Holler birds are out in record number this year!
We have a mated pair of Black Headed Grosbeaks (and a pair of Blue Grosbeaks!).
This is the black head female, who seemed most pleased with the treats we have on offer,
at least judging by the quantity she wolfs down daily.
You can see whole sunflower seeds with shells in her beak!
She must be expecting and eating for two, or four, or so.
Cheers to you from the very hungry grosbeak~
cindyknoke.com 
She is a sassy little beauty.
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She is indeed and I always appreciate a healthy appetite! π
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She looks very appreciative!
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I think she is!!! π
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A interesting bird Cindy. I do not believe that we get them up here?
Great shots!
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We actually have a mated pair of Blue Grosbeaks too. I saw them this morning for the first time. I have never seen them before, so I am thrilled. α
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your staying closer to home has made you more acquainted with your neighbours!
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You are exactly right. Year after year, I planted the spring veggies, sweet peas, and then left. I have never had such a sustained period of time being here at The Holler. Birds who before were wary of me, now seem think I’m part of the landscape. You should see the baby roadrunner photos, he just basically said to me, “what took you so long to get closer.”
Be well Wayne.
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yep,just hanging around so they become familiar with you is half the picture right there!
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αα
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Hi Wayne, I have seen them at my feeders in Medicine Hat and Penticton. I donβt know if they go much farther north than that. Cheers.
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Wayne and Lynette, here is a map. You can see they get to the far southern portion of Vancouver Island:
https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-headed_Grosbeak/maps-range
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Thank you very much, Cindy. I see that their range is exactly where Iβve seen them at my feeders (southern Alberta and the Okanagan in BC).
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Amazing how far north and south grosbeaks fly. And wherever they land, they are home. How incredible are they. I look at maps of bird migration and I am humbled.
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Thanks Lynette! I’m sure they are over here. I will ask a birding friend about them.
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Youβre welcome. π
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Check this out: https://gohiking.ca/animals/birds/woodland-birds/black-headed-grosbeak/#:~:text=Black%20Headed%20Grosbeaks%20are%20medium,white%20is%20easy%20to%20identify.
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Thanks Cindy! There is a huge difference between the the east side and the west side. The mountain range helps separate. The east coast gets Turkey Vultures but very few are found here.
I will ask my friend Adrian and get the 411 on them.
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Yes, you get the waves, the rain and the storms. I want to come back in rainy season.
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see you then!
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π π
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my birding friend Adrian said we do get them over here but very few. He was excited to think I may have seen one!
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How cool! Hope you get some clicks α
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Beautiful photos, Cindy. I wonder if covid has had an effect on the bird numbers (in a positive way)?
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I am seeing so many more birds, and they are braver than in the past. I am getting so many photos, I have to increase my posting. It is so much fun to see new species or shy ones, approaching closer. I don’t see how covid could be influencing The Holler because there are very few people here and so much open space, but something definitely is happening, so I don’t know…..
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Iβm thinking that the drop in pollution may have lead to healthier and larger populations.
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I know that people staying indoors, helped wild critters outdoors. So yeah, maybe, and how cool is that! All I know is that birds who were scared before are stopping here to say Hello! And then they are the new rare species who never showed up before. Maybe, all the people staying indoors for a year, emboldened birds, and other wild animals, to take back their space.
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I have read a few pieces about how the drop in large boat traffic has lead to a rise in sea populations (and clearer water) as well. I hope itβs something that carries over post-pandemic. Cheers.
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Wow! I didn’t read that! Less ships on auto-pilot running over endangered sea turtles and whales, and such…..Who’d a thunk, and less poop and garbage from passenger ships being dumped. The repercussions of humans staying home to avoid getting sick, seem almost endless, for other creatures revival. Thanks for telling me. α
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Youβre welcome. π
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What an interesting question, and I just love this comment thread. Thank you for starting this conversation β€
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Youβre welcome. π
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αα
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Thank you more for joining it α
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Thank you more for joining in. Lovely to have you here https://gohiking.ca/animals/birds/woodland-birds/black-headed-grosbeak/#:~:text=Black%20Headed%20Grosbeaks%20are%20medium,white%20is%20easy%20to%20identify.
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Great images Cindy..she is a great poser
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She was making the most of her time on the runway! π
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Wonderful photos, Cindy. Hope there will be nestlings soon!
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We have a pair of Blue Grosbeaks too! I was so thrilled to see them, a first for me. Here is a map of the Black Head’s range, you can see they go as far as the southern third or so of Vancouver Island: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Black-headed_Grosbeak/maps-range
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How wonderful! The BHG travels farβ bird migration is such an incredible thing.
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αα Happy Mother’s Day Eliza.
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Thank you!
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α
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So beautiful. She looks so sweet and happy, with all her treats. Have a great Mother’s Day.
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You too my friend. Enjoy your day and I hope you get suitably spoiled αα
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A winsome lass who appreciates the joys of a good meal!
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I love a gal with an appetite, especially if she has feathers!! π
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π
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Such delicate colouring. We have Streaky-headed Seedeaters with a similar colouring, yet their beaks are not nearly as robust as your Grosbeak. You have captured great beauty in their apparent ‘plainness’ which is lovely to see.
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Well. You can ‘see’ Anne. Now, thanks to you, I am happily off to google Streaky-Headed-Seedeaters. Birds named after the people who found them prove there were good (and humorous people.)
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I so love Grosbeaks. They remind me of that simplicity is stunning.
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Yes. Exactly!!! α
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What a cutie, Cindy! I had a male visit my backyard in Sacramento two summers ago, I didn’t even know what kind of bird he was. Put on quite the acrobatics getting to the feeder!
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The males are just gorgeous. But like many smart beautiful creatures, they tend to be shy. Happy you saw one Terri & hope all is good with you α
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You are blessed with your (animal) surroundings: thanks for sharing with us.
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Yes. I am so happy to be part of them and thank you Pit α
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Bootiful!
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She so appreciates you for saying this. (And so do I!) α
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A well-named bird, and handsome too.
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I β€ my friends who β€ birds. Thank you Margaret α
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Your usual excellent portraits
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Honored. Thank you Derrick α
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Hmmm..a grosbeak? Ahh I know itβs a hybrid. Lol! Spectacular as always, my friend! (ΰΉ α» β‘Ν α» ΰΉ)οΎβ‘
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It’s a hybird!! π π
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Haha…thatβs right!
(Β΄βοΎο½*)γβ€οΈ
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αα
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Those beaks look like the could crack open big seeds!
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They are interesting because they appear to be finches, but their beaks take up the whole front of their face, which is very different. I think Black Headed Grosbeaks are in the Cardinal family, which is just another bird oddity α
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Gorgeous
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She (and I) thank you Sheree α
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π
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Amazing shots! We had a Rose-breasted Grosbeak visit our backyard feeder a few years ago, but only for a short time, and it has not made a second appearance yet.
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It is so amazing when this happens. Why was it here? Why did it leave? Just another unponderable α
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I have fallen in love with your pictures x
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I have fallen in love with the kindness that prompted your comment αα
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great pictures Cindy .. I know the Grosbeaks I got to know this past winter loved sunflower seeds. There was one female that would patiently wait for me to fill the one feeder she liked, she barely waited for me to move away before she would swoop in. =^_^=
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That is so cool! Makes me smile αα
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Cheers, Cindy. She must be eating for the babies she’s carrying. Happy Mother’s Day!
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Happy Mother’s Day Jennie αα
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π
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Awesome shots, thank you for sharing with us. π
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Thank you more for being such a good person. It is always wonderful to read your posts and your comments. Stay safe & well α
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Great portraits of the female grosbeak, Cindy! I had plenty of grosbeak visitors this spring at my bird feeders. They enjoyed eating the sunflower seeds.
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How awesome. They are rare here α
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She’s subtly pretty. She would probably fall in the category of LBBs that we have at our feeder, unless we took a very close look (LBB = little brown bird!).
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Yes. Exactly! She is a LBB. She lacks flash and color, but has more subtle beauty. Thank you for noticing and understanding. α
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Lovely images Cindy. It’s amazing what details clarify in good close ups. Happy Mother’s Day to you and your hungry grosbeak! πΈ
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Smiling. Happy everything back to you Brad. You deserve it! α
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Thank you Cindy. π
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αα
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Hello Cindy! I hope you are well, and stay save! Your photos are wonderful as always. Unbelievable how much different birds there are. Thank you for sharing, and before i will forget: Happy Mother’s Day! I hope you are celebrationg, and wish you a beautiful upcoming week! Michael
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Awww. Thank you so much Michael. I wish you health and contentment my friend α
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Thank you very much, Cindy! I wish you as well all the best. Please stay save! xx
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αα
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π
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Cheers and happy Mother’s Day, Cindy!
