070209-2

070209-2

We get great enjoyment from our bird feeders. Since we became serious feeders we've been getting a nice variety of birds. My favorite is the lone red-bellied woodpecker that started showing up a few months ago. Its name is a rather curious thing, because you see, its belly is not red, at least not visibly. Its head is! Why is it not called a red-headed woodpecker? Because there already is another bird with that name. The red-headed woodpecker is quite a bit different than the red-bellied woodpecker. Its head is red, too. The difference is that its entire head is red, while the red-bellied woodpecker's head is really only red on the top. There are also differences in the body markings. See the links above for more details.

Our new friend is so very majestic. He has quite a strong presence on the birdfeeder. I had never seen one before last year, and now I see him almost every day.

We were always fending off the squirrels, because they claimed the feeders while we weren't looking. I should say my husband was the one fending them off, because I rather liked them, and felt sorry for them, because they need food, too, after all. So, this Christmas my husband got a very special gift. It was a squirrel feeder! Now, not only do we feed the birds, we feed the squirrels.

Just a few weeks ago, my husband went and bought a bird bath from the Concrete Lady. We don't keep it filled right now due to the cold weather, but I can't wait to see it in action in the spring. Today I spotted a cardinal checking it out.

I've always loved nature, but it seems the older I get, the more I appreciate slowing down and really watching it.