Visitors

Since moving here we have been overwhelmed by the abundance of birds that call this area home and stop into our yard regularly to visit.  I mentioned in an earlier blog what I thought at the time were whooping cranes only to find later that they are a relative of that endangered species, but these are called sandhill cranes.   And they are found pretty regularly around this area at this time of year.

A few days ago Kevin was on the patio when he heard something and looked up to see this guy staring into the pool screen room. He then proceeded to walk around the yard and has been a fairly regular visitor since.

My mother in law while driving home saw this family taking a stroll down her street.  Too cute!!

Then the other day we had this shadow fly over the house and looked out to see this huge guy or maybe gal, in the side yard.  This blue heron kept returning for sticks and flew off I'm assuming to build it's nest.  It also has been a regular visitor. 

Photo credit as I couldn't get close enough without scaring it off

We've seen these funny Ibis in yards as we drive or walk along.  There are some really colorful cardinals that have been in our trees.

Photo credit - just wanted to show what kind of bird we'd seen

There are an abundance I haven't identified and then there are the falcons, turkey vultures, osprey and when Kevin came out to visit last summer a bald eagle was on the island on our property though we haven't seen him since moving in.

In the evening the white egrets sit in the trees on the island and seem to be taking in the scenery.

The other day Cameron yelled as he spotted the first of several wild turkeys we've seen around here.  There's a movie that didn't make it that big in the theatres but is really cute called The Big Year.  It's about the contest that bird lovers can participate in to see the most birds of anyone in a single year.  It really is a good movie and with all the feathered visitors we get regularly we feel like we're living this without going anywhere to participate in the contest.