Indigo Bunting, deer

14 years ago

The next day I after I photographed the Prairie Warbler I saw a male Indigo Bunting in a tree near the car. The flash didn't work and he immediately flew away, but the photo I got is clear enough without it

From 6-13-09

Nearby we could see two Great Spangled Fritillaries on a thistle flower

From 6-13-09

As we wound our way back down the access road a doe leaped out of the grass further down the mountainside
{{!gwi}}From 6-13-09

A little later another doe ran, then paused by the woods

From 6-13-09

We like to visit Poppy Mnt because it's just across the highway from us and has plenty of variable wildlife habitat; grassy fields, wooded gullies, and many abandoned cattle ponds, some of which are large enough to have been used as "pay lakes," where customers used to pay to fish.

My favorite old pay lake is about 1/2 an acre in size. Ten ft from shore it suddenly drops off and becomes so deep I can't touch bottom..perfect for lap swimming.

Summer Tanagers sing from the oaks surrounding the lake, Barn Swallows are nesting in the ruined shack by the shore and a Groundhog lives under it.

The reeds ringing the lake are filled with Red-winged Blackbird nests, Bobwhites call from the grass and White-eyed Vireos sing from the bushes.

So far, none of them-except the Red-winged Blackbirds of course-have come close enough for a photo, although DuBois almost got one of the groundhog.

My policy is that every time there is a break in the storms I ask DuBois to drive me up there so I can go swimming. He won't go in, but I don't mind the icy water. Here I am swimming my 25 minutes of laps this morning, trying to beat the next approaching storm, which hit on our way back.

From 6-13-09

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Comments (15)

kendra2003
14 years ago
Your pictures are so beautiful. Where you live sounds like paradise. You are one brave lady to swim in that pond though. I'd be terrified of snapping turtles biting off my toes.
Konrad___far_north
14 years ago
Lovely Rachel!...thanks for sharing!

Konrad
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yes, we have a birder's paradise here. Right now it is positively buzzing, with new neotropical arriving daily. Head the first whip-poor-will yesterday, and THINK I heard a parula this afternoon. Heard the oriole-like whistle of a rose-breasted grosbeak yesterday and then today, heard it again, close to the house this time, and sure enough there he was. Will have to be keeping an eye out for the blue grosbeaks and the evenings, although they aren't always dependable like the RBGs. Yes, the buntings seem to have a love for the taller grasses and thicker stuff here. A lot of times a male will sit on the power line and just go nuts with song, even when it gets hot. Nests fascinate me and annoy me at the same time because I have been too lazy to study the differences and learn to tell what bird made them. I found a nest of blue-grey gnatcatchers a few years back, and I could stand under the nest and watch the yougsters at lunch time, but it was at least 20 feet off the ground and I could never get a good look at how it was made. Think it might have had lichens on it, much like a hummer's nest. Plenty of birds, alright. In fact, come on over and stay a while....as long as you take a few thousand of our OTHER birds back when you leave. I'll give you a hint: they make a distinct whining call, are extremely gregarious, and have a specially adapted bill well suited for their liquid diet.
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I am thrilled! I haven't had a bird feeder in years, but my mother was a birder and we always had feeders growing up. In all those years, we never saw any of the buntings. So this year I finally decide to set out a feeder after seeing my first ever indigo bunting sitting in the grass in my yard a few weeks ago. Now, only a week later, I have up to 11! male indigos in my yard at once on a daily basis. At one point last weekend, they were joined by over 100! goldfinches, and I finally hit the birding jackpot---a male/female pair of painted buntings has been coming every day! Ever since seeing the picture of a painted in the Peterson book, it was my birding holy grail to see one. A few days ago I also saw my first Scarlet Tanager. I was absolutely shocked at how insanely bright orange red this bird was. Almost like a flying traffic cone, and it was set off beautifully by the black wings. I sure hope he comes back. It seems like every day I get a new species. Purple finch, cardinal, blue jay, mourning dove, yellow bellied sapsucker, blue grosbeak. My grandmother, who is also an avid birder for decades tells me the next one I should hope for is a Baltimore Oriole. At this rate, it seems quite likely.
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Pat - it's the less than clear pic..the bottom bird is standing on a dried up leaf..were very blue..called Wild Birds Unlimited & they thought they were male indigo buntings..haven't had them so wasn't sure..
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Lucky you. I love Blue Buntings. Thanks for sharing your photo. A few robins, cedar waxwings migrating have stopped in for water. Then all our usual neighbors: Cardinals nests in 3 places, bluejays fighting yesterday, mockingbirds fighting the jays, black-cap chickadees "giggling" daily, wrens squawking a lot, and the occasional titmouse can be seen. I can hear sap suckers in the large trees, but have yet to catch a glimpse of one. We saw the occasional goldfinch and cuckoo over at my last house 8 blocks away, but none have shown up in this yard yet. I swore off birdseed feeders, as it attracted rats at my last place. Actually saw them get up on it and on the ground where seed would drop. But the birds enjoy my Yaupon Holly berries, holly berries, asparagus fern berries and I'm soon going to be planting 3 American Beautyberry shrubs. :)
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rachel_frome_ky
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks! Snappers have never bothered me, and I prefer pond water to pool chlorine/chemicals, though!
glorybea
14 years ago
Thanks for the beautiful pictures and comments. Would you mind posting what state or area you live in?

