I think I have a lot of those starlings hanging out in my yard this year. Are they black, and kind of iridescent, and make a high pitched shrill noise?

As always your garden is looking wonderful.

Back to work I go tomorrow...finishing up the last of the laundry. It was a fantastic week off, and enjoying the garden, coffee in the mornings on the patio.

Alan

Everything looks so luvly. at the baby bird 'Whatch you looking at?"

Dahlia, did I use your term correctly? "Garden Wakening Ceremony"?

More of the little darling...taken a couple minutes ago (it hasn't figured out that the fly to our left is called "dinner".

I threw out some wildflower seeds couple of years ago. Bachelor Buttons were dark blue, of course. The self-seed process has resulted in white, light blue, pink, dark blue and this plum.


Speaking of blue...

Thanks for peeking in, everyone! This baby is even uglier in person. Parents are squawking the entire photo session
Yes, Alan - I think you have Starlings, too. They have many voices and are rather invasive. They have taken over the Gila Woodpecker's nests in my saguaro. Vicious, actually. Here, a Gila WP is building a new condo, hopefully for himself! That black stuff is like tar and is strewn about the driveway. Careful not to park a car under this cactus while the condo construction is going on...

That little bird is TOO funny Brenda the 'Garden Wakening Ceremony', the 'Bursting of the Bulbous Things, the 'Wakening of the Dahlias Festival'. It's all good

I checked the hole in the saguaro this morning and nothing popped out. Figured it was time and the baby split. I was in the backyard early afternoon and heard their unmistakable screech. Found the little guy/gal...


Minutes later I could hear two simultaneous screeches. Found baby #2! Didn't know there were two birds.



Awwwww, found you! I have not idea how they found their way to my backyard... which is pretty safe.

um Aguane. Don't the baby starlings know they're supposed to fly or do they just walk around until they figure it out

Dahlia:
I think they were walking about for about 24 hrs. I was very nervous yesterday evening as I had lots of birds in the yard until dark. Grackles, Dove, Starlings, Mockingbirds, Towhee, Sparrows and Thrashers. Those little babies were really "Dead man walking".... Though, I woke up this morning to the sound of them screeching and exiting the backyard.... Never to be seen again.

Good that they figured it out

Awwwww! So sweet!

great birdie pictures... glad they flew

Quail in the yard. Bert used to play with the babies... carnage when I came home from work. This year they get a chance
Mom

8 of 8 chicks

Pop

Strange. Usually these Queen Palm flowers are COVERED in bees.... not this one.

Amaryllis from Barb about 3+ years ago... first bloom

Gila Woodpecker hangs out in the Organ Pipe

Japanese Maple continues to blow my mind.