Critters on the road and at home

Being new to Southern Mississppi I am constantly stopping to see precious sights like these. The first time I saw this little sweetie I thought he was a dog as he was bouncing all around mom across the field from us. The other day they were right by the road and I finally remembered I have a camera in my phone. (Oh, the techinical advances! One day I hope to be up to speed on them.) I am so glad he stayed still long enough for me to get this snapshot.

Not far away from the miniature ponies we found this group of cows enjoying the water and shade. I was about to drive by when in the background I noticed mama cow had just given birth. We must have missed it by about ten minutes or less (?) as baby was already on his feet but mama was still attending to licking him clean. I could have stayed to watch alot longer, but this is a narrow country road and we had to get out of the way.

Back at home, having replenished the feed station, I sat down to see who would visit. I was quite surprised to have been able to get this shot of a house finch coming up for some more seed. We get finches and sparrows and cardinals, tufted titmice, chickadees, and in their season rose-breasted grosbeaks, orioles, red winged blackbirds. Even woodpeckers will come to the feeding station.

Here is a momma red bellied woodpecker on the left and her young 'un in the lugustrum (sp?) trees that border the backyard. Momma flies to the station and hangs on while filling up and then flies over to the trees where the young ones are. There were two waiting for her, the other one moved to the other side of the trunk. So far the young ones haven't learned to fly to the station themselves, but one day I'm sure we will see them there.

Speaking of babies, here is the cutest little male cardinal just barely starting to get his color. He has a very fine crest already and knows how to get to the feeding station just fine, thank you very much. It seems that mama cardinal takes them to the grassy area underneath the station when they first venture out, but this young fella has graduated to the top of the feeding station already.

Next time some photos of the finished Matisse shawl.