Friday, November 26, 2010

Brown-headed Nuthatch tapping on our window

Howdee all,

Remember the Ruby-crowned Kinglet a few days ago who came tapping at our bedroom window? If you want to see a big Ruby on the Kinglet you must check out the video.

We have a new bird tapping at our window…

Brown-headed Nuthatch

Wasn’t that a silly bird?

Our Motorhome has reflective windows and this happens quite a bit.

I wonder what bird will come tapping at our window next…

…………………………………………………………………..

In the meantime…..

Don’t forget to check out my weekly post

Featured Bird Blogger of the Week

at

Birdingblogs.com.

If you haven't checked out Birdingblogs.com yet..please come over and check us out.

A multi authored blog..

Kenn Kaufman, Dale Forbes,Tom McKinney, Rich Hoyer, Martin Garner,
Gunnar Engblom, Rebecca Nason, Gyorgy Szimuly ,Susan Myers and yours truly.

I would love to see you there and hear what you have to say about my featured blogger.

Come on over for a visit!

If you know a Bird blogger that you think should be featured at Birdingblogs.com

.send me an email at Nobbiecat (@) hotmail (.) com

Thanks Vickie for mentioning me in your latest post..It made me smile."Smile

Thursday, November 25, 2010

Happy Thanksgiving from here…

Howdee all,

For all of you that Celebrate Thanksgiving~ May you have a wonderful day filled with family, friends and food.  For those of you who don’t celebrate..think of all of us eating and drinking more than we should and wishing we didn't.

autumn dell and craigs_003
My Thanksgiving Thanks

I am thankful for my Wonderful, adorable, silly family… I am thankful for my awesome friends that we visit as we travel around the USA …..I am thankful for my great cyber blogger, twitter, facebook friends ....

I am thankful that Jeff and I are still able to travel fulltime in our Homey and haven't had to go back to work and hopefully, if we can continue to live simply,so we will never have to…..

I am thankful that we can spend our time visiting family and friends and it is there we like to work..helping out in the ways we know how. 

I am thankful for the simple things in life…the smile of a friend..a walk in the woods..a bird singing in a tree…leaves falling…leaves budding...flowers blooming ...the smell of the forest…
I am thankful for many many things…I could go on forever..but I wont.

Because....

Today….Jeff, Dell and I will be going to the Pinehurst Resort where Craigy works and have a wonderful all you can eat Buffet.. YIKES 

 

 Thanksgiving greetings from North Carolina

I am sorry about the Animal cruelty in this video. It is meant in fun. And this turkey is free rangeSmile I tend to think, the turkeys raised for most Thanksgiving dinners this year..were not free range and lived in rather poor conditions. Consider ordering a Heritage turkey next year if you eat turkey.

 No animals were injured during the filming of this video!

 

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Its Raining leaves and nuts

Howdee all,

It is Autumn here in North Carolina.

The hickory leaves and nuts are falling..I love the way the leaves nestle themselves in the front of our Homey..

autumn dell and craigs_002autumn dell and craigs_003Ballie goes for walks on the harness…he likes chewing on grass.

I gave him a bath yesterday,so he looks a bit scraggly.autumn dell and craigs_006The hickory trees in the photo below have lost their leaves…can you see all the nuts still on the tree?autumn dell and craigs_009These are the Hickory's above our Homey..leaves and nuts falling now..

Sounds extremely loud from inside when a nut falls on our roof.autumn dell and craigs_010Yesterday we had hundreds of what looked like Turkey Vultures flying overhead in the thermals. I changed the contrast on the photo below so you can see just the crazy amount of birds.autumn dell and craigs_017Wish I knew what else was flying with them…autumn dell and craigs_018

One more bird added to this visits Yard list

Turkey Vultures

 

It was very warm and breezy yesterday…lots of Hickory nuts and leaves falling..

Beautiful…...

Its Rainling Leaves and nuts.

