This is the perfect time of the year outside. The mornings are cool and the afternoons are warm. Everything is newly green and lush with a different kind of flower popping out every week. The stars of the flower show this week are the iris.
The baby bluebirds almost look like real birds now. In one short week, they have gone from featherless creatures that were all eyes and mouths to little birds with some tiny feathers, and eyes that are proportionate to their heads. The mother is very attentive to them. She seems either to be feeding them or standing sentry on top of their box. I was lucky to take a sneak peek at the babies when I caught her away.
Here are some things I saw this week
during a Second Look.
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| Siberian Iris |
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| Bearded iris |
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| Bearded iris |
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| I think the cold winter we had was hard on the squirrels because I'm not seeing as many as last year. |
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| Most of the bleeding heart have already gone to seed, so it was a pleasant surprise to find these. |
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| The mother bluebird guarding the box her babies are in. |
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| All four babies appear to be developing well. |
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| This what they looked like just one short week ago! |
Gorgeous photos! I am a sucker for irises.
ReplyDeleteIrises are beautiful, but they're hard to take pictures of because of their complex petal structure (daisies are a lot easier). I don't think I can ever quite show how pretty they are. Just like the panoramic view you see on vacation never looks as good in the picture as it did in person.
DeleteI just took a second look at the iris photos and I disagree. You did a fantastic job capturing their beauty. The only thing lacking is their gorgeous fragrance.
DeleteI never noticed a smell to irises. I'm gonna have to go smell them. I'm back now. Didn't really smell much. What kind do you have?
DeleteI have whatever was planted before I lived here. (Mostly purple but a few yellow) They are all bearded and I really have no clue about their actual names. Maybe the scent is a regional thing due to our heavy clay acidic soil. Not sure but the smell is delightful
DeleteSince we don't get many bluebirds here, I really enjoy your pictures of them.
ReplyDeleteI just looked up the Eastern Bluebird range and it looks like they are permanent residents here and breeding residents in your neck of the woods. It says permanent, but they do mostly disappear in the winter from what I see.
DeleteWell, perhaps all of the squirrels just moved here. Seriously, I think I've got about a dozen in my yard at the moment - which could explain why there was a coyote under my pine tree yesterday!
ReplyDeleteAnyhow, your iris are beautiful. Mine have been lingering in the bud stage for about 3 weeks now - I think they're waiting for it to warm up before blooming. It's 71 degrees out there at the moment though, which is just about the warmest it's been since April! Fingers crossed... :-)
Are the squirrels digging up any of your plants? They seem to do that here--maybe looking for their buried treasure. I know that coyotes have made to the east and are more and more common, but I haven't seen one yet although they are rumored to be in the neighborhood. Another good reason to have indoor cats.
DeleteWell, actually the squirrels have seemed quite disinterested in the garden & plants ever since I started feeding them. I guess garden plants pale in comparison to sunflower seeds, corn and peanuts!
DeleteThe squirrels eat very well at your house!
DeleteLove the close up of the bearded iris. It's fantastic that you have a way to see the baby birds, they have grown so much in just a week's time.
ReplyDeleteI had my husband help me fix the box that way, but not all of the boxes are like that. Maybe we'll convert another one next year. It is fun to watch the development.
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