Just like all the best tony places, The Holler, while decidedly non-tony, has flashy summer residents, who live here only in the summer, and move on to their more expensively-agreeable tropical homes in the winter.
Grosbeak
But, unlike some snobby humans who move from their summer to winter homes, irregardless of whether the locals actually want them in either place, these summer residents are welcomed and appreciated by all The Holler locals….. meaning my small family.
(Please note the use of the word irregardless. My husband is adamant irregardless is not a word, but I, obviously, am disregarding this.)
The flashy-folks arrival at The Holler creates celebration, fascination, lots of, “What is this bird?” types of conversations. San Diego county and its rural environs, have more bird species than any other place in the continental US.
Hooded Oriole
I say, “Did you see? I think the first oriole has arrived?”
I was late in putting out the oriole feeders this season, due to being away on a trip, and I was worried the orioles would see this as irresponsibility on my part, which of course it was, and decide not to bless us with their summer presence. Thankfully they have decided to hang around!
My husband says, “I just saw another bird. It was big and black, has a mohawk and red eyes. What is this bird?”
Or, “I saw this new bird, it’s really yellow, not big, and has brown patches on it’s back and white spots. What is it?”
My son asks, “What is it with the hummingbirds? Why do they buzz around my face every time I walk outside? Don’t they know this could be dangerous for them with humans?”
This query is prompted because he hangs the oriole feeders for me which I can’t reach, but he can, because he’s very tall, and the hummers just surround his head while he does this. He repeats, while hanging the feeder, and trying to see through the buzzing hummer hordes surrounding his head, “Why are they doing this?”
I say, “It is because you are hanging the feeder a bit slowly, and the hummers really think you should hold it steady and straight for them NOW, so they can feed from the feeder directly, while you stand still and hold it there for them. They apparently think this is the sole purpose of your life.”
The hummers aren’t even supposed to be drinking from the oriole feeders since they have their own feeders, but hummers don’t listen to reason.
Western Scrub Jay
It is a bird summer resort here at The Holler. Birds sense, over time, who they need to fear, or can trust, much like like humans do, but birds, for good reason, are far better at this type of calculus then we humans are. Check out this little mowhawked finch-fledgling for example. He has a nest in a custom made bird box by our front door, where we come and go all the time. I have a visceral sense to not photograph wild bird nests because it can be terrifying and life disrupting for them if I get too close. But I gave in and decided to photograph this guy very carefully. And you can see the results. The fledgling, looked at me with pure baby-bird annoyance, but then, ignored me, and went back to sleep, while I took more photos.
Fledgling House Finch
I do think it is very nice of the wild birds to allow us to live in their Holler and be their personal servants and food and treat providers.
Cheers to you from The Holler wild birds who have learned that some humans are real suckers, but they can be trusted~
Thanks for sharing these absolutely stunning pictures, Cindy!
Awww, thanks so much more for appreciating them!
Your shots are beautiful! Such beauty captured so clearly! My computer was out of commission so I had to recreate! Cindy, you always make my day! Hugs!
Your comment just made my day my friend & it is lovely to hear from you!
Wonderful views. 🙂
Merci beaucoup mon ami! 🐤
Irregardless of anything else, these photos are gorgeous ! Thanks for sharing them Cindy 🙂
Cracking up…….Thank you for appreciating the feathered friends! 🐤
🙂 it is my pleasure!
Wow, so beautifully captured, Cindy! Good to know SD had this many birds. They are lucky to have personal servants and food and treat providers. I can tell how happy they are. 🙂 <3
They really do have it good here. There are birdie bathing pools and all these hanging bird cabins, not to mention the treats! 🐤
🐥💓
Great pics, Cindy! You capture great moments and poses with such apparent ease! Let us into a secret – how many images to get these few beauties??
Oh boy, I would have to think about that. I take a lot of photos and start throwing them away immediately when I first look at them. Maybe out of 50 photos I might select 5, but then I take 50 more and select 5 and then narrow the ten down to maybe two or three. Photos of the same thing compete against each other in this constant winnowing process. This works with photos taken at home, but not as well when traveling, when I can’t take that many photos of the same thing. I am not sure but I would guess I post about 1% of what I originally take. No one has ever asked me this before and it is important to what I do. Thanks for thinking of it.
Thanks, Cindy. We less accomplished amateurs easily forget how much work goes into production of a few polished display images. Your percentages inspire me to get a larger memory card and shoot even more images than I do now! Thank you for the many hours you put in to give us bloggers such pleasure!
I envy your knowlegde about birds Cindy. I’m afraid I’m more like your husband, irregardless of any other characteristic then I am about to say, concerning his wisdom in naming birds. I can distinguish two kinds of birds: those who fly and those who float. Okay, to be honest, I do know the sparrow because it used to be the most common urban bird in my country (now it’s place seem to be taken by seagulls and, strangely enough, herons, who don’t seem to fish anymore but order there food at the fast food counter.) Hummers we don’t have, alas, but orioles we do have, althoug they are seldom seen. I find the picture of the red disclike thing and the yellow and black birds stunning! Are they eating organges? I wouldn’t want to meet the baby finch in a dark alley though 🙂
Laughing, my husband will love this comment! They are eating oranges and grape jam and nectar, which are three of their most favorites things, all provided for them in one feeding station, which is why they congregate and bicker among themselves in a most hilarious manner with lots of exaggerated head bobbing. They are so much fun to have here for the summer. Herons are ridiculous. They just park themselves wherever there is a food supply and stay like they were always around. We had a Great Blue who arrived at The Holler, parked himself, and stayed, gulping lizards like M&M’s. He was about 41/2 feet tall, and would creep up on me when I wasn’t looking, startling me. The first time I saw him through the glass french doors, I thought he was a dinosaur!
Beautiful and cute local folks you have. I think we all need to share this place together, not just us human.
Amen. I wish everyone thought just like you my friend~ 🐤
Such colourful birds, Cindy. Who’s the grumpy one in the bird feeder?