Monday, November 22, 2010

Ruby-crowned Kinglet at it again and again and again

Howdee all,

No this is not the Ruby-crowned kinglet..it is the Brown thrasher that visits my feeders here in North Carolina.

around dells and craigys_001

The Ruby-crowned Kinglet showed up today..and spent much of the day..

doing what you see in the video below.

I am wondering if there are actually two kinglets on the attack…because the first video the Kinglets ruby is very small and toward the back of the head.

The Crown is amazing in the second video…You must check it out!

Sorry about the video quality..Smile

Ruby-crowned kinglet

You must see this huge Ruby!!

Huge Ruby on this Kinglet

We had a wonderfully warm day today…Mid to High 60s.

A nice evening sky with pinks and blues.

around dells and craigys_002Homey snug as a bug..around dells and craigys_003

See the white rope coming from the roof of Homey in the photo below?..that’s not to keep us from flying away..hee hee…

  We put two green tarps on the roof…held down by ropes tied to stakes. Its to protect our roof from mounds of purple and red bird poop.

The Robins have arrived…I haven't seen any Cedar Waxwings yet..

Soon they will devour the Holly berries and leave the poopy splats …The last winter we were here it took Jeff forever to clean off the mess…so this time we are prepared…

around dells and craigys_016around dells and craigys_012Craig's Blue truck match's the skyaround dells and craigys_004Hickory tree lit up with the evening lightaround dells and craigys_005around dells and craigys_019

And another day goes by in our temporary home in North Carolina.around dells and craigys_010

Additions to the Bird Yard List today

House Finch

Pileated Woodpecker

American Robin

Brown-headed Cowbird

Ruby-crowned Kinglet

Common Grackle

Sunday, November 21, 2010

Swallowtail butterfly on Lantana

Howdee all,

I thought a few of you might like a glimpse of summer loveliness.

I took this video this past summer.

Swallowtail butterfly on Lantana

 

Swallowtail on Lantana

We enjoyed beautifully warm weather today here in North Carolina, in the high 60s.

I sat out on the lawn chair this morning with my coffee and watched the birds.

So far the yard list is.

White-throated sparrow

Chipping Sparrow

Tufted Titmouse

Carolina Chickadee

Downy Woodpecker

Eastern Bluebird

Brown-headed nuthatch

American Goldfinch

Brown Thrasher

White-breasted nuthatch

Morning dove

Blue Jay

American Crow

…………………………………………………………..

Hope you all have a wonderful week..

Stay Warm!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Wheres Waldo now?

Howdee all,

Homey is fixed..Yippee

We spent the night parked at a Wal-Mart's near Richmond Va. and left early to avoid rush hour traffic..(forgot it was Saturday) Such is the life of retirees.

We stopped for a breakfast break.

Here's Waldo checking out our early morning stop…

Outlet malls…not open..

Wheres Waldo_001 (2)

Then on the road againWheres Waldo_009 (1)

Finally arriving at our destination. We set up camp..Chairs set up beside the Homey..and birdfeeders awaiting the birds.Wheres Waldo_014 (2)Waldo decided he wanted to stretch his legs from all that traveling.Wheres Waldo_015 (1)So he took a walk around Sickstas house…Wheres Waldo_016He looks happy in his new surroundings.Wheres Waldo_018He liked the fall foliage…Wheres Waldo_021The Hickory nut trees are Golden and full of nuts..a few fell on our Homeys roof and made a racket!Wheres Waldo_023Checking out the scene..Wheres Waldo_024Waldo spies Sicksta Dell working in her Garden with Jack.Wheres Waldo_025 (1)Craigy and Jeff are around too.Wheres Waldo_027 (1)Waldo stops by to say hello..Wheres Waldo_026 (1)Waldo making friends with JackWheres Waldo_028 (2)Waldo is happy and making himself at home…He's looking forward to some North Carolina adventures.Wheres Waldo_029

Friday, November 19, 2010

OH NO! Where's Waldo?

Howdee all,

When I left you yesterday we are in traffic in Baltimore..

We got thru the traffic fine…then onto Carmel Church, Va to gas up at Flying J.

