Monday, February 26, 2007

Feb. 26th. Spring like day.





Another spring like day though still tons of snow around but it's days like this that gives you renewed hope that winter will soon be over. I keep hauling my packages of seeds out gazing wistfully at them and my head swirls with thoughts of all I want to do once the ground shows up.

Some pictures I took this morning. Unfortunately, I'm not getting much further afield than the garden these days. I just don't feel like going somewhere, trudging through all the snow about to see what I can find. A friend, Nic, told me to try making my pictures larger, like 900, so that is what I have done with these and I'm pleased. Thanks Nic, you have been so helpful. There is the squirrel, just can't resist him. A Blue Jay, funny I was wondering why they had been so scared of me most of the winter and think I now know why....most of the year when in the garden I have a scarf on my head (pirate like, lol) but I have been wearing a big old winter hat and I don't think they recognized me. Normally I can get quite close to them. So today I was back to normal and put a scarf on once again. The jays didn't fly away so I guess they are saying, "There she is, she's back." The picture of all the little birds on the feeder are, I believe, Pine Siskins.

11 comments:

Jan said...

Gorgeous photos, the squirrel's fur looks like he's been using the crimping tongs. The siskins are very much like ours, the little hen that I had that died last week was exactly like yours.

Birds do recognise us by what we are wearing I think, and despite what they say about them only seeing in black and white, I sometimes wonder. I normally wear an old blue jacket to go into my aviary, but sometimes in the summer, I just go up in a t-shirt. Wearing red for instance, the cockatiels go absolutely bananas, they are terrified. And if I go up there in a hat too, I have to take it off before I enter the shed, else the same thing happens.

oldcrow61 said...

Jan, you mean a pet hen? How did I miss that. I'm so sorry to hear that. Well, I don't know about the birds seeing in black and white. I thought they recognized say, red, as a danger, etc. Not that I know much about birds but I've read in books that if you feed wild birds and you wear something that they are not use to seeing they will be very wary when you don't look quite the same. I guess it's because they are so use to seeing me in the same old stuff when working outside most of the year.

Jan said...

No, the little hen siskin was a wild one that was sick, I posted about it on biggbirdforum, poor little thing. There's another pair here now though, so fingers crossed they will be safe.

Robbiegirl said...

I thought birds did see in colour. They need it to recognise their food, and things that taste bad (like wasps).

Also they need it to recognise others of their species. Look at robins attacking anything red. That's why bird even have bright colours, so they can tell who they should mate with and who they should fight!

My "tame" robin can tell the difference between me and Michael. He'll come to the door for his worms if Michael's there, but he's much more nervous than if I feed him.

Lovely pictures as usual OC, the blue jay is beautiful.

oldcrow61 said...

I do hope the pair will be ok Jan. Anna, what you say makes perfect sense to me.

oldcrow61 said...

Thank you Mostlymacro. This taking pictures is new to me but I'm pleased with most of the ones I've taken. Still a lot to figure out about the camera though.

mydogbrandy said...

Your pictures are really good, very clear and the colours are brilliant. I know very little about birds so it was interesting to read about how they recognise who you are. Sidetracking from your post a bit, thanks for the author recommendation. I will check it out when I next visit the library.

oldcrow61 said...

Thanks Mydogbrandy, let me know how you feel about those authors.

nicola said...

great photos oc

Boo said...

Birds DO see in colour. That is why they choose the ripest berries first. In Pyrancantha they eat first the red, then orange, finally any other colourl

oldcrow61 said...

Yep Boo, all the signs I've seen makes me believe they can see colour.