Leslie
We have these handmade bird houses hanging around. Since there is an abundance of food and water for the birds, they breed multiple hatches. per couple, per season. This is clutch 2 this season. It has two very grumpy looking fledgling house finches in it. Clutch 3 is now in process~
chuckle…. you can see the attitude there.
What superb focus you get on your bird shots. That yellow Oriole is just gorgeous and so are your images of them.
(if I put out more feeding stations or seed bowls, all I would get are more House Sparrows 🙂 )
Awww, thank you and yes, the finches are ubiquitous aren’t they! We have oak groves here and lots of open space so we attract a variety of species which I do enjoy. We get some odd exotics too which is always interesting~
Oh, the wonder of them all! Beautiful photos, Cindy. 🙂 xo
All creatures great and small, wise and wonderful! 🐤
Oh, I love your summer visitors and that baby finch is adorable! (I also use irregardless even if it is considered an inherently redundant and unacceptable word.) 🙂
I am fully with you and love anything that is “inherently redundant and unacceptable!” 😉
Cindy you live in a wonderful place! I love all your special little beings!
They make me smile everyday and I am very pleased you like them! 🐤
“… am disregarding this.)” irregardless of what he says. My spellcheck just asked if “irregardless” should be added to my dictionary.
Your beautiful feathered friends did not forget you! Lucky for you and us. It is your personality, of course, not the 24/7 soup kitchen, for they appear to have been well fed in your absence.
Thanks again for more great pictures.
Yes, yes please add irregardless to your dictionary, disregard all those who say it is not a word! And thank you my friend, for you kind friendship~ 🐤
Haha – bird enabler, you! 😉 Love the baby finch – what a face!
Have you ever noticed that finch fledglings look exceedingly grumpy? They always do. 🐤
Yes, I did notice… maybe because they are hungry ALL THE TIME! They scream, ‘FEED ME!’ all day long – lol!
Do you know we are on third nest this season with the finch parents in the front nest box! I don’t get it. They must be exhausted!!!
Masochists!
Looks like fun times to me! I can’t believe how much time I spend refilling the hummers’ feeder!
I know, they gulp nectar like sailors on leave. I am always buying 5# bags of sugar. Grocery checkers remark on it, “My you eat a lot of sugar!” 🐤
Fabulous pictures. My Aunt has Orioles at her place in Grand Terrace but not as many. They eat out of a humming bird feeder adapted to them by taking the smaller plastic yellow flower openings off and leaving them bigger holes to access the nectar. Beautiful Birds. Not so much your finch fledgling though, he looks a little ruffled. ~~dru~~
Finch fledglings look like Winston Churchill on a particularly bad day, and I say this with all respect since I greatly admire Winston and have my grandfather’s painting of him in my office. And how clever of your aunt to devise this method! 🐤
The baby finch, what face! I bet the birds look forward to their feasts at the Holler every summer. There is no doubt much reminiscing in the winter.
I can see them in the tropics chatting, “Well it is wonderful here, but I am feeling ready for our Holler summer vacation. We don’t have to do anything!” 🐤
The mohawked finch-fledgling is the winner. 🙂
Grumpy little guy isn’t he! 🐤
Nah, it’s a fighter.
That he is! <3
Cindy, these pictures are beautiful! My husband is also adamant that irregardless is NOT a word.
Did your husband grow up in the midwest? Apparently this was drilled into students in the midwest. Irregardless of it’s status as a word, I like it! Laughing……..
No, he grew up in the northeast. I like it too, but he likes to correct me, or should I say remind me, that it is not a word. Maybe it is a feminine word… one more thing about us they just don’t get!
Laughing, or maybe we just prefer irregular words!
Yes!!!
<3
❤
Hello my friend, you know how much I love this post HW, but I am with hubby.. “irregardless” is not a word😄
Cracking up…..this is terrible. Everyone is siding with my husband. He is going to be so happy, so “I told you so!!!”
Sorry sis, but I still love you!
Back to you X2! <3
As always great images … but this time your narrative gets top honors! 🙂
Thank you very much for not taking my hubby’s side in the irregardless issue! I am just disregarding all the people who are saying it isn’t a word, but my husband won’t and he will be very smug now…..
Lovely birds and equally lovely pictures!
Awww, thanks much!
those last two pictures… PRECIOUS
He was so funny. That look says it all! 🐤
Beautiful birds!!!
Pssst…. hubby’s right lol
This is really is a catastrophe. Now my husband will never let me live this down! Cracking up….He’s gonna love this! 🐤
😂🤣😂
Amazingly gorgeous photos as usual dear Cindy!!! 🙂 <3
Hugs to you dear one and thank you too~ 🐤
You’re so welcome my friend❣️😘
Those golden yellow birds.. those blue gray birds… I want to pick a favourite, but there’s no way!!! Thanks for sharing Cindy!
I know. I love them so much too and I certainly can’t pick a favorite either! 🐤
Loved this!
Awww, so glad, thanks!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Irregardless
Irregardlessly.
Yes, I had sent this to him but he persists irregardlessly (thank you for this iteration) I will add it to my repertoire. I think this proves irregardless is a word, he thinks it proves the opposite. I must say bloggers are lining up with him which will make him very happy, particularly since bloggers are such a wordy-wise bunch….
Any clues for hummingbird feeders? We have a standard plastic feeder and use the store-bought sugar solution, but have only seen 2 hummers in the last 2 months (we live in southwest Ohio). We get cardinals and woodpeckers galore, but few hummers.
I have a couple ideas. Lose the commercial mix. My hummers won’t touch it and it is too expensive. Mix sugar to water in a 1 to 4 concentration, 1/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water for example. While you are trying to attract new hummers do two other things, add a bit more sugar, only while you are trying to attract them, and a few drops of red dye to the mix, also only in the attraction phase as the dye is not healthy long term. The red attracts them, and they love the increase in sugar. Make sure your feeder is scrupulously clean. Scrub it with hot, sudsy water and rinse well, and change your nectar every two days if it is warm so it doesn’t ferment.
