefilk the 27th? It's up in Doraville, not too far from you.

[nlbarber]

No, I'll be in Denver that weekend and the following week.

[filkferengi]

We'll miss you, but have a big time! [Don't forget the sunscreen.]

[nlbarber]

Hard to get a sunburn from the computer screen glow...it's a week of database testing, weekend to be spent on advance prep. Not even any baseball options for the March test, we have to wait on June for that.

You guys leave for spring training soon, right?

[filkferengi]

Next weekend. We'll be gone the 12th to the 20th.