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!

True Value! I stopped into the Litchfield store and purchased 5 packs for $1! They are American Seed and they have flowers and veggie seeds. There are lots more but I got Cosmos, Single Sensation Zinnea, Lilliput (I love the small zinnias and they blossom quickly! Zinnea, Dwarf Pumila Sprite Mixed COlors Zinnea, Giant Cactus Mixed Colors Zinnea, Giants of California Forget-Me-Not Gypsophilia, Covent Garden California Poppy, Orange I just love Zinnea!!!

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Yeah, I've often thought that many (but not all) of the so-called "serious" birdwatchers I have known are deluded when they style themselves as "scientists". The vast majority wouldn't recognize true experimental design if it jumped up and bit them. Many (again not all) of these folks have encyclopedic knowledge when it comes to bird identification, which is no small thing - but that doesn't make one a scientist. Nor does it give one carte blanche to become a bird-botherer. I prefer to do my watching in my own yard, and my listening, and all other birdly activities. Mostly from behind my patio door. I like to plant bird-friendly (and butterfly-and-bee friendly) plants where possible - which is no excuse for my backyard neighbor who planted trumpet vine along the fence, very far up a steep slope from HIS lawn, but leaving me to have to constantly root up the invasive vines all through MY back yard. Has he never heard of cardinal climber??? *sigh* As for feeding the birds - according to actual ornithologists, given that you are feeding appropriately (eg sunflower seeds, not bread crumbs, kind of thing) it does no harm and may do a bit of good in times of stress. Clean water is equally and sometimes more important. I'll not argue about the ecological soundness or lack thereof of the bird seed industry as a whole - but frankly, unless you're cobbling your own shoes from leather-providing animals that you raised on your native pasture; and are weaving your own cloth from the fiber you spun from your own flock of sheep or from the flax you grew and retted yourself, then wove that on the loom you built from wood you cut down on your own wood lot; AND you are making your own pottery cookware from clay you dug yourself - I don't think there's really all that much to say on this issue. The environmental impact of manufacturing the computers we are all using to access this forum on the Internet, and the network of manufacturing, mining, and transportation that supports all that (not to mention terrible working conditions for the workers who assemble the things) almost doesn't bear thinking about - but in any case, the use of birdseed pales in comparison. OK, I'm being a bit facetious - but in the general scheme of things there are far worse things we do on a daily basis than buy a 50 lb bag of BOSS to feed the birds. Most of them involve our ubiquitous use of cars. The number one thing you can do to save the environment (and improve your health) is to leave the car home at every opportunity and walk or ride a bike to get around as much as is possible. This will, btw, also go a long way towards improving the general health of the birds as well. Cleaner air is good for us all!