Let me know how this works. Once you get a few more tasters, you should be on your way.
Will do, thanks!
You live in birdie paradise. I love the orioles <3, and your beautiful photos.
Alison
Life at The Holler is definitely for the birds! Hugs to you my friend~ <3
What a truly amazing post. So gorgeous. Tank you so much. The birds are stunning.
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Beautiful irregardless!
It is easy to see literally why you enjoy the Hollar birds. 🙂 They are beautiful creatures, and there are so many of varied kinds and colors to enjoy, and fascinating to watch, I’m sure.
That is one grouchy baby bird. He should be a cat bird. He has the sublime indifference to humans of a cat. Your son in a cloud of hummingbirds, now that would be a sight.
We already decided we need to photograph this!
I hope the birds cooperate. 🙂 And your son…
Yep, we will need both, if it works, you’ll soon see!
Looking forward to that!
<3
Charming! It seems that we are both over run with tourists at the moment. Yet I prefer yours to the lot here. They are much more respectful of the environment and lovely to look at… xx
I hear you loud and clear. Crowds, of people, are not my thing, but bring on the crowds of birds!! 🕊️
Birds and all of nature… I love people but one, two at the most, at a time and please limit the time. Warning, extreme introvert here… xx Actually a total INFP! But you may have figured that out already. 🙂
Marvellous pics 🙂
Thank you! Much appreciated~
Wonderful photos!!
Merci beaucoup mon ami! 🕊️
Your usual high quality images with entertaining and informative captions
Very pleased you enjoyed & thank you very much Derrick! 🕊️
How fortunate you are to share your home with these beautiful creatures. I´d say they are lucky as well. Great pictures.
It is definitely a win-win situation for the 🕊️🕊️ and humans at The Holler!
Beautiful plumage and well caught. Perhaps the hummers hang around your son’s head simply because he is tall and they wish to worship his tallness. 😀
They do seem to be fascinated by his height, so this seems quite possible! 🕊️
Absolutely stunning especially the yellow oriole. I am rather partial to Hummingbirds. Little beauties!
Peta
We don’t get that many highly colorful birds so the ones we do have are highly prized. So glad you enjoy 🕊️🕊️!
Dear Cindy,
there is a bit of controversy about the word, “Irregardless,’ some say regardless is the better word to use, others say it’s not a word, that some Americans use it. So Cindy stick to your belief, is all I have to say. 🙂 🙂 🙂
I love your way of thinking Ranu! Thank you my friend & hugs~ <3
Fabulous photographs, Cindy. The first one of the Jay is a real cracker!
Aren’t they gorgeous creatures, and so shy at The Holler, they are hard to capture. I am very pleased you like him!
Nowadays a lot of animals and birds surrounded human are not bothered at all. It looks like they are at home and we are just guests here. I am pretty sure your photographing did not bother and scare this lovely bird at all.
We had the robin’s nest under the deck for years. I made a lot of pictures an it was ok with them. Someday the raccoons destroyed it and after that we never see these birds build the nest at this place again.
We are not their enemies. They have a lot of them in the wild.
Yes. I agree with everything you are saying. When you share space with wild creatures over time a sort of familiarity bond forms. The animals are used to you and visa versa. I love this more than anything else about living in the country with the wild ones.
I love your photos Cindy and really enjoyed the humorous insights and commentary in this post, especially the conversations about hummingbirds! 🙂 To posh holler living….
We are the servants of the posh ones, but we love the reflected glory! Thank you Brad & have an awesome weekend~ 🕊️
LOL. Thanks Cindy!
<3
Good morning Holler friends! There must be a very loud symphony of chirping around your place this summer. I’ve never seen so many on one feeder at once ! That’s just amazing. It’s like a keg at a frat house 😀 We are not graced with their presence in these parts so I had to look at that feeder with awe! Your hubby describes birds like I describe vehicles. I don’t know one from another and might describe an Alfa Romeo to my hubby as, “a small car, looks like a small bat mobile, red, two seater”. To wit any guess would be ok, because I wouldn’t know if he guessed wrong. Hey! Is it just me or does that baby bird look like Jack Nicholson in The Shining? xo K
Well I was thinking the baby looked like Winston Churchill on a really stressful day, but now that you mention it, the resemblance to Jack is pretty obvious. I guess I just didn’t want to admit we might have a homicidal bird here at The Holler. It is true what they say, Da Nile isn’t just a river……. Hugs to you dear friend~ <3 🕊️
LOL, “homicidal bird!”
That Finch’s expression is perfect — looks like you awakened him from a nap! Love the image of your son hanging the feeders and the hummers swarming around his head. By the way, I’m with your hubby on this one — it’s “regardless,” not “irregardless” (I know both are words, but I had an old teacher who drummed that one in my head!)
Jim had a teacher who took this on as her own personal mission from Mars as well! Did you grow up in the midwest per-chance?
I did!! I can’t recall which teacher of mine instilled this rule, but he/she was adamant!!
I knew it. I was a midwest plot that is haunting generations of Americans!
Thanks for the great photos of your visitors. Super camera work; regardless or irregardless of what the War Department says. Thank you for taking us to the ‘Holler’ to see your visitors.
Thank you for dropping by The Holler Wally. You are always most welcome here my friend~ <3
Hey Cindy,
Compelled by the magic of your photography I was impelled to say thank you for the delight these images have given me. The clarity in your work is defining, the images with high contrasting backgrounds are an absolute treasure: all have their own quality and capture the elusive nature of nature’s character. Thank you 🙂
Holler in the Holler!
Tis no bother such colour!
Such flash and feathered furore!
Feeders breeders hummers flyers
bulldogging the fledglings brow
foul flitter twitter glitter glisten
finch pinch purloin dither and dash
else chatter natter gather to sup
sip and swallow seeds peas rind
anything they find irregardless
pleased indeed by kind deeds
of those nurturing nature’s whole
including Grosbeaks and hooded Oriole:
soured yellow beneath sun light
brightening feathers to blackened coals
winged souls posing atop poles and gutters
edges ledges feasting on wedges
and veggies pausing posturing
and sharing joyful melodies.
