Birdbath Wars

I've been getting a real kick out of watching the birds in the birdbath. Today this one flew in and settled down for a real bath.

You need to keep in mind that these pictures are taken through a (very) dirty window, and I can't see details until I clean the pictures up later. I originally thought this was a starling.

In a few moments, a robin showed up. I didn't get any pictures of the best scene. The robin divebombed the dark bird and there was a tussle with screeching, but the robin did not get possession of the birdbath. You can see what the combatents thought of each other.

Pretty soon, the robin backed off and just sat on the porch rail as if it were waiting in line for its turn.

The robin flew off and the brown bird casually finished its bath. So, when I could really see these pictures... it's not a starling, it's a juvenile robin! Maybe the adult robin is not its parent? Maybe the adult robin has decided the juvie is grown up enough that it needs to learn how to share? Interesting questions.

This year, the birdbath has for sure been used by phoebes, starlings, the robins, a downy woodpecker, and quite a few of these guys. This is probably a house finch, but it's pretty hard to tell them from purple finches.

I alternated between working on the gardens and writing. A good and productive day.

See Phoebe on Birdbath

Robin in the Snow

  Today was the first day I've seen a robin at my latitude. However, it was not a spring-like day. There were strong winds blowing stinging, sleety snow sideways. Nevertheless, I bundled up and took a little 3-mile walk just to get the kinks out.

I guess today was a day of rest. I listened to my playlist of Palm Sunday music, watched a movie, and read part of a book. Back "in the saddle" tomorrow.

See Robins in Progress

Robins in Progress

 
I'm just going to show you a nesting robin and then go to bed. Yes, I know it's only 7 pm.



The vendor event at Shagway today went well. The morning was cold and ugly, but it started to improve about 11:30, and a lot of people showed up to hear the live music in the afternoon. I did well on sales for that venue. Can't complain about that!

But, I'm beat. For some reason, I could not get to sleep last night, and I now can hardly keep my eyes open. I have to leave at 6:30 tomorrow morning for the Old Fashioned Days at Fruitport. Put all that together and I'm going to bed really early. Good news- the car is already loaded. All I have to do is print something, and put some rocks in the car to use as paperweights. Forgot to take them today.

	See Spring for a Day
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Day Twenty-Three - Midland to Mackinac

 
Today I had the pleasure of hiking with a buddy I haven't seen for a long time.



Less than a mile into the hike the trail crossed the Cheboygan River on the old railroad bridge. Just the ordinary truss kind, but they are still interesting.



The view of the river was fun too. When I came back past here there was a group of people on the bridge shouting and waving to boats as they passed below.



Saw a group of Shaggy Mane mushrooms. Good eating! But I wasn't on a mushroom quest today.



This red squirrel was impressively and loudly upset that I was passing beneath his/her tree.



And, I know it's just a robin, but it was so bright and happy, it just wanted a picture taken.



I loved the mixture of shapes and textures with the New England Asters and cattails.



The colors seem to be nearing their peak along the roads, but only small portions of the trees have turned along the rail trail.



Today, it was extremely grievous to turn around and walk back to the car. I was only 12 miles from Mackinaw City! But I would have been truly beat if I'd gone on. However, I joined and switched to the North Central Rail Trail, and turned the corner westward toward Mackinaw.

I met a Vizsla named Otis (and his owner). Otis leaned on my leg (velcro dog) and wanted his back scratched. The owner and I talked about doggie things. She was impressed that I knew the breed. I told her about my Maggie.

There were quite a few people using the trail for a weekday, during work/school hours. I saw 14 pedestrians (four of which were runners, two were pushing strollers, and two were children), the two tiny humans in the strollers, two dogs, and three people on bicycles.

I expected the trail to go through some ugly places in Cheboygan, because rail lines usually passed through the industrial sections. But this trail continued to feel rural or suburban at the most crowded. The only real change was more street crossings.

The temperature shot back up. I should have worn shorts! I knew it was warm and humid, but found out why I was feeling miserably hot. But I did NOT get rained on.



Forward progress on the trail: 7 miles. Total miles walked today: 14. Total miles accumulated on the M2M: 186.

	See Day Twenty-Two
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Adventures on the Way Home

 
There was one more place I wanted to hike before I left Ann Arbor. It was my favorite hike when I lived there for grad school- partially because it was close to where I lived, and partially because it's a lovely trail. You couldn't do the full loop when I first moved there, but then the city opened Bandemer Park at the north end and opened a closed bridge to the public.

After that you could walk on both sides of the Huron River, and make a loop of about 2.5 miles. At first, some was on sidewalk, but now it's all trail.



I always enjoyed seeing the kayaks, canoes and sculls on the river, but now there's another water sport that is making itself heard. Paddleboards.



