Birds and Blooms

Sunflower seedling in our garden.

Willow tree Robin's nest. This is the third year in a row that they've nested in this spot.

Our Tree Swallow couple is back. They're setting up housekeeping in our garden bird house. We're hoping they have a successful nest this year!

Tree Swallow coming in for a landing.

Jackmanii Clematis

Friday In My Backyard

If you look closely through the willow tree branches, you can see a Robin sitting on her nest. This is the first time we've had a bird nesting there. She is very protective and if you get within a few feet she will let you know that she isn't happy.

Daddy Tree Swallow keeps watch from his perch near our back porch. I moved our shepherd's hook closer to their bird house so they can better protect them selves from predators. We had a female Tree Swallow killed on her nest by a House Sparrow a few weeks back.

Mama Tree Swallow peeking out from her nest. She is incubating eggs right now and is spending more and more time inside the bird house. I peeked inside earlier today and there were 3 very small, white eggs. Tree Swallows are known to lay 4 to 7 eggs. They lay an egg a day. Hopefully we will have some babies here in the next week or two.

Our Tulip Poplar tree is in bloom. It bloomed a bit late this spring. I guess because of the unseasonably cool temps we had early on. They are so beautiful! It's the Tennessee state tree as well.

Our hedge row is teaming with honeysuckle. They smell so good! Brings back great childhood memories. I love this time of year and hope your Friday has been awesome! Happy Memorial Day weekend everyone!

After one of the storms last week, we found this Robin's nest laying
out in the front yard. It was blown out of one of our Maple trees.


I found this Robin egg shell in our back yard. Hopefully it was
hatched succesfully and not destroyed by an animal or an other
bird!

A Mother's Work is Never Done

I took this series of photos on May 20th as a mama Robin feeds
her three babies. The nest is in one of our cherry trees. I don't
see how that little nest held all those birds :0)


The baby bird pictured here left the nest soon after I took this
picture. The rest left a couple of days later.

Robin nest number 2. This one is located in the Japanese Maple
tree by our front porch. All you can see is momma bird's tail
feathers sticking up :0) The thing that amazes me about Robin's
nests is the fact that they're so well built.

Robin nesting in our Yoshino Cherry tree.

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

Or in this case, the insect :0)

The Early Bird Gets the Worm

Our yard has been full of Robins lately. Must mean Spring is on
it's way :0) I can't wait!!!

Cool Dip on a Summer's Day

Our birdbath has been a popular place on these
hot summer days! It's also a great place to snap
a picture or two of birds enjoying a cool dip.

Splish Splash I Was Takin' a Bath

Nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than
a nice dip :)


Now you see me, now you don't. This Robin almost
looks invisible in this picture. Too cool!


Mr. Jay Bird

"All nature's creatures join to express nature's purpose." ~ Graham Swift

Seems like everywhere you look in our yard these days,
you can see some kind of baby bird. I found this little
Robin in our front yard. Too cute!


Strike a pose!


My favorite picture!

“A bird doesn't sing because it has an answer, it sings because it has a song.” ~ Maya Angelou

Robin red breast perched in our Tulip Poplar.

Snow Animals

Our Sand Cherry tree was coated with a thin layer of ice
after our recent snowfall.


Our 13 year old cat, Jessica didn't know what to think of
all the snow and ice. Needless to say she didn't stay out
long.


We were dogsitting our favorite Maltese, Angel Button,
while her mom was working out of town. You can hardly
see her out in the snow. It was fun watching her frolic.


Button making her way up to the back porch. She took
her time coming up the icy steps.


This Robin was sitting on the back porch steps trying to
stay warm.