~
I am drawn to the blue feathered bird…the tail feathers, I want one! 🙂 Would you know what species of bird is?
Beautiful images Cindy, scorching sunlight, blue sky, feathered friends – the perfect start to my weekend. You know how to please 🙂
Take care in all ways.
Namaste 🙂
DN
I am so very lucky! I get to make the most talented and amazing friends through WP! Your poem is pure brilliance and I am honored and humbled to receive it. Thank you sincerely. You touched my <3
The blue bird is a Western Scrub Jay, in the blue jay family. Mark Twain wrote a lot about blue jays and here is a sample just for you my friend. (It fit the vocabulary theme of this post!)
"There's more to a bluejay than any other creature. He has got more moods, and more different kinds of feelings than other creatures; and mind you, whatever a bluejay feels, he can put into language. And no rnere commonplace language, either, but rattling, out-and-out book talk – and bristling with metaphor, too – just bristling! And as for command of language – why you never see a bluejay get stuck for a word. No man ever did. They just boil out of him! And another thing: I've noticed a good deal, and there's no bird, or cow, or anything that uses as good grammar as a bluejay. You may say a cat uses good grammar. Well, a cat does – but you let a cat get excited once; you let a cat get to pulling fur with another cat on a shed, nights, and you'll hear grammar that will give you the lockjaw. Ignorant people think it's the noise which fighting cats make that is so aggravating, but it ain't so; it's the sickening grammar they use. Now I've never heard a jay use bad grammar but very seldom; and when they do, they are as ashamed as a human; they shut right down and leave."
Namaste & Happy Weekend~ 🐦
Hey Cindy
Thank you! 🙂 We meet whom we are destined to meet in life and in that gathering is an exchange a trading of energies subtle and exquisite and just as nature intended. It is your crafted distillation of time, energy, commitment, love and focus that infuses the quality of the images you’ve posted…your photography expresses the honesty and beauty within you and the relationship you have with nature. My response draws on that energy finds a language in it, and returns it in words of gratitude – my lead prompted as it most certainly was by your imagery and mention in a comment to your grandfather and Churchill’s painting. In that personal comment also lie the energies contained in the totality of personal memory, both yours, and by way of prompt reflections on my grandfather and my understanding of Churchill as well. Your posting is like a feeding station for cascading ideas, each and every minute aspect of thought expressed in words tumbling in domino effect like different seeds into the one tray.
You have a very loving and gentle heart Cindy, a career within an occupational health area that offers understanding and deeper insight into life itself, and an obvious natural affinity with nature. It is little wonder that photography captures your imagination and your work keeps getting better and better. Thank you 🙂
Cindy, I cannot thank you enough for the Mark Twain citation! I was thrilled to read it, be reminded of it once again after so many years, and wholly delighted you included it in a reply to me. Thank you. Twain has found words with style and posture that are timelessly endearing. His reflections on the ubiquitous nature of the Jay are highly entertaining, and I am certain most accurate. As for the language of cats – words fail me to describe the enjoyment I found in that – his observational ability is extraordinary as is his ability to translate that in a joy of words. An iconic writer and a wonderful storyteller.
I did venture to seek further illumination on the Blue Jay by way of its symbolism, the purpose of which was to find another distilled perspective on this beautiful, stunning little bird. If interested, a quick visit here provides alternate affirmation of Twain’s observations. http://www.whats-your-sign.com/blue-jay-animal-symbolism.html
If I may head off on a slight tangent, an experience regarding animal sounds comes to mind. I was living in the suburbs of London within an area called Colliers Wood. The place name alludes to images of trees long since built over by London’s relentless sprawl. I awoke one night disturbed by the pitiful wail that is a fox’s woeful whine. It froze me for I had never heard such a sound before and I sat with my senses keened waiting for something more. The thumping sound when it came immediately after the wail flailed my imagination with barbs of horror almost impelling me beneath the duvet! The dragging sound that followed the thump was made by a heavy slack weight being pulled across hard ground. Even under the duvet I could hear the body being heaved and hidden under cover of night. The wail came again, this time a little quieter, more pitiful; more disturbing it brought goose bumps to my flesh. Another thump, louder than the first as if a greater weight had fallen. This weight was also dragged by something now breathing so hard I could hear it through the open window. Terrified but overcome with the curiosity of a cat I slipped my hide and ventured with stealth to the window. By means of a small space between the curtains I could see into neighbouring gardens amongst the houses set in my terrace. All was so still and deathly quiet the silence so immediately apparent in a city that never slept. Footsteps in the garden to the right of my house snatched me away from the calm. A figure, tall, blackened in shadow moved towards the back of the garden, his form barley visible against the dark shrubbery. He paused, the wail again, this time excruciatingly loud as if next door! The figure stooped, paused in motion again before dragging something heavy behind them. I felt my breath catch in my throat; my body freeze again with not knowing, with an inability to understand or comprehend what was happening. Confused but compelled to do something, I raced to fling on the bedroom light, returned to the open window with a torch, fumbled with the on button but managed to direct the beam and shouted ‘Oi!” as bravely as I could… My neighbours fright and frightened expression as he was caught in the bright of a sudden bellowing yellowing beam was priceless. His retort, ‘WTF Dewin you scared the bejesus outta me!’ neither convinced nor registered with me, as I continued to shout, ‘Oi! What the hell are you doing!?” There was a short moment of silence penetrated only by the weeping wail of whatever Baskervillian creature lurked close by. Perhaps it was the compression or the waking moment but something then registered within me: the disassociation between the foxes wail and my neighbour in their garden and whatever activity they were engaged in. I calmed upon knowing this, and asked in a more neighbourly fashion, “what are you doing at 3am in the morning?” To which his breathy reply, “Sorry mate, did I wake you? I’m just loading up the van with cement. We’ve an early start at a new build site in north London.” The creature howled again somewhere away to my left. “Foxes” said my neighbour, “it sounds like death!” “Indeed.” I said, “or murder.” 🙂
Thank you for being present on WP and sharing your magic with us so freely. I am pleased to have met you and enjoy the welcome within your Blog and the feast served on your table. Happy snapping and continued enjoyment with your passion. Thank you for the scorching red bird…a Red Cardinal perhaps? 🙂
Take care of one and all 🙂
Namaste <3
DN
P.S: To captivate your imagination as Twain has, perhaps you might also enjoy the writing of Robert Macfarlane, who offers a beautiful dense language of words to describe nature with elegance and appeal. Books such as The Wild Places, Landmarks, The Old Ways, and Mountains of the Mind are dense with poetic prose reflecting on nature and remain a joy a read. Namaste 🙂
Okay, I started reading this and got to the part with the London fox wailing in the night, and my tension level starting going up as I got hooked entirely by the tale, your writing, and the poor fox that I was so hoping you would either rescue or at least attempt to assist. At the same time I was marveling because I recently had an incredibly amazing (to me) London fox(es) experience which I most certainly was not expecting to have. Your story put me right back in that London hotel room.
