My resident Chatter, now lunches on the food the sparrows 

                                           drop to the branches below the feeders.

                                           This white blossomy tree is a Choke Cherry, and  is in
                                           the centre of my back yard.....so beautiful !

My new bird bath with a sparrow checking out the two other "birds"

A good part of my life was spent as a sign painter. On one of the jobs I did, the pilot of the plane requested that  I do a painting of the plane he flew on his tool box. Hence the "Snap-on" tool logo in the bottom right of the picture.

                                                  Majestic Elk

                                           Railway Crossing    Oils on canvas

                                             
                                                Thelma and Louise

Sparrows

I decided that I really should take some pictures of Sparrows one morning last week given that they are my most frequent visitors. Now my Birds of Alberta book has a lot of different sparrows listed in it but low and behold, the one in the picture above wasn't listed. In an effort to identify the little fellow, I went to the Kerry Wood Nature Centre and they were able not only to identify him but knew a number of facts about him. The day after these pictures were taken, he was back at my feeders with two of his buddies. 

This is a close up of him. Notice his very distinctive markings and the bright yellow/orange bill.

I learned that he is a White Crowned Sparrow. Although native to some parts of Alberta, Red Deer is not normally part of their range. In addition I was told that the White Crowned Sparrow is relatively rare!

To have three of them show up at my feeders is quite a "happening" .   

Squirrelly Sunny Daze

 Hmm, I wonder what's in there?

Oh my, what's this

Like a pig at the trough

Nummmmmeeeeeee!

And what the heck are you looking at? You DID put this here just for me did you not?

Well, I think I'm full for now, oh heck just a little bit more.

Well!! It's about time that stupid squirrel left. Stupid rodent.... You'd think he'd know that this feeder is reserved for us beautiful birds!!!!!! Oh yes, just what do you think you are doing taking my  picture..... You need a release from me to do that!!!! I'm going to start a lawsuit if you keep it up.  

I don't know what all the fuss is at that feeder above me. Don't they know that REAL birds eat from the ground!!!!!!!!!!

                                               Back to the Bunkhouse

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                                                    Ebony    quarterhorse