Around the Spring yard!

In the shadows and in the trees of a spring morning, there are many photo ops.  Get a telephoto lens and it makes things even more interesting.

Having health challenges for 20 years that keep me close to home,  I search for things to photograph and wildlife gives me an abundance...even those pesky squirrels!

 If you have a window or two with no screens, what's out your window to photograph?  Or take a stroll through the yard or to a nearby green area,

If you are reading this from the office, take a nature break and view the out of doors (you will have to imagine the birdsongs in your mind :)
Go here to find the calls and songs of birds in your area
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Goldfinch/sound

facebook.com/sophiazeephotograp

**PLEASE NOTE** IF you have problems reading white text on black background (like me but the black is better for photography) Highlight the text and that way it is blue with white text***
Same with captions with photos.
Click on each photo to see full sized.

 Goldfinches looking patchy as the males get their glow in the dark summer color!

 This little male Ruby Throated Hummingbird is back, too.

 in the shadows of green, some late blooming bleeding hearts...

 look closely and you can read the print on this piece of nesting paper

 He's coming out while the wife is away looking for more materials

 Guarding. Saw him chase a squirrel OFF HIS roof this morning. :)

"I didn't do anything...honest. "...(yea, right) ...

**All Photographs on this blog are property of SophiaZeePhotography. Please do not use without authorized permission.  Thank you**

My signs that Spring is here!

The appearance of helicopter tree pods, morning sun through the new leaves on the red maple, the goldening of the goldfinches and the first hummingbird of the season !!

Cooper's Hawk and Sunny Pictures

                  Downy Woodpecker on Suet

Ok, the Cooper's Hawk below was hard to see on this gloomy day yesterday, so I took photos from several yards away, through many branches, but am posting the somewhat fuzzy pictures anyway.

The sunny pictures I am posting for because SHADOWS, SUNSHINE! YAY!

Female Cardinal

Male Cardinal

This bluejay was screaming his head off and jumping from branch to branch. So beautiful but was not into getting his photo taken.

Goldfinch

 Chickadee

Junco aka "snowbird"

Cardinal

Goldfinch Yoga, Cardinals, etc

The male goldfinch still had a burst of yellow on his neck, going into winter coat season.  I'd never seen a goldfinch pose on top of the feeder in the wrong spot. He even tried to turn upside down to eat in the wrong place.  The leg pose and expressions were cute. He appeared to be doing yoga to me.

Then we had the cardinals, male and females. Female ticked off when one bird tried to share feeder.

Another one looks to be tap dancing on the hopper feeder.  Then a sparrow on the cage moved a bit but I could still see bit of geometric pattern on his belly from the sun.

Enjoy the pictures. *waves* ...Sophia, the bird lady.

PLEASE click on the photo to see it fully sized! 

 House finch sees the pecking order for the sunflower seed on hopper feeder! Cranky birds.

"Wait your turn, buster! I'm not finished yet!"

Birds Noticed Today

Pictured above is a Titmouse looking at a green cage feeder below.  I have seven feeders or so in the winter and four bird baths around that I clean daily.

Below are mostly House Finches (They look similar to Purple Finches)

 This is a Goldfinch. They have lost their summer coat of glow-in-the-dark yellow but are still gorgeous!

Squirrel in back of yard seems to be asking for more sunflower seed to eat.  He got his wish.. . we have several squirrels and they are endless entertainment!

Hummingbirds and Other birds

Click on any photograph to enlarge it.

 Tufted Titmouse on Shepherd's Hook .. .. ..

 Getting ready for take off, with topknot flat for better aerodynamics!

 Female hummingbird, looking around for other territorial females. Lots of fighting over feeders.

 I have three feeders on 3 sides of the house. This is out back window.

 Can see her tongue here if you look closely.

 Just got chased away and came back...now looking under for sneak attacks.

 RARE! Though only one is in focus, two hummingbirds are on same feeder!

Another photo before one got nervous and allowed the other one to scare it away!

 There she goes. Ruby throated hummers are very territorial.  So when you see those photos of hummers sharing feeder in an ad, it's usually a lie.  Maybe other types are more likely to share but these are not!  Dive bomb each other all the time like little war planes. Even the males with the red throat will chase away females.

 Female Cardinal with some red tufts and feathers missing. They molt every year.. the males look like they have black helmets where the red feathers are missing.

 Goldfinch on hummingbird feeder in front yard tree. Getting ready to drink plain water from the moat.

 They love these sock feeders.

 Sparrow waiting turn on sock feeder inside this little red maple tree.

On end of house, a hummingbird window feeder. Old window so glass is not too clear for photographs but so fun to watch from the recliner or sofa!