I couldn’t do another post on Holler birds without including The Holler Hummers could I?
The year-round hummers are mellow and co-operative.
Right, and I am the Queen of Bavaria!
We have oak groves full of all sorts of birds including droves of Acorn Woodpeckers in their smart red pope caps.
There are Western Scrub Jays,
who don’t like being photographed,
and very shy Western Bluebirds,
who like it even less!
“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without words
And never stops at all.” (Emily Dickinson)
Cheers to you from your Holler feathered friends~
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I think they like you, Cindy! You got such beautiful photos of them!!
They probably sense I am besotted with them! <3
How can you not be!! Gorgeous!
<3 <3
Each one has its own character.
Leslie
They definitely do! The hummers love attention and having their photos taken and the bluebirds despise being seen! They are so funny~
I think some of them know if they are liked. If they are a nuisance bird they also know that.
Leslie
I think you are right.
Cindy, I cannot express how meaningful it is to see so many things through your eyes. Bless your heart. Huge smiles and hugs.
I hope you know how wonderful it is to have you back and creating! I missed you and thought about you frequently while you were away. <3
My heart has been moved so much and my eyes express it, since I have returned. I am thankful for all the love, kindness and support; and believe me when I say, you were greatly missed too. I have seen such beautiful things through your eyes that I will never be able to fully express the meaning in it. Thank you for always being so supportive and encouraging. xo
Love and gratitude to you Belinda. You lighten the world. <3 :star:
Hummingbirds… yesss!!! It’s raining everyday so I haven’t gone out to view our hummingbirds (as I have the flu). At least I get a close-up view of the hummingbirds and other wonderful, colorful avian visitors in your area – which seems very sunny in comparison to what we’re getting up north. What expressive characters they are! That Scrub Jay, in particular, seems to be wondering what you’re doing photographing him!
Many thanks to you Cindy! ~Lynn
He doesn’t like it one bit! Neither does the bluebird. The hummers get offended when I photograph other birds and buzz around my head!
The flu is terrible! I am so sorry. At least you know it will eventually end, but while you are sick it is no fun at all. I am so sorry and hope you get well soon.
I don’t know what is wrong with SoCal and El Nino. We had one storm series and no more. Not good at all.
Get well soon my dear friend~ <3
Thank you Cindy! Yes, hummers here seem to enjoy attention more. I bet they miss me out here, hahaha! They are definitely bold birds though.
They do miss you and will be relieved when they see you again. They don’t forget, not for as long as they live. Did you read “The Fastest Things on Wings: Rescuing Hummingbirds in Hollywood,” by Terry Masear? You would absolutely get engrossed. She’s an adjunct prof at UCLA and runs a hummingbird rescue every spring in Hollywood. She is a font of hummingbird knowledge. It would be fun to read on your kindle as you recover….
They look like they enjoy strutting their stuff and posing for you!
Some like the hummers definitely do, others like all blue colored birds are extremely shy. I wonder if it is because they know they stand out? The hummers know they stand out too though and like it this way! Laughing…..
they certainly are lovely
Thank you Maureen, they all seem to know this, but respond in different ways to it, some shy and retiring, while others more upfront~
Beautiful birds and stricking looking as well. It is nice to see birds from another geographic location and showing the diversity 🙂
Yes I love seeing birds from other locales as well. People may think their common birds are boring, but to me they are all wonderful. So pleased you enjoyed & cheers to you~
🙂
Wonderful feather friends! Beautiful pics, Cindy.
Very happy you enjoyed them & cheers to you!
Thank you for sharing “The Holler” with us Cindy. Always great bird photos. Love the iridescent green on the hummers. Hope you Jays are not as loud as our eastern jays.
No, they are shy and elusive. They startle and fly off frequently which makes them a challenge to photograph. Wonderful to hear from you Wally and hope all is well with you my friend! <3
The pictures are magic Cindy. I just love birds and these pose so well for you.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
Awwww, any friend of birds is a friend of mine!
So you are the Queen of Bavaria! I’m delighted to meet you! LOL Those hummers must be a handful. You have all the beauties, and we are left with the crows. 🙂
I LOVED your last poem with the crows btw, and remember they are very smart birds who watch you all the time! And yes, I am the Queen of Bavaria, but don’t tell anyone. I was going to say I was the lost Romanoff Queen but no one would believe me……
I love the crows. They have a way about them, an instant mood. They can never recover from the admiration of Poe. 😉 And I won’t tell a soul, your Highness. LOL
People like you are why I blog. Blogging becomes a privelege, because I meet people like you~
Love birds. They are very special creatures. Therefore, I always love looking at your pictures. I didn’t mean only bird pictures, but any, they are special.
