This is my second attempt this morning to post from here. Can't say I am happy about it. I was almost finished and it just quit on me. So, I will try once again as I am no quitter, but it will not be as long as I planned or contain all the information that the first had. Sorry, sometimes these sites give you a major surprise and extra pain.... So,sharing the last of my bird photos with you. Next time I will share something different.

A common Grackle

American Robin

A Great Blue Heron

Eastern Bluebird

Mourning Dove

Duck

Great Egret

Indigo Bunting

Male Purple Martin

Juvenile Purple Martin

Blue Jay after his bath in the lake.

Male and Female House Finches

Scissor-Tailed Flycatcher

Female House Finch and this may be her baby.
Notice the smile of achievement!

Carolina Wren

Male Cowbird. He didn't let the rain or the wind that was swinging the feeder stop him from eating.

Red-winged Blackbird

Mr. & Mrs. Geese and their goslings going out for their morning swim
to teach the children to upend and find food.

These white ducks came tearing across
 the water at us in the canoe
. They went to the shore to have a little meeting.
The whole time they never broke formation.

Tufted Titmouse. Very curious of humans.
 These have hung on my windows looking in and watching me.

A Carolina Chickadee or a Black-capped or maybe a hybrid. They all look the same.
How you can tell them apart is by their songs.
A Carolina has a 4 note song, Black-capped a 2 note song & Hybrids have a 3 note song.
They can't even tell who is what. That is why there are Hybrids.

Carolina Wren

Juvenile Red Cardinal. The adult male has a black mask, the female a grey one.
 Named for the Catholic Cardinals who wear red.

Mississippi Kites- Male and Female out hunting!

Juvenile Tufted Titmouse fluttering its wings at mama.

Chickadee has come to visit me.

Just a few bird facts before I go today. The Common Grackle can Imitate Human Speech better than a parrot.
The American Robin assembles in large flocks at night, are the first to lay eggs in the Spring
 and are one of the first birds singing in the morning.

The Great Blue Heron nests in colonies of up to 500 with the average being 160. It is the largest Heron in North America.
The Eastern Bluebird will raise 2 broods a year and often the first brood will stick around to help with the second brood.
The Mourning Dove also known as the Turtle Dove is a game bird.
 20 million are shot every year for their meat and sport.
If you crush a feather from a Blue Jay it will lose its color because its coloration doesn't come from pigment.
Carolina Chickadees do not migrate and withstand extremely cold Winters
 because they go into a self-induced hypothermia called Torpor.
They are awake but unresponsive and should not be disturbed during the state of torpor as they could die.
The Mississippi Kite is not an endangered species, but is protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918.
This protects the bird, eggs and nest- occupied or not from being moved or tampered with without a permit.
NEVER sneak up on a Turkey! They can have a heart attack out of fright.
Hummingbirds are the only birds that can fly backwards and sideways.
An Eagles talon has the same force as a rifles bullet.
A Hawk can spot a mouse from 1 mile.
Green Herons use bait (insects, berries...) dropped on the waters surface to attract fish.
Mallard Ducks travel at a speed of 65 MPH.
Storks lack a Syrinx(sound producing organ) and are mute.
I hope you feel as I do. I will never look at the birds in the same way.
No longer will they be just visitors at my feeders blessing me with their songs.
They are amazing little creatures who have all the skills, traits, and instincts to survive in our ever changing world.