Friday, March 12, 2010

R.I.P.

Pogo Possum
?-2010

Sorry to say, Pogo has passed on to the great swamp in the sky...or a hole in our neighbors back yard...He had a great last few days, plenty of seed and cracked corn, sunshine and warm temps, and then...R.I.P., Rabies infected Possum.

He was doing a funny dance on our neighbors porch, kind of living up to his name, POGO! First they thought he was just jammin to the kids music, then they realized the very sharp teeth and squirrely(sorry squirrels) attitude meant his little cranium was crashing.

The proper authorities were called in to "take care of the situation at hand" as they say. The Doodles said toodles to Pogo...

Pogo's last visit to the sauna. He may be crazy, but he was clean.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

KILLER TALONS!

Yoiks! Look at those deadly talons, poised and at the ready...
...to pounce on some unsuspecting, innocent seed!
This continues and concludes the second half of our Sunday in the park...without George. After we left Canalway, we went to the Rocky River Reservation, home of the upcoming North Coast Nature Festival (where I will be 'behind' a booth with my photos!)

It was such a sunny day, we didn't want to go home and do the dreaded "CHORES"! So we wandered through the woods and trails looking for birds and whatever else popped up. It was a pretty quiet afternoon, other than the Chickadees and Nuthatches. We did see one lone Moth fluttering through the trees near a creek...future bird food I think!


You probably guessed that the owner of those "killer talons" was a Red-breasted Nuthatch.
This was the first one we've spotted since last fall.

A fellow birder leaves seed along the trails on stumps and other hidden areas.
It makes for great photographic opportunities, even for a hack like me!
This Nuthatch spotted the seeds and has to decide which one to pounce on.

He decided the ones in the snow looked better...just like me, a frozen food diet!
Though I prefer to microwave mine before eating ...
And a token butt shot...
Even from behind, he kept an eye on us.
This White-breasted Nuthatch wasn't the hot model of the previous blog...

This Dark-eyed Junco was enjoying the sunshine as well!
I didn't notice the leg band until I got home...can't quite make out that number...

All I could hear from this Downy Woodpecker was a very loud "OM-NOM-NOM"!
What a pig.

Name that Butt!







Yep, a White-throated Sparrow...
You peeked didn't you?

While Bob was taking his afternoon siesta in the car, we saw his cousin Alvin.
AAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLLVINNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You may have spotted the poll up in the corner...
I'm going back and forth on keeping this blog going...Please feel free to leave a comment and tell me what you think. Should I stay or should I go(hmmm, sounds like a song by the Clash).

You can email also me at loopyone@oh.rr.com .....Thanks!

Sunday, March 7, 2010

Sunny Sunday...

How often do you get a shot from under a Red-bellied Woodpecker?


Another gorgeous weekend...WITHOUT SNOW! Sunny blue skies and warm temps, a great cure for the cabin fever that was setting in. We decided to get out to the local Cleveland Metroparks for some fresh air and a little birding.

We started out at the Canalway Reservation, in the heart of the city over looking the Cuyahoga River and the Ohio & Erie Canal. After our visit to the Canalway Visitors Center we left for Rocky River Reservation...and that will be continued later...

It's always a little odd to see a Red-bellied Woodpecker perching on a branch.

This park runs through the center of a heavy industrialized area of Cleveland. They have fishing in the river and canal, bird walks, folk music concerts, and a train festival every year.

A sure sign of spring on the north coast!
Lots of Red-winged Blackbirds today!

Must be spring fever...I've never seen Blackbirds hanging upside down before.

Black-capped Chickadee checking me out.
"You got any seed?"

Every other tree had a Downy Woodpecker.

Aren't they cute, all cuddly-wuddly.
They don't know Mourning Doves are Hawk food!

Cardinal booty!

Since Bob was being so good(for a change!), we let him play on the see-saw.

He couldn't find a friend to 'see' with, so the Doodles gave it a try.
She went down, he flew up a tree...

Stay tuned for the further adventures of "Pogo Pigs Out!"