Jeff noticed check engine light went on..but then it went off.

We gassed up and headed to a nearby Wal-Mart for the night.

But…we never got there

Waldo_007

Instead…we ended up here…on the back of…

Where's Waldo now?

Waldo_009

Yep..A tow truck…

This is what happened…As we were driving to Walmart. Jeff noticed more lights going on..this time an Oil pressure light went on..along with a message to shut down the engine. We were on Interstate 95 and not an exit nearby…Jeff tried to drive on…Then the engine shut itself off…Luckily Jeff was able to pull over onto the breakdown low and onto a soft shoulder of grass.

The motorhome started again..but the same lights went on. Jeff then called our towing company….meanwhile a police stopped to see what was going on. The police left after he knew a tow truck was on its way.

It was a bit nerve wracking to have Semi trucks passing us and making the Homey shake…

Having the motorhome towed is always unnerving..sometimes damage is caused if it is towed incorrectly…Luckily the fellow did a great job.

So…after several hours we were finally towed to an empty lot across from a service station,in Richmond, Va. about 12 miles south.

Waldo_010

In the morning….they reattached our Universal joint and we drove to the service center…Waldo_011And there it stayed,being worked on, for most of the day…

We needed a new Oil Pressure sensor..part 48 dollars..not sure how much for labor yet.Waldo_013

I am sitting in Barnes and Noble typing this…we should pick up Homey shortly and find out how much it will set us back..

 

In the meantime…………

Did you see this???

Featured Bird Blogger of the Week

or my other post, 

Tales from the OC Warbler

Both at

Birdingblogs.com

Thursday, November 18, 2010

On the Road again…:) Where's Waldo?

Howdee all,

Remember Mr.Waldo Jeff found on the beach? I cleaned him up and he decided he wanted to do some traveling. Ok..I decided for him. He's a great traveling companion so far.

Here's Waldo waiting to hit the road…We left Ct. and are headed south for the winter.

Wheres waldo_003

Do you know where Waldo is in these photos?Wheres waldo_008

Traffic hasn’t been that bad at all today.Wheres waldo_014

We are making good time and will be at our destination tomorrow. Wheres waldo_026

We crossed allot of bridges today.wheres waldo_015The sunset was Lovely..wheres waldo_025

We are now in Traffic south of Baltimore. Rush hour..

Destination tonight…somewhere in VA. Smile

Tuesday, November 16, 2010

The FU Bird video and something more important

Howdee all,

In case you missed silly this F U  Bird video from the Onion

 

On a serious note….Please read Kenn Kaufmans post here.

A Long Nights Journey Into Death.

an excerpt of his post below

 

Images via Wikipedia

                                                          Blackburnian Warbler (Dendroica fusca). Male a...                         Icon of Wind Turbines 

  A Blackburnian Warbler arriving in northwest Ohio in spring is already a veteran traveler. Hatched in the northern forest during some previous summer, it has already flown to South America and back at least once. Navigating by the stars at night, evading predators by day, it has paused at a score of stopover sites, found a winter home in mountain forests near the equator, then initiated the return flight to the north. By the time it reaches Ohio, it has made it most of the way back. Flying north across Ohio, buoyed up by a south wind in the hour before first light, the bird may see a hint of the open waters of Lake Erie stretching out ahead. Rather than continue on across the water with daylight approaching, the bird drops lower and lower. Ahead in the darkness of predawn, a darker shadow suggests a line of trees, and the warbler aims for this shelter . . .
But it is never going to make it. The same south wind that carries the tiny migrant is also turning a gigantic steel blade, and in a moment the two will collide with such shattering force as to splinter the bird’s skull and crush its lungs, stop its heartbeat in an instant, and hurl its broken and lifeless body to the ground.
Then the blades strike another bird. And another. And another. And another.

This could be reality if we stand mute while turbines rise along the edges of the last, best stopover habitat. Are we really going to let this happen?

Please sign the petition at the end of the post.

or here on Facebook!

Thanks and Happy Birding!