We had returned from two weeks self driving through Kruger National Park with incredible animal experiences everyday and had a week rest stop in London to relax, unwind, and soak up some civilization before returning to The Holler. We were staying in a small hotel near the British Museum that looked out on The Duke of Bedford’s private walled garden that we were instructed not to walk into. The first day my husband went off to the museum while I chilled in the room. I was looking out at the garden when I noticed the first fox kit. It ended up to be an entire fox family, two kits and mom and a dad. They had a den in the hedges and over the course of the next week I watched them daily, despite a significant window restriction. The window was permanently locked and would only open around three inches giving me major photographic limitations.
I watched the kits stalk magpies and I watched a parent kill and present the magpie to the family. I was fascinated by the magpie’s revenge which went on for days as they teased and tormented the entire family, mostly the kits who they continuously provoked into futile stalking attempts. I didn’t want to leave the room or window! I had left safari in So. Africa and continued my safari in London! So I did a post on it (of course) which you can link on below:
https://cindyknoke.com/tag/london-foxes/
I read Macfarlane’s ‘Mountains of the Mind’ long ago because I was a huge fan of the ‘Tasker Boardman Omnibus,’ Shining Summits et al, and Macfarlane’s book won their literary award. I will read more of Macfarlane on your recommendation.
I also blogged about a fox in Ireland, but enough for now. Foxes are rare to me. I have seen one all my time at The Holler, and only a handful in my lifetime, so I fell fully in love with the London fox family, and with your wonderful story! You are a naturally gifted writer.
Cheers to you my friend & Namaste~
Hey Cindy,
Thank you for a wonderful reply, your story and associated post are delightful, the foxes enchanting and the joy of your experience clearly shines through in your commentary. Your decision to forgo the museum trip was a choice rewarded with a rare opportunity and chance to engage your obvious interest…’I didn’t want to leave the room or window!’ says all one needs to hear about what captivates your lens the most 🙂
I find it fascinating that your encounter with foxes has been so seldom given where you live and the travel experiences you have had. (My parents show me photographs of the Kruger from ages ago when our family lived in S Africa when I was still a wee wee laddie.) I am thrilled you had time to observe for an extended period these clever, elusive and shy animals who live and move like ghosts around us. Despite their sometimes vicious visage, I find them quite alluring in that they have a feline quality to their canine dogginess. In the UK foxes get a mixed reaction from the public, both loved and loathed, and on occasion hunted for sport by the barbarically minded, they represent the point of division between humankind and nature. It saddens me they are so poorly regarded.
The photographs as always are very endearing, the fox kits (cubs?) especially so as they play and learn within their safe and protected surroundings. They are indeed a fox family of pedigree and I am thrilled they have been able to stay within their unique city setting 🙂 Thank you for sharing your experience, I enjoyed every last pixel.
If curious, I posted an image with one of the chapters in a poem have been blogging ~ Stitch Stash and Sow ~ https://dewinnefol.wordpress.com/2016/07/24/1383/ ~ of a skeletal figure I generated on Photoshop. The figure is pieced together from separate photographs of the bones of a fox-cub skeleton I found whilst out walking one morning and returned home with to clean and preserve. Badgers had disturbed the remains and I was never able to find all of the bones but I have the skull intact less bottom jaw and all the teeth for the upper and lower jaw. It may sound peculiar but I regard the find as a treasure and keep it very safe. In regards to the content of the poem, it edged with a nip of alchemy here and there, the fox relates to Chinese traditions, where the crafty old fox is a symbol of transformation, cunning, and craft 🙂
Regards my story, as far as I know no foxes were ever hurt or injured during the making of my fox tale 🙂
I have recently replaced copies of Macfarlane’s books with audio copies available from Audible. It does not offer quite the same experience but adds an alternate dimension to the reading experience, in that one can close ones eyes and engage the imagination without sharing the experience with physical reading. I find it very therapeutic.
Thank you for sharing my weekend Cindy by way of the magic of WP. I’ve delighted in photographs, traded tales, been reminded of Twain’s spirit of adventure and brilliance, learnt about the Blue Jay and altogether enjoyed my time spent here. Thank you 🙂
A new week ahead that I hope you will enjoy and be captivated by sufficiently to capture some of it for sharing with us here.
Take care of one and all. Best wishes in all ways always.
Namaste 🙂
DN
You are a brilliant and talented writer. The fox metamorphosed into the butterfly is magical and bewitching~
Hey Cindy,
Well now you have been overly generous and wonderfully kind in your reply and I’m quite certain such regard would suit others far better than I 😀 Thank you for inspiring, but if truth be told Cindy, in finding honest enjoyment in the photographs you posted, in essence, I borrowed from the magic and enchantment embedded in your own passion (the distilled 1% of your work that made it to publishing) and mixed it up with a few letters of my own. It is your talent that inspires others to personal betterment. Thank YOU 🙂
Would it be amiss of me if I took a copy of the Blue Jay photograph? There’s a certain look in his beady eye that keeps me honest lol 🙂
Have a wonderful week Cindy. Best wishes to one and all, take care in all ways always.
