It was a perfect porch morning.
The temperature had dropped into the 50s last night, and, once out of bed, I grabbed a fuzzy pullover to take the chill off. We decided to watch birds--Lily and I.
I never sit down at her end--there really is no need for a chair. But Lily likes this vantage point to watch the goings on in the side yard below.
I'm tucked cozily into one of 2 folding, nylon chairs (and far more comfortable than that cute hard-backed chair!) we have on the opposite end--equipped with binoculars, camera, bird book, coffee cup and slippers. Lily travels much lighter than I.
Honestly, I wasn't expecting much animal excitement.
Our tanagers have raised their brood and we haven't heard another peep out of them--literally. Where they are now, is anyone's guess. I had expected, naively, that when the young fledged, they'd stay a while, but, apparently not. This close to them again, I may never be. But, if they return next year, I'll know their call in a minute. It was fun to learn so much--and satisfying to know I had a place good enough for them to stay and nest.
The other backyard birds have become rather predictable--so I was really only "watching" with half an eye, when I picked up bright, orange-y motion in the woods.
Scrambling, with too few hands for all my "gear"--neck straps all snarled, I did manage to point the camera in that general direction. The trumpet vines cover just about every inch of the woods' edge--bright spots of orange, facing toward the sunlight. Bird? Flower? What's that?
I know these pictures don't show much--but he's there--the oriole--feeding from the trumpet vine.
And could this be his mate? (Based on the fact he was one tree over--probably not very scientific, but logical)
Well, at least you know why I can't get cell phone coverage out here--I'm buried in vegetation!
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