Anyone who loves birds is loved by me, so I understand and appreciate just what you meant! <3
These are beautiful!
Awwww, so pleased you like them! Thank you~
We used to live somewhere with lots of different birds and quail walking around everywhere. The wildlife was amazing there. This reminded me so much of that. We miss it! So thank you for sharing these! I am sure you must be aware of how blessed you are!
We have quail too and I have posted on them. They are incredible birds and I can well imagine how much you miss the wildlife. I would be bereft without the wild ones so you have my complete empathy.
Aww Cindy the Holler birds are so beautiful and I adore your hummers! Vibrant beautiful colors! Hugz Lisa
Hi Lisa! Hummers are quite affectionate to humans, more so than too each other, so I know they would love you too! Hugs back to you and Bear~
Beautiful, every one of them.
So kind. Thank you so much!
“Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul
And sings the tune without words
And never stops at all.” (Emily Dickinson
So sweet! Love the pics. Each bird has such character. Fun share!
So glad you enjoyed! Emily spent lots of time in nature and this certainly shows in her poems. Cheers to you & thanks too~
How beautiful! Look at those colours, aren’t nature full of miracles? Thank you for sharing these pictures, Cindy!
Yes, there is a drastic reduction in songbirds in Southern California, but The Holler abuts a 1200 acre nature conservancy so we have wildlife like in olden days and so many birds. I have been spending time everyday since I have been home in the oak forests photographing the birds. Every day I surprise a coyote. I have a daily coyote photo. It is like rural California 50 years ago out here. Be well Maiko and thank for caring for our natural world and it’s wild creatures~
These are wonderful pictures of beautiful birds!
Awww, thank you so much & Happy Sunday!
So beautiful shots…! It’s like they were all ready for the close up 🙂
Thank you Andy. The hummingbirds are always eager to pose, but the blue colored birds are very avoidant and hard to capture.
The shy ones eh 🙂
Yes indeed!
I’m so in love with the sweet 6th bird. Blue head feathers, slender and looks like a young one. Adorable. They are all beautiful but that one took my heart.
Yes, and he is less shy than the rest of his flock so I have been able to get multiple shots of him and you are correct. He is a youngish Western Scrub Jay. So pleased you like him as I do too. He is unusually gregarious with humans.
Your feathered friends bring me joy
I am so glad because this is just what they do for me. They calm me down, make me happy, and help me to see all that is right in the world. <3
I’m so glad to see the Pope again! ㄟ( ･ө･ )ㄏ
He is either a devout Catholic or an observant Jewish bird. Not sure which really!!! 😉
He could be both! ♡(.◜ω◝.)♡
The Western Scrub Jay looks severe but determined. “Don’t mess with me!” is the message…
All the blue colored birds out here have this terrified, serious vibe, as if they sense they stand out, and don’t trust any human. I am determined to at least try to win them over!
Pretty pretty Holler!
It has the most congenial neighbors! 😉
There they are Cindy the beautiful Holler Hummers so pleased to see them and all their feathered friends.
I really did post them because you asked Pauline and I wanted an excuse! 😉 <3
Pleased to see them Cindy, they made me smile… 🙂
Your comment made me smile! 😀
So pretty 😀
They are pretty dang cute I admit!
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
I did say that today was all about images.. and here is another wonderful example.. Cindy Knoke capturing the beauty of birds in the Holler
You are such a lovely friend Sally. Happy Sunday~ <3 <3
You too Cindy and thank you for the lovely plummage today. hugs
^^’
Great work!
They could be works of of Martin Johnson Heade.
Beautiful.
Ahhhh, I am honored. I have a book of his bird paintings. His hummingbirds are pure magic. Thank you very much!
Yes, they are as the diversity of his works flowers birds, landscapes
Oh yes. The butterflies and seascapes 😉
I love most of The Hudson River School. His work is sublime.
Can never get enough of these wonderful photos of the birds you have around the Holler. Is it getting ready to bloom yet?
Awww, so pleased you enjoyed! The wild lilac is already blooming and the lemons are ready to be picked. Most of the flowers are still sleeping. Not sure if the grapefruit is blooming yet. I need to go see.
Sounds divine😍
But we need rain!!!
Los pájaros, con sus variados y vistosos colores, adornan el campo ahora que el invierno trae días grises. Muy bonita y variada colección de fotos. Un abrazo, amiga y buen domingo. 🙂
Tu comentario es una encantadora como un poema! Gracias mas mi amiga y lo mejor para ti! <3
Oh my Queen, you did having me believing your tale of the hummers for a moment. Thanks for sharing your beautiful feathered friends.