Happy snapping!
Namaste 🙂
DN
My God. Amazing isn’t it! Sometimes we are blessed. Like me from you.
And like me from you. Thank you!
Namaste 🙂
DN
Those baby bird photos are precious! It looks like a bad hair day!
More like a bad hair month!
https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/7b/b1/f8/7bb1f84d1251135811a625dc964a56e8–wake-up-comics.jpg
Hee, hee!
Hi Cuz,
Irregardless of what he thinks, I found this in the Merriam Webster on the internet ……
Irregardless was popularized in dialectal American speech in the early 20th century. Its increasingly widespread spoken use called it to the attention of usage commentators as early as 1927. The most frequently repeated remark about it is that “there is no such word.” There is such a word, however. It is still used primarily in speech, although it can be found from time to time in edited prose.
All the pics are great. You have so many summer birds there in comparison to what we see. We just have Cardinals, House & Goldfinches, a Wren or two, this year a real bluebird, and, if we’re really lucky, maybe a hummer will visit for a while. They’re all wonderful though. Hugs ! 🙂
You truly are a wonderful cousin cuz, even if it is non-biological! Bartons are Bartons. Your explanation is perfect. How do words get made anyway and when do they actually become words? I would say when you want them to be! All words are made up anyway. Hugs to you cuz & thanks too~
So blessed to have the range of birds and the colors are magnificent. PS I like the way you sucker punched Charly yesterday. He left a comment about a year ago confessing all his drug and alcohol problems. Then never responded back. Recently I befriended him for a couple of weeks before having enough. It’s sad when someone is not/maybe aware they have PTDS and depression and don’t do a damn thing about it. I’m unfollowing, I think he’s good in his heart but I cut negative people out of my life.
Hope you are healthy and happy..
M
Oh dear! I didn’t mean to do that and feel bad if I did convey that. It is hard sometimes to get across complexity of thought and intent in the quick written format of online interaction. I do hear you however, and fully support your removal of negative energy, or people that bring negativity into your life. I do exactly the same thing for the same reason and it is a very effective way of protecting yourself.
No one could ever be hard on Charly. He has PTSD and said he didn’t believe in that stuff. The only things that piss him off is no cigerettes, no internet, no one to screw above all reality. We’ve followed and talked over the years. Recently after he called me everything in the book we reached a level of understanding. The minute he snaps he throws you away. I wanted to help but people have to want help, not just write about. Life is short, to short to have shit dropped on you. I’ll help someone who ask for help.
Have a great Monday!!! 🙂
Baby bird annoyance! Ha ha. Yes. A funny little creature in there who will grow into another beauty, no doubt. Great photos, Cindy.
Thank you. Baby birds do look remarkably grumpy when it’s the parents that ought to look grumpy, considering how hard they work to feed their chicks!
Your photos are stunning! Thanks to you and your feathered holler friends for letting us look in on them.
Thank you more for appreciating them & cheers to you!
Such a varied collection of bird visitors. 🙂
As previously noted, irregardless has found a place in colloquial usage. Most often, irregardless is used to represent a greater degree of “regardlessness”. Grammatically, its usage is incorrect. That’s what one of my teacher friends has said. She teaches English. And, yes, she does grade down if you were her student and use the term, irregardless in a composition. She would say, “excuse me,” if you were to use it in her classroom. 🙂
Laughing……yes! I love it! A greater degree of “regardlessness.” That is precisely what it communicates so well. Thank you!
Cool to see your nesting box– I should do that! My favorite was when some little sparrows made a nest in the eaves right outside our bedroom window and we would hear babies cheeping in the mornings when we woke up. Beautiful beautiful photos as always Cindy!! hugs!
Baby birds in nests around your house definitely improve the quality of your life! 🐥
“Flashy folks” indeed! My these are beautiful photos 🙂 Happy summer!
Visa versa 2UX2 Christy! 🐥
I’m returning from a lengthy break, Cindy, and am thrilled to see this beautiful post! I adore the little mowhawked finch-fledgling. What a treat for us that you were able to photograph him. And what a gorgeous environment that surrounds and blesses you. Hugs to you, lovely friend ♥
It is wonderful to hear from you and have you back my friend! Hugs back to you and thank you too! 🐥
Ah, lovely to see cousins to our Baltimore Oriole (intensely orange and black, rather than yellow) and Rose-breasted Grosbeak and purple house finch to visit us, here in the East. Birds keep us entertained as well. Yesterday, for example, I was hanging up laundry on the clothes line and hear this strange hissing sound. I discovered a robin sitting high up in a tree. He was dive-bombed by two swallows and every time they came near him, he hissed at them. This was a sound I’ve never heard from a bird before!
I haven’t heard a robin hissing either. How fascinating! You know what I do though? I go to Cornell’s ornithology website when I see a new bird species, find out what it is, and play the mating call on the speaker out my window. It is really fun to see the reaction as they look for the bird! 🐥
Such cute feathered friends! ( ˊ̱˂˃ˋ̱ )◞ˏ₍•ɞ•₎ˎˎ₍•ʚ•₎ˏ◟( ˊ̱˂˃ˋ̱ )
🐥 ( ˊ̱˂˃ˋ̱ )◞ˏ₍•ɞ•₎ˎˎ₍•ʚ•₎ˏ◟( ˊ̱˂˃ˋ̱ ) 🐥
Cheerful things, aww.☺
We need cheerful things! 🐥
We’ d love to have beauties like this hanging around our birdfeeder too, Cindy. What a wonderful collection of photos of your feathered friends.
