There is a WHAT on my feeder??? Jan. 21, 2011

To the not so avid bird watcher, he's just another "little brown job". But to those "in the know", he is SO much more! He is a Chipping Sparrow...a SUMMER visitor to these parts. A species that migrates very far south in the fall and returns in the early summer. I have NEVER seen one in the winter here. I've been checking the feeders all morning since he arrived, and he appears to be the only one of his kind visiting.

WHY is he here, on this very cold and snowy day in the middle of winter? Has he been here all along and I just haven't seen him til now? Is he months behind on the migration? 

OR.....

...is he the herald of what may be a very early spring??

Winter Moon, Jan. 19, 2011

Puddles and Daisy Fun! Jan. 8, 2011

Woodpecker vistis of Jan. 7, 8, 9, 2011

We hear their crazy calls all of the time. We catch rare glimpses of them as they scoot out of view just as we spot them up in a tree, or as they fly across the field. So it was quite a serendipity to have not one, but two Pileated Woodpeckers excavating a pine tree in the yard, in plain sight! Of course, by the time I got over my shock and grabbed the camera, one had flown off. But on the 8th and 9th of this month, one was at this tree for HOURS each day. There must have been some really yummy larvae in there! After the first 2 days of hours at a time, we saw them only briefly over the next 2 or 3 days, and as of now, haven't returned to this tree. 

 The tree already had a large split in it, but now it's wide open!

Here is the greedy Red Bellied Woodpecker. He was pecking at the window because, as you can see, the feeder was empty. He clearly was not happy about that! (Jan. 7, 2011)

 

NC Eagle 2nd hatch!

NC Eagle apprx 11:15am Jan 14, 2011

Some old Christmas pictures!

Here is my very first picture with Santa! I was just about 11 months old. The picture is in it's original card!

 

 

I'm not sure of the date of this one...but I sure do remember this dress! The tag in the back of the neck had a sparkly gold embroidered Cinderella coach, and I thought it was just beautiful!

(this sentiment is not reflected in my lovely pout! wonder what made me mad?)

My Gram, my Aunt Donna, my mother and me!

Not sure of the date for this one, either. My mother made my dress. Isn't my brother adorable! And there is Gram, wearing one of her many Christmas aprons!

Me, Gram, and my brother, Johnny.