Glorie
rachel_frome_ky
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you, and welcome to the forum!
I live on a farm halfway between Morehead and Olive Hill in Kentucky; it's in my name-"rachel from e. ky," and more information when you click on my MyPage. Clicking on any of my photos should take you to my Picasa Web Album (I think. They keep upgrading Picasa so I don't know now) which links my photos to a google map.

If you fill out your own MyPage information then others can see where you live, what camera equipment you use if you post a photo, links to any blogs or websites you may have, what name you would like to be called, maybe something about your hobbies, etc.
Chazy
14 years ago
Nice pictures,Rachel! I agree with you about a pond being better than a chlorinated pool for swimming. I'm an ocean person,but a lake or pond will do.

Nancy
rachel_frome_ky
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks, and me too..I grew up 5 miles from the ocean in Haiti. We used to have beach parties on New Year, but we're land-locked at the moment. I'm thrilled to be able to swim on Poppy Mnt, only 1 1/2 miles from here, because it's semi-deserted at the moment. DuBois and I used to drive 15 miles to swim in the Licking River or in a deserted pond over the mnt from us where we had to hike through tick-infested brush to reach it.

But, speaking of oceans, this year we did skip down to FL for our anniversary over New Year and camped at Ft Desoto Natl Park but it was too cold to swim. But I could take photos of wonderful birds from the car

12-31-08, dock beside Gulf Blvd, preening American Oystercatcher, 4:19 p.m.
From 12-30-08, Florida trip

This is a link to the first day at Ft Desoto in my photo album. I love Kentucky warblers and other birds, but the ocean TRUMPS ALL (sigh). Slide show button on upper left corner, click F11 key for full screen

http://picasaweb.google.com/rachelbro3/123008FloridaTrip#
spedigrees z4VT
14 years ago
These are lovely pictures, Rachel! Are you a professional photographer? Because you should be! You're brave to go into the icy water with a storm coming! The older I get, the less tolerance I have for cold water! Which is a shame since I love to swim.

Kentucky is a beautiful state. Hubby's family is from there, although no living relatives left there. We go back to visit his old haunts every so often though.
glorybea
14 years ago
Rachel, thanks for the input, I followed up on your suggestions -- and thanks for the information on cameras and the printer you have. Portrait is professional!
spedigrees z4VT
14 years ago
Just a note: sea water (sea salt in particular) contains a high percentage of chlorine which accounts for its antibacterial/antifungal qualities.
janie_may
14 years ago
Beautiful photos, Rachel!
chickadeemelrose
14 years ago
Rachel, I agree, you must be a professional photographer.
I really enjoy your photos, they make we want to see Kentucky.

I have never learned to use our digital camera,but your advice here has inspired me. We go to Cape Cod every July for a family reunion. I am going to learn enough to try and get some pictures of ocean and coastal birds, ones that I have watched for almost 40 years but never been sure of what they are. Last year I stayed up all night on the computer trying to figure out what a surf scoter was. (I had no picture or field guide, just my memory).

Also, sometimes seals come up the beach and swim around our kids.
If I am lucky enough to manage some decent shots of anything at all that is of interest I will share them here.
Thanks for the advice!
rachel_frome_ky
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you!
Although my equipment turns out better quality photos than those of my former point-and-shoots, they are not the quality capable from a professional Canon lD Mark lll. I don't even use the full capacity of my Canon 40D, usually shooting on auto, altho I'm finally starting to use a filler flash.

I know I'm being lazy, which why I clung to the no-brainer Canon Powershot S2 IS 12X and resisted facing the learning curve of a DSLR. I only took the plunge because Gail promised my photo quality would improve!

I hope you take photos and post them, though; I've surfed waves with dolphins in the Gulf of CA when I taught in Mexico and sea lions have followed our boat, but I've never been swimming with seals..that would be so cool
mrbass111
14 years ago
i want my birds back. nice shots. heeh
james_m_clark
14 years ago
I especially love the butterfly/thistle photo.

And I agree: it does seem like you live in paradise! And with an accommodating husband, how pampered can you get? Do I sound jealous? :-)

Indigo Bunting, deer

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kendra2003

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