A Colorful Spring

For a long while, I have been planning on posting about biodiversity--my plan has always been to photograph each wildflower as it comes into bloom each spring...and document the diversity of native wildflowers that I have added (or been lucky enough to find already growing on the property--these are few and far between...but they are here).  Instead, my first post about biodiversity will be reflected in a few bird species that really caught my eye this spring.

Growing up, aside from the more common feeder birds, I never had bluebirds or indigo buntings...and only a rare sighting of a Baltimore oriole (perhaps not even on our property).  Living in the country (and creating habitat) has given me the opportunity to see several species here that I was never lucky enough to see before.

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet...I've got close to a rainbow...all spotted this year:

Of course, the biodiversity doesn't end there...I have many others--many common, some never common to me.  With spring, the catbird returned, later, the Baltimore oriole--which has nested here for several years (perhaps as long as we've been here...but I've only noticed in the past few years).  I am pleased to have spotted a rose-breasted grossbeak again this year as well.

Hopefully, some day I will document all of the biodiversity of plants and animals that have visited...or even made a home here.  For now, I had to share my colorful spring birds.

A Honking Surprise

I was about to get into the car (on my way to collect more leaves--more on that later), when I heard an unfamiliar bird call.   The word that comes to mind to describe it is almost a honk...a nasally honk?  So, I look up, and I'm shocked to see what I believe was a pileated woodpecker!  Up until now I think I've only spotted one once, while I was walking in the woods in State College--this is a first for our yard!  I'm happy to document an increase in biodiversity!

The beautiful bird was attracted to the berries of the flowering dogwood--all of the dogwoods I know have flowers, but this one the most spectacular--Cornus florida.  I attempted to take a photo of it with my cellphone...which is not even worth posting here.  I partially closed the car door, walked slowly around the car, and the long way around to the front door.  Upon noticing me, it flew off to a nearby tree.  Grabbing the camera, I searched the surrounding area for it, but it had flown off, so I began my post, camera close at hand.  Sure enough, I heard the now familiar call, went to the window and tried to focus on my surprise visitor...only to be shocked that the call of a blue jay scared it off!  Still hopeful, I returned to continue to compose this post.  Luckily for me, it returned again--I guess those berries are as tempting as they are nutritious (from what I've read--and nutritious to birds, NOT humans!).  This time, I was able to get a picture to document my sighting...and now, with no more ado, I'll share it with you:

...Now, I did close the car door halfway through composing this, so I'm hoping I didn't drain the battery and can head out for more of those bags of leaves (which I've yet to post about).

Heart-stopping Encounter

 I was walking the paths with camera in hand hoping to get some butterfly photos with the good light of the low angle of the sun.  Nothing caught my eye, so I continued along the path and--it is a little fuzzy how it happened but--I suddenly realized that there was a bear--yes a bear--just a little ways ahead of me!  I snapped a picture, and then, my heart started to race as I realized the potential danger of the situation.  I didn't expect an attack...it didn't even seem to know that I was there.  I figure they are afraid of humans, but wild animals are unpredictable.

My first and best shot (cropped).

A tighter close-up of the above.  Not bad.

I kept trying to take pictures, but missed shots as it turned around at the sound of a car.  After it passed, the bear heading back towards the road...and I ended up with only a blurred second photo:

 

Just the other week, I was talking to the neighbor who told me to be careful of bears as someone told them they'd seen one crossing the road opposite our yard.  He said he'd been told that the bear looks both ways before crossing--I missed that part, but I'd like to be able to verify it here. :)

I just missed a shot of the bear as it crossed the road and disappeared.

The only other time we saw a bear was our first year here (before I'd done much of anything to the yard)...and we were inside watching it through a window as it ate birdseed...this was quite a different experience. :)

It *isn't* Over!

Despite the fact that we've dipped below freezing and most things are done blooming, the activity of pollinators is still going strong.  For the most part only the white asters are still blooming--at least one species is commonly called "frost aster" (I think), but I'm seeing the bumblebees, fly mimics, and other pollinators that I've been missing most of summer and fall.

The high biodiversity I'm seeing again makes me smile.

I Can't Help It...

...he's so photogenic: