Feeding Time

The chickadees are working hard feeding the box full. We usually try to get a sneak peek in twice during the feeding. We haven't looked yet, but the tempation is strong. When the young are small and feathered out they sit in two neat rows facing the hole. When they get big and fat they sit facing outward from each other in a circle formation. There is not much cuter than the two rows of perfectly marked babies.

Airship Spotting

Airships have long been built in Elizabeth City, maybe 25 miles by crow from the island. The airships used to be a regular sight, out on trials, but we haven't seen any for awhile. I spotted one yesterday as I hit the causeway headed out. I caught up with it again as it floated over the farm fields on it's way back to E-City. It's a cool thing to see.

Neon Orange Calendula

Wow, what a pop of color! This herb, Calendula, has edible flower petals. I love the color. It has overwintered well outside in a large pot.

Watermen working their pots

Early morning crabbers work their pots in the north end of Currituck Sound.

Hummingbird on Alert

The male hummers are still having a fine battle. They sit within a foot of each other and then attack. Here is one of the males on lookout for the other.

The Royal Robin

Those of us who see the Robin on a regular basis may forget to really look. The Robin is a gorgeous bird. Just look at the detail around the large eye. The colors in spring are charged and of course the singing is practically non-stop. They are surely nesting nearby and are frequent visitors to hunt for the choice worms in my yard.

Chickadees feeding

Our Chickadee Pair just started feeding. Chickadees are always early nesters. Here is a look at one of the pair at the box hole. The box is cut for Bluebirds, but the Chickadees will use it. The hole is so large to them that they can just seemingly float in when building the nest. Now that the eggs have hatched they take a very quick pause at the opening and then disappear.

Baby Doll Iris

One of my treasures, the Baby Doll Iris bloom is less than half the size of a typical Iris. A gift from a special person, sharing from her garden. I look forward to the blooms every year.

99 Crabpots to throw off the boat

I'm surprised I don't hear the watermen singing as they work down this pile of pots. It is reportedly going to be a good year for crabs. First full moon in May is the traditional start of peeler season but this has been an early spring.

Arugula Seed Pods and Sprouts

Arugula seeds form in pods along the stems of the plant. You can see the little green pods here. They will dry and turn brown and spill out lots of tiny seeds. And with those seeds you will get the sprouts of new plants. This herb does very well in our area. I just noticed the wonderful graphic detail on the underside of the flower petal (near center of top photo). It's very art deco!

Male Finch

The male House Finch shines in the dusk light of a spring day.

Chickadee

Tucked up into a Crepe Myrtle, a tiny Chickadee is fluffed up during preening.

His red throat

Another look at the male Hummingbird pausing in a Live Oak, his red throat flashing a warning to the other males on the chase.

Hummingbird

The hummers have been going round and round, chasing and feeding. Three feeders spaced about the yard keep them fueled for the fun.

Chives

The chives just explode this time of year. They spring out of the ground and go straight to producing a flower/seed head.

Osprey scratching

Back on the stick, the male Osprey was trying to sleep but the female kept up her calls. He got a bit of scratching in and so I caught him mid-way. It's a good look at the claws. Aren't they fine ... and sharp?

Early Flyers

One of the first spotted dragonflies of the year, this one waits for the sun to warm it after the temps dropped overnight.

I was on the pier this am watching the Kingfishers and was greeted by a single barn swallow flying round and round. Another early summer resident. The first hummingbird made his presence known on Easter Sunday swinging back and forth at my kitchen window. Yet my White-throated sparrows are hanging on, maybe they will stay for the summer! They are busy singing happy harmonies, sounding just like the birds in my childhood Disney cartoons.

Morning Wren

A Carolina Wren on a reedy stem in the morning light.

Kingfisher perch

Nearly hidden, a female Kingfisher (note the rust colored markings on the belly) on a soundside perch.

Muscari

One of my favorites, this bulb gets you low on the ground to enjoy it's urn shaped flowers, the ruffled rims in white.

Osprey nest building, No picnic!

I don't know if this nest is going to hold. The sticks keep falling off the table and a pretty good collection is below. Enough sticks may catch eventually. One of the pair building this nest is the 'third' bird I wrote about hanging around 'our' nest. Suspect it is one of the young of our nest on it's first trip back.

Crab pots

It's hard to see the watermen for the crab pots piled on high.

Little green dinghy

What great weather! I caught a glimpse of two sail boats today. This one is a beauty, no? And complete with a little green dinghy! A great day for a quiet sail on the sound.

All wing

With his dinner fish, the osprey adjusts his balance on the stick in the wind. This is a good shot of how much wing is in the bird.

YB Sapsucker

From March of last year here is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker in my pecan tree. You can see the yellow glaze of color on his belly.

Tough job

My male banded Osprey with another fish. This fish looks to be a large sunfish. Shaped like a perch, this is a tropical colored fish. If I can read the numbers on his band the person that banded him can tell me where the bird originated. I have two of the five numbers. So I have a nice job trying to catch that ring in the right spots. It's a tough job, one of persistence and I'm giving it a good try.

Kingfisher

This is a very hard bird to get close to. A pair has previously nested in a sandy cliff of a nearby property. The nest is a kingfisher-sized hole dug in a horizontal manner deep into the cliff. In the last few mornings two kingfishers have been chasing and rattling off their unique call. Pair or rivals? I need to get a closer look for the burgandy colored band across the belly of the female. Though distant this photo is of a male, his open mouth full of chatter.