Well, I am Queen of The Holler in my own mind, since I am the only woman living here. Of course the men at The Holler don’t agree with this, but what do they know? Come to think of it, the hummingbirds wouldn’t agree with this either, since they KNOW they are the kings and queens of Hollerdom, and the coyotes are the lords and ladies.
Who are the jesters? The crows or jays?
The roadrunners without a doubt.They are the best entertainment! 😀
Great macro shots, Cindy. Beautiful birds!
So pleased you enjoyed & thank you!
I am in Mountain View visiting family. I saw a hummingbird yesterday. I forget that they stay around here, verse our mountains which host them for the summer only. Though our winter in West Virginia has turned mild so far, we have had a couple of mornings at a time when the thermometer reads single digits. I keep the feeders stocked with suet and sunflower seeds on those days. Hope that the El Nino rains are gentle on your hollow this winter.
Oscar
I really wish the El Nino would bring it on at The Holler! We had a four day period of several storms and good solid rain, but none since and none in the forecast. We definitely need more. The snow totoal in Mammoth is around 176 inches, and should be twice that by end of season. SoCal is in worse shape than NoCal which I hear is getting steady storms. Enjoy your time in beautiful Mountain View and thanks for stopping by~
I love bluebirds, I wish they would be around here in Ohio. Great pictures.
I love them too, but they are so “shy, shy”!! I must be “hush hush” to get them “eye to eye!” 😉
How beautiful!! Great bird photography!
Ah, I am honored!
Love the birds – love your photos of the birds <3
Also love the words of Emily Dickinson 🙂
Well I love you for loving all these things! Thank you & cheers to you~
Like feathered jewels.
Yes, with outsize attitudes! Love em~
I lost track of the captions – the photo above the words “who don’t like being photographed” is one of your more brilliant shots!
Alison
Ahhh, thank you Alison. I have a series on this guy and he is unusually willing to be photographed compared to the rest of his flock. Hope you are enjoying yourself in San Miguel my friend ~ <3
Those photos are stunning!
Very pleased to hear this & thank you!
So much beauty that we don’t usually see in the Midwest — were it not for your photos, Cindy, I’d be clueless that some of these gorgeous birds even exist!
Your comment makes me glad I posted Debbie. I was just enjoying your very clever squirrel shots earlier my friend! <3
WOW Cindy, you have so many beautiful birds at the Hollers 😀
And there are more! Some are quite elusive but I am determined to try and photograph them~
I’m happy to hear that and looking forward to see them 😀
<3
Love these photos.Jx
So pleased you do & thank you too!
You’ve got some amazing shots of the elegant Western Bluebirds – love the Holler birds!
Thank you. They are so shy out here! It is hard to get them close enough.
I’ve always had a thing about birds, the smaller the better. The Holler Hummers look so tiny, I wonder a good breeze doesn’t blow them to smithereens. Thank you for sharing the photos. I do enjoy them and these of the birds as well. <3 <3
They are tiny. They about as much as a nickel, but they are tough enough to migrate thousands of miles!
THAT small? I would never have imagine. It’s a wonder they’re not blown away. Birds are so plucky. Can’t imagine them. What a wonder.
They are so funny. They accompany me when I go birdwatching in the oak groves. They follow me and and watch with me. Today all the birds I was looking hid, but the hummers followed me the whole time, about an hour. I bet they were thinking, “Why is she wasting her time on them? We are much cuter!”
Amazing photos as always! All of my hummer visitors have gone further south. Cheers to you and the Hollow!
Yes, most do. We only have Annas year round. The rest will come back in April. Cheers back to you & thank you too!
Cheers to you, Cindy, from your feathered friend Monica :). First, the post is awesome and the feathered friends are so cute. Second, you know that on my blog I am Mopana. So… Pana is my last name and it means feather 🙂
Hah!!! No wonder we get along so well! We are soul mates, bonded by the feathered ones! :star:
Lovely feathered friends at the Holler and Emily Dickinson’s beautiful analogy is one of my favorites… Hope! <3
Emily is so wonderful! Hope never stops~ <3
These are so beautiful and exotic to me. I love the bluebirds especially.
They are so elusive out here, but so pretty. I think they are elusive because they know how pretty they are and it stresses them out~
Excellent shots Cindy!
So pleased, thank you!
Amazing!!! *-*
Very pleased you enjoyed and cheers to you!