Sneaking In?

Up on the evergreen, I saw some birds swiftly jumping in and out eating the juniper berries.  When I took a photo to enlarge, I discovered they were Cedar Waxwings.

"Finally you saw me.   This is my breakfast."

Ta, ta, I'm ready for another feeding spot."

Learning

The real summer is here, a couple of weeks earlier than usual this year.  It's been hot and dry.  In the backyard, I see many young ones.

Black-capped Chickadees like to peck on blueberries, sip water, and then splash in a bird bath.

"Uncle House Sparrow, don't scare us!  

We were ready to take a cold bath."

Here is another one up on an old apple tree.

"I'm still little, but look how I can fly!"

Morning in Istanbul

There are many seagulls in Istanbul where it is surrounded by sea, Black Sea on the north, and Marmara Sea on the South, and the Bosphorus Strait in the middle.

"I just stopped over to see what you're eating. If you are 

generous, you can share your food with me."

Out on the streets, there are many cats.  Many are stray, but this one looks clean and well-fed.  Someone must be taking care of it.  Oftentimes some food are left around the corner.

"I like the morning sun."

Here is a typical Turkish breakfast:   fresh cucumbers and tomatoes, bread with honey and jam, and a variety of cheese, a boiled egg, slices of fruit, and Turkish tea.

Close to the Bulgarian border

We had a 3-hr bus ride from Istanbul to Edirne which used to be a capital of the glorious Ottoman Empire.  A magnificent mosque, the dome of which is bigger than the famous Ayasofya's in Istanbul, greets every traveller here.

During the early morning walk, I saw many pigeons fussing over the refreshing cold water from the fountain.

"The summer weather is back.  Let's start with a morning bath. guys!"

During the day, the pigeons beg for seeds near a seed seller.

"I've been waiting for someone to buy the cup of seeds for me."

Back Home

My backyard is filled with overgrown lawn, weeds, etc.  The potato plants are getting tall and weed vines need to be removed.  I washed the birdbaths and filled with clean water.  A lot to do to clean up the backyard.

While I was out, I encountered with a couple of storks.  They were nesting on top of a mosque in a small town near Ankara, Turkey.

Nearby were the ancient ruins of  "Hattusha" where the Hittites, iron renovating people, ruled and prospered some 3,500 - 4,000 years ago.  Today only stone carvings and stone foundations of their once thriving city remain.

"I didn't know that history, but I like it here.  People 

are nice and let me fly around freely."

"I live here, too.  I like the clean air, open space, and rolling 

hills.  Thanks for stopping by."