Look at those wide open mouths! Great shot Brenda! I needed a little R&R this evening after a crazy week at work and trying to get caught up with the grass after two weeks of rain and trying to get ready for installers next week, so I decided to spend some time this evening with the birds and the camera. And the bird gods smiled on me as I saw my first mockingbird! A common bird for many but I had never seen one so now I can add it to my yard-list. I was sitting in the garage mounting the camera on the tripod when he landed on the driveway and stood real still for his portrait. Shortly after that an indigo bunting appeared. This is the closest I have been able to get to one, they usually stay in the tops of the trees. They have a cheerful song and sing all through the day and evening so a wonderful bird to have around. This one is either still molting into his bright blue attire or is a first year male and still developing his mating colors. And an interesting shot of his tongue!

Yes red is fantastic in the Garden.I was told not to use it because it was hard on the eyes HA. I made my first butterfly Bed with pastels and one red flower. I loved the red so much I just kept adding more and more of it slowly ridding myself of too many boring pastels.You do have to have other colors though or it becomes boring red and the blue flowers do make it POP! I added Red pentas,red verbena,Firespike,turkscap red roses(knockout),red phlox ,red geraniums and my favorite is Burpee Red King Zinnia.Plus I love Gazania thrown in with its bit of red. Makes a very HAPPY garden Guess who else loves red???

Jeff-that would be my guess too. They have a unique way they bob their tail when they are sitting on a branch or line. We always get a mom that nests under our carport (Central Illiniois) and it is fun to watch how many bugs she brings back to feed the babies. Kara

they vary a lot in color from almost white to light tan or light grey. but all have the distinctive collar of black on the necks. they are the same size as mourning doves but they have dark feathers on their tails where the mourning doves have spotting. they eat mostly off the ground but some will eat from feeders if there is a perch or platfom. here you see a lot around feed lots or farm fields but they visit feeders regularly even in the middle of winter.