Wishing you a great weekend,
The Fab Four of Cley
One of the most amazing things about travel for me is seeing the native birds. I am so enthused about European Magpies for example, and locals look at me like I am daft, which of course, I am, magpies or not. Their normal-boring, is my exotic-wow!
Very beautiful Cindy! I often have hummingbirds in my garden, and I love their company. Yesterday as I was planting some fig cuttings, I had one hummingbird keeping me company the whole time. They love sitting on the tomato cages just watching the world, stretching their wings for a little bit, just to land on the net one. Their beauty fascinates me. I hope you’re having a wonderful weekend in your piece of paradise.
Maria
Hummingbirds are simply incredible to live with. They have a magic which I cannot describe, but which people intuitively sense when they are around them. Just now for example, one flew to directly to my window at eye level, hovering, and staring at me, his beak almost on the glass. I looked and sure enough the feeder was empty. He was telling me to get off my a**!
🐥
A lovely post. I especially enjoyed your photos of the little finch-fledgling. He looks like he’s trying to be mean, but he is just too cute!
It is like Mr. T, intimidation you just aren’t buying! 🐥
Beautiful photos! I love all the colours on these birdies.
I do too! Lucky birdies~ 🐥
Cindy you have far more colorful visitors than we do, but then you make them feel welcome. That bird box by the door is special, and the finch-fledgling inside . . . Well, he feels quite at home, doesn’t he. Great hair. Great photos!
He does feel at home and wants to make sure I realize I am intruding on it! Laughing. This same set of parents in now on their third egg clutch this summer in that nest box. They are raising some assertive little finches!
😊
What lovely neighbors you have. Thank you for sharing.
Thank you much more for appreciating them. They think you have excellent taste! 🐥
What a happy, healthy collection of birds. I love the young’un in the nesting box. That made me giggle. I love your attitude about all living things!
We both love the creatures, great and small, wise and wonderful! 🐥
Beautiful. Such vivid colors!
Happy you enjoyed them & cheers to you my friend~ <3
Our birds are a little less exotic, but we are enjoying watching the baby Mourning Dove grow. How wonderful to live in a place so buzzing with life!
Oh how wonderful to have a baby morning dove. I would love to watch him grow too~
Beautiful photos. I especially like the yellow birds – blue is not my color. Sorry blue bird
Happy you like the cheerful oriole & cheers to you~
Superb post Cindy – especially loved the commentary 🙂
Ahh, so thoughtful! Thank you~ 🐦
Reblogged this on Musings on Life & Experience and commented:
More great bird pictures from Cindy Knoke.
The 🐦🐦 and I thank you for your support~
I love those yellow and black birs, they are so colourful, but my favourite has to be the grumpy baby bird in its nest! It really does look cheesed off!
BTW I think ‘irregardless’ is a word and I like it! 🙂
Thank you! I love made up words and believe all words are made up anyway so it’s a moot point to me but fun to toss around~ 🐦
Yes, I agree! 🙂
<3
Terrific photos! RH (ps ‘irrespective’ is uncontroversial – no double negative)
Thank much & this reminds me of what Captain Barbossa would clearly say about the rules of grammar which I do tend to agree with:
Ah, as I read this Cindy, a grosbeak is debating with a chickadee over who has rights to the bird feeder while a scrub jay and a ground squirrel are debating on the ground. The bird feeder attracts a continuous stream of birds, and since many of them are messy eaters, other birds gather below. A couple of nights ago, 22 turkey chicks took over our back yard. And the bird bath… well that has been taken over by the deer who now think of it as their watering hole, irregardless of what the birds think. 🙂 –Curt
Isn’t it grand! These wild creatures are the best neighbors in the world. 22 turkey chicks! Wow! Must make for some awesome photos. We are getting a fantastic collection of non-venomous snakes this year, red racers, and gorgeous gopher and king snakes. I’ve been snapping their pics and I found the roadrunner nest!
Nature is always entertaining, I must say. Beats the heck out of most television! And the roadrunner nest. I suspect we will see some great photos from that, Cindy. –Curt
So far no baby has emerged, but I am observing. I have seen juvenile roadrunners but not a baby, so I am hopeful~
Your bird pics are my fav!!! ❤️
Awwww, makes me happy! Thank you~ <3
What a wondrous bird heaven! I would relish the experience of having hummers surrounding my head. Never heard of that happening. Maybe too close for comfort though. 🙂
Oh I love it so. Yesterday evening I went out with the hand held hummer feeder. All the other feeders were still up, but the hummers investigated me by hovering just inches from my eyes. I stayed utterly still, looking at them and then I became just another feeding station, they fed from my hand as steadily as they did from the hanging feeders, but each bird investigated my eyes the same way. They never hurt me and never will unless I were to get inadvertently caught in a cross fight between hummers. The great thing about having them so close to your face is they generate an intense amount of wind like a fan blowing in your face, keeping you cool on hot days. They are magical!
A hummer delight! <3
There has to be 30 of them here now!
Just love the birdies and your captions, Cindy. It’s amazing to have baby’s nearby. We don’t have that. In some way they don’t want to come near to me…MOL 😀 Pawkisses for a wonderful week ahead 🙂 <3
Your kitty-katties keep the birdie nests away. Which is okay. None of us can have everything we want!
That finch fledgling is a bit grumpy looking! I feel about the same way when someone tries to take my picture. lol I love the little guy with the blue on him.
So do I! I do not like having my photo taken and I find the whole selfie thing so boring.
Selfies…way over-done!
Yes!
I love your blog!
Awww, I love you for saying this! Hugs to you~ <3
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Cindy Knoke is back from her European travels and shares with us some of the exotic summer visitors to the Holler.. along with some colourful orioles and a very cute Mowhawk Finch fledgling who is in a next right by the front door.. A delight as always #recommended
You, sweetest person. Love to you~
So gorgeous, Cindy. I love your tribute to those beautiful creatures. And BTW, your husband is right. It is “regardless.” 🙂
Don’t you hate when husbands are right!!!!! 😉 😉 The only thing worse is if they are wrong. Nice husbands ROCK!
