Bird photos and Goaties

I am enjoying the goldfinches at my feeder and these are actually my photos this time.

The baby goats went to a new home where they will be pampered like pet poodles. I am now milking morning and night and mama goat is giving me a quart each time. I love the goat's milk, nice and cold (I put it in the freezer for an hour after milking).

Our guinea hens are growing fast and Mikey's favorite past-time right now is catching one and watching it run around.

Lovely Swallows

The tree swallows have returned to the neighborhood. They are so beautiful and I love their cheerful sounds. Maybe some will nest in one of my boxes this year.

Today the weather was perfect so I stayed outside and cleaned windows, took the goat for a walk, checked on the chickens and played with Mikey.

Purple Martins

This morning I saw 4 purple martins! This made my day! :)

I've been trying to attract them to my purple martin house for a couple of years now and it's a big challenge since the house sparrows and starlings try to take it over every year. I kick them out, of course!

A couple of years ago, I got up real early (before the sun was up) and put on a tape which was supposed to attract them to the bird house. Can you believe that? I could barely believe it myself :0

Well, it's time to get the purple martin house out of the attic and try again. My neighbor said it took her four years but now she has lots of purple martins!

The Amish are know for their love of purple martins and almost every Amish farm we visited in PA. had great purple martin houses. I wonder how they deal with the house sparrows and starlings...

Springtime Scenes

I've been enjoying the cheerful colors of springtime. The goldfinches are a brighter yellow now and we've had quite a few here. I just need to keep the thistle seed coming for them!

The beautiful bluebirds getting ready to nest and the blooming trees are spectacular.

P.S. The bird photos I found on Google images.

Tree Swallows

I'm always thrilled when the swallows return! Well, today the tree swallows returned and were checking out one of the nesting boxes! (Unfortunately, it's a bluebird house and the bluebirds want it too).

I find the tree swallows so beautiful! Their color is an iridescent midnight blue with white on the chest. They nest in holes in trees and in bird houses.

Yes, the sparrow has found an house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King, and my God. Psalm 84:3

Downy Woodpecker

I think these birds are so cute! They come to my suet feeder. The male has a little red mark on him.

We are setting up the Christmas tree today. I got my wish for a small tree and we're putting it in the front window this year. I hope to get the outside lights up today also.

Mikey is talking more and he had a little friend over yesterday to play. They didn't really"play"much but they didn't fight either! Mikey will be starting preschool on January 5th. I think this will be good for him but I'm as nervous as anything! (Overprotective mother!)

This morning

This morning there are a pair of red cardinals, white crowned sparrows, a tufted titmouse and chickadees at my feeder. This is totally worth the $5 I spent on the bag of bird seed!

It's really cold and frosty, it almost looks like snow. A perfect day for birds at the feeder :)

Tufted Titmouse

Today we went to the annual Festival of the Leaves. The colors are changing here and it is a beautiful, warm day. The parade was great with a pro-life float from our church. This is such a great town to live in!

These are the birds that I've been seeing at my feeders recently. They are so cute with their big eyes and little tufted top. They take a seed and quickly fly off and eat it nearby.