Ancient Ruins

During my recent outing, I saw ancient ruins along the Aegean Sea.  

There I found a thousand years old broken marble columns scattered on the ground or re-stacked for the past glory.   However, the top of such a column is currently being used by Eurasian Jackdaws for a safe nest. 

"It's big enough for several families."

At another location near an ancient Agora (market place), the birds can stroll observing today's visitors.

"I am making sure no one wrecks my playground."

Another Fall Visitor

It's nice to be back to my PC.  I planned to update my blog while I was away, but using another PC I could not access.   So now I can talk to you.  I hope everyone is doing fine.

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Some trees in our neighborhood are already dropping the leaves.  It still warms up by noon.   Our apples are worm eaten and sour, so they are left on the tree for birds to peck.

On the fence, I saw another autumn visitor, the White-crowned Sparrow.

"I made a quick stop-over today."

"Upon seeing a Golden-crowned Sparrow,  

I am assured this backyard is safe for me, too."

A High-pitched Warning

Lately when the sun comes out, I am on the patio sitting on a small gardening box with a camera, leaning onto the house where it is still shaded (in a sense, I am half-hidden).

Suddenly I heard the house sparrow's high-pitched, continuous chi-chi-chi-chi,-chi.......  I looked in the direction where the warning came.  There I found a young Cooper's Hawk just landed on top of the fence next to the blueberry bush, scanning the surrounding area.

Wow....I began to shoot photos, hoping the hawk does not see me.....

"I am starved."

Right then one of the neighbors started making noise in their backyard and scared off the hawk to somewhere else.  Surprisingly after a few minutes, it returned and even landed on the bird bath which I had never seen one there before.

"I just need to have a tasty bite right at this moment."

And then it came down onto the ground to thoroughly check it out for any victim.  But to my relief, every little bird was wiser and did not make even a wee little tweet.

"Being young, I didn't have much of luck today.  

Ta, ta, I am off to a better hunting ground."

Bath on a Sunny Fall Day

The fall colors begin to show up now.  The blueberry leaves change their colors to bright red.

On a sunny Fall day, birds can still enjoy the bath to clean up the feathers before the real cold weather hits.  Busy at the bath lately is a Song Sparrow.

"I need to get all the bugs and dirt off from 

my feathers.  One-two-three.  Go..."

"S-p-l-a-s-h..."

"I am a clean bird.  Cleaner 

than anybody else here."

On the way to the South

This rainy morning I was out on the patio waiting to see who showed up to my backyard.  Of all the odds, I happened to see a couple of Yellow Warblers.  For two years since another neighbor of ours cut down my camellia bush sticking out to his property, I had not seen any of the warblers who liked the bugs attracted to the sweet camellia flowers.  Wow, today is a very lucky day.

"Hi, nice to be back here on the way to the south."

"I'm looking for a bug in the rhododendron bush."

"It's getting cold here, so we are in a

 rush to get to the warm south."