The west side of the river is more like urban path. Part of it is paved multi-use, but on the east side, the side I walked with dear little Chips almost every day, is an amazing oasis of natural pathway in the city.



Along the way, I passed the cabin that belongs to The Society of Les Voyageurs. Lots of great memories there. I stopped in and one of the student members was home. So I introduced myself (I'm considered an Alumni member) briefly and got to see some of the repair/remodeling work that has been done in recent years. I've been to some events with this group since I've been blogging, but maybe not at the cabin.

This is also a nostalgic oasis in the city. Since "we" own it, the city has to put up with the Society, but the large Argo Canoe Livery is across the street and next door is a park. We have this prime little corner of real estate, and have had the cabin here for almost 100 years. The city just has to continue to grind their teeth.



I actually lived just a couple of blocks up the street. Here's the house I shared with four other people. My room was the upstairs right window (and the window on the side). It was a small room, but I loved that space. It was a great place for me to spend those grad school years. Close enough to campus and stores to walk, but close enough to the river and trail to not feel like city.



On the way home, I stopped once for ice cream- Espresso Express flavor. Then when I got near home I stopped again to get in a few more miles on the North Country Trail. Just went south from Timber Creek and back, but added 4 miles to my Hike100 total, and the day.



Summer leaves are pretty well developed. Spring wildflowers are gone. But I found half a robin egg.



So I walked 6.5 miles today. The four miles ups my Hike 100 Challenge total to 28 miles.

Tomorrow I need to hunker down and write!

Bandemer Park trails and Argo Nature Area trails loop- 2.5 miles
North Country Trail, Timber Creek south to Wingleton Road and back- 4 miles

	See A Weekend with Friends
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Anything But White!

 
Today was one of those days where many many little things didn't go so well. One of which was not getting home from work till almost 5 pm. But this blog is about the good things.

So, hey! The snow is actually and finally melting bigtime.

It was warm enough and golden-lit enough that the birds came out at sunset and tried to do a little singing. Here's a robin. Nothing spectacular, but I'll take it!



And the cloud cover lifted a bit too, allowing us to have a nice pastel sunset.



Two more work shifts and I'm done! Can you believe that? Have I actually announced this here? I can't seem to find that I did. I'm officially going to be a writer, and no more wrestling bundles of papers around. Leaving Monday on a trip. SO much to do before then...

In other news: I didn't accomplish a single thing after I got home, and I'm going to bed early. So there.

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Spring for a Day

 
OK,OK, we had one or two other days that felt like spring, but this one is supposed to be followed, tomorrow, by a return to winter. So I decided to especially enjoy it. Even though it was pretty cold the wind was not blowing and cruel, which allowed the sun to feel pleasant. It smelled like spring.

The critters are beginning to move around. I finally got a nice picture of a mourning dove that isn't sitting on a wire.



And, no face, but here's a cute little bluebird butt. At least from this angle you can definitely see the blue.



This robin let me get ten feet away. It's red breast is so bright and has such clear edges it looks painted on.



My best find was in the bypass pond. Can you see them?



Me neither, in the picture. But as I walked past there were flashes of sunlight reflecting from something. Turned out they were turtle shells. There are five of them. Painted turtles.



I walked an extra mile in hopes of finding the Blanding's turtle that was my first turtle sighting of 2016, but no wildlife there.

In other news: I'm going to spend the writing time I have between now and April 23 on North Country Quest, a long overdue project. Got one chapter nailed down. It's a project that requires too many bulky research materials to take on a pleasure trip, but I should be able to make some headway between now and then. And I read about half a book. Still half taking it easy after my big completion of the Dubois Files books.

	See First Turtles of 2016
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Birds of the Week

 
It's a sure sign that spring is on its way when the bird activity begins to pick up. I've seen quite a few in the last several days. Catching pictures of them is another matter.

Here's the best capture. There were a pair of purple finches in these spruce trees. This is the male.



The robins are here.



And the chickadees never left, but they are happy.



This shot isn't focused very well, but it shows how light-colored the red-tail hawk can be on the underside. I actually thought it might be a northern harrier until I blew the picture up on the computer.



I've also seen cardinals and blue jays, both of which were here all winter, red-wing blackbirds, sparrows and other LBBs (little brown birds), and most glorious of all... a bluebird. Some ducks flew over yesterday, and I've heard the sandhill cranes.

Still working hard on The ABZ Affair. I MAY have it done tonight.

	See Purple Finch 2010
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Twice Pied

 
Do you remember when I saw the robin with partial albinism, two years ago? Well I saw another one today. This one is not so mottled, but definitely has white in the wrong places. I've heard more and more of birds like this. I wonder if there is more of it or we are just noticing more.

	See Calico Robin
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