Mine is right about 99.9% of the time. 🙂 And nice too!
<3
Love these Cindy! You must be kept busy refilling all your bird feeders! Hummers won’t get close to someone they do not know.
Both statements are very true. Conditions must be perfect in Tofino just now. Wish I could beam over~
good point!………..you can come up late September for the salmon run! I’ll show you a spot where it’ll only be you,12 bears & thousands of salmon!
If I were a bird, I, too would nest by you. Your light radiates into your photographs and the words you use. How could anything of beauty fear you? 🌹
-PR
Sometimes I am just blown away by the kind thoughtfulness of people. Thank you. <3
You give joy to more people than you know. Thank you! ❤️
<3 <3
Cindy- stunning stunning photographs and text. Thank you. Paul
Thank you more Paul for such kind appreciation~
What a marvelous array of fine feathered friends! Excellent models who earn their keep by allowing you to memorialize their presence! I know I have asked at least twice before, but I dare ask one more time–please tell me once more the make and model of your camera. Much appreciated! But even more appreciated are all of your breathtaking photos! Hugs to you, my friend! 🤗
You are such a sweetheart Linda! May camera is a Sony HX 400. It is an awesome camera and I hope you get one. They are not expensive.
Thanks so much! This time I wrote it down! 😆
<3
I adore this post and your pics! It is sooo beautiful! Perhaps i have already commented, but I can’t remember. Perhaps I was drinking wine when I read this. I’m not allowed to drink wine and blog, but apparently I do … sometimes! Much love to you, Cindy! The birds are the best!
Cracking up….. Maybe I was drinking wine when I read your comment, which I am not allowed to do, and thus don’t remember it. So your wine cancels out my wine and we are GOOD to go, sober as two church mice! <3
Hahaha! Okay, now that all is even… let’s see … it’s 6:30 here & almost dinner, which is in the oven. Time for wine! xoxo
Super pleased to see you exercised restraint and wrote this comment prior to partaking……. 😉
I absolutely loved this post, Cindy. Fun to see all your visitors, and hear the dialogue around the bird feeders. Looks like your orioles had no hesitation. Your bird visitors, and your photos, are gorgeous.
Awww, your lovely comment made my <3 smile my friend. Have a lovely weekend & thank you~
This is the post I liked the most from you. Beauty.
Congrats!
Alberto Mrteh (El zoco del escriba)
Ahhhhh, so nice! Thank you and I am glad you enjoyed~ 🐦
We have had a colorful summer this year with the bright red Summer Tanengers nesting nearby. They did eat most of the wineberries this year, but that’s compensation for their visits. -Oscar
They are so gorgeous! How lucky you are. I rarely see them. 🐦
Didn’t know that about San Diego County but your photos certainly prove the statement about having more bird species than any other place in the US. Great pics!
Very pleased you enjoyed the 🐦🐦 and have a wonderful weekend~
Sehr schöne Fotos. Klasse—.
Vielen Dank Wolfgang und habe einen wunderschonen Sonntag mein Freund~
Your photos are like National Geographic. Thanks for visiting my blog and clicking the like button. Seeing your work is inspiring, Cindy.
Awww, I love your blog and was enraptured by your mist photos!
Thsnks Cindy
erhole dich gut und sammle Kraft für die kommende Woche
Vielen dank und du auch mein Freund~
Na, gut in die neue Woche gekommen? Alles Gute wünsche ich dir.
Du bist sehr nett!
I love the pictures, and your story Cindy!
Awww, wonderful to hear from you Maiko & cheers to you my friend~ 🕊️
I have always tried to photographed birds, and they flew away haha. Your pictures are beautiful
It is so annoying when they do that!!! 🕊️
Gorgeous.
Merci beaucoup!
Cindy, thank you for hitting the like button, I appreciate it. 🙂
<3
Wow, all those orioles! I wish we’d seen some this year, but no luck. But we should have rose-breasted grosbeaks in our local park soon. Great photos as usual.
Now we have Western Tanagers and some Spotted Towhees that are having sing alongs with the with the towhee calls I play them on my laptop!
Beautiful birds…. thanks for sharing, Cindy…
Thank you more for appreciating the 🐦🐦 Maniparna!
You are welcome… 🙂
<3
Your bird photos (and your hilarious commentary) are always a pure joy to read! <3
Friends like you make my life better! Hugs to you~ 🐦
Lovely birds! The hummingbirds in my yard buzz my head too 😊.
It’s because they love you too!
I love all your gorgeous photos, Cindy, and thankyou for liking my posts on Lyn Horner’s Corner. https://lynhorner.com
The admiration is mutual Lyn, and thank you!
Stunning pictures! Wow!
Ahh, so nice of you~
I’m glad I finally got to see this one. My favorite is the last bird. Almost so ugly that it’s cute.A face only a mother could love. Yes, hummers will buzz your head if you don’t hang the feeder quickly enough. You are just the pole and annoying to them. Wonderful photos, every one.
Yep, you know your hummers!
http://www.animatedimages.org/data/media/550/animated-hummingbird-image-0041.gif
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I making love all your gorgeous photos, Cindy, and thankyou for liking my posts on Lyn Horner’s quoin.
Thank you & cheers too!
Amazing creature, amazing shot.
You are very kind and it is lovely to meet you~
I am honoured to meet you too.
Your blog is interesting.
Remain blessed.
You too!
A beautiful series, Cindy. I love the bright color of the oriels. I don’t think we have them in California.
They are beauties aren’t they. Happy you enjoyed them Susan. I live in SoCal and the orioles live here. We actually have three varieties, two of these hooded and bullocks orioles, are featured in this post. Orioles visit much of the state on the western side, up fairly far north. დ
Hello Cindy kindly check you Sunshine Blogger Award nomination here http://bethelifechanger.org/2021/10/22/sunshine-blogger-award/
How kind of you to think of me. Thank you & cheers to you დ
Completely pleasure!
დდ
😇