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Visa versa 2UX2 Pam αα
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You captured some excellent photos of them Cindy. I think we have them here too.
Leslie xoxo
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I am so happy you do. Birds are visiting gifts α
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Brilliant portraits!!!
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Grazie Rebecca α
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Laughing, Cindy. As I read this, a female grosbeak is helping herself to sunflower seeds at our bird feeder! βCurt
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I sent her to you.
π π
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Thanks! She was a fast flyer. So was her boyfriend. π
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Smiling…..They’re jet setters, without jets.
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I’ve never seen this kind of bird. I wonder if they live in my area? Thanks for sharing π
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Thanks for being interested. You could consult the wise and powerful Oz….. I mean google, to see if they do! π
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Ah yes, Google has all the answers!
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π
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Lovely!
Happy Mother’s Day, Cindy!
I hope we get to see mama Grosbeaks babies! β¦
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Love to you Resa & thank you. Stay safe and well ααα
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Nice!! I want to see the Black-headed ones! It’d be a lifer for me. We get the Rose-breasted migrating through and we also had an Evening straggler. They’re not usually in our area.
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I have never seen the rose-breasted! I would so love too!! π α
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Beautiful close up photos! Love the twinkle in her eye!
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Isn’t she awesome! The male is more strikingly beautiful, but so so shy. She has the total confidence of one who often goes unnoticed and shouldn’t α
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Beautiful birds! They look so intelligent!
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I think they are. The females always look me directly in the eye α
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They both look me directly in the eye … as long as there’s a window between us! They are less brave when I set foot outside! The squirrels, however, are getting used to me and ‘stand their ground’ when I step out.
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Yeah, you gotta watch out for the squirrels….they get attitudes!!! π
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Why on earth do they call them a Grosbeak? The beak looks quite petite to me. Great shots of your stylish model.
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If we were able to figure out why bird names were chosen, there would be something seriously wrong with us!!! π
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Such wonderful close ups Cindy!
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Grazie mille Marje α
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You’re welcome Cindy. β€
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Cindy, thank you for these charming and lovely photographs!
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Awww, thank you so much more for appreciating them Charles & cheers to you my friend α
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Wonderful photographs
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Thank you so much & happy you enjoyed them α
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She is a sassy, saucy little thing.π
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She is indeed!! π α
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We had a robin to nest in one of our downspouts, and I noticed on Sunday when she spooked from her nest that her crop of very hungry babies had their necks stretched skyward. And yes, I congratulated her on her brood and wished her a happy Mother’s Day!
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How wonderful. I have never had a nest of robins. I would love to see them. Birdie mommas are such dedicated mamas! α
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We are watching all the bird houses and the activity. One of our front porch hanging baskets is home to a bird’s nest with 5 eggs. The mother is very protective, We normally sit in the front porch rocking chairs but now have to be careful not to disturb the birds. And the snakes…Mother Nature certainly entertains. I love your photos as always, Cindy. Be well. oxox
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Yes, living amongst nature and her creatures add joy daily to life. I am happy you are in the midst of it.
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Cindy, thank you for such lovely words in your comment. A joy-filled life is so satisfying. oxox
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αα
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“”__”” oxox
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Love your comment, “she must be expecting and eating for four or so”!!
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Smiling. Happy you do & cheers to you Kathy α
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Great pics!
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Your close ups certainly emphasise the beauty of these small birds, such lemony colours. Do not know these at all but glad you provide for them in many ways at the Holler.
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I love being surrounded by wild birds. They make me smile constantly. There was a new species here today. Still not sure what it was. So wonderful to hear from you. Hope you are well α
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Yes, all well but our normal routines of being in Spain and visiting family have been disrupted. We are on our way back now to Navasola. I love the wild birds too and the inner joy they give. Smiles to you and all your birds.
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Yes, I was reading your posts and getting a sense of dislocation and disruption, something we are all too familiar with this past year and a half. I am happy to hear you are heading home and send you hope and love αα
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Thanks, Cindy, it has been strange and we also have the effects of Brexit to deal with. More paperwork and getting residency right!
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Sounds really difficult. I hope it resolves soon for you.
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