Happy Mother's Day!

Here is my mother's day tribute for 2008;

When your kids (including the big one) are screaming "What's for dinner?",
When you have tried to protect your children and they see it as neglect,
When you feel like the house is a mess and you clean/straighten it all the time,
Just remember we love you more than just this one day per year and we REALLY do appreciate all you do.
If poorly shown gratitude is not enough, think about the Mockingbird mama.
Sure she sings all day and seems to be perfectly happy.
Yes, it appears that she doesn't have a care in the world or any chores to do.
However, if you look closely---deep in the thickest brush, this is what you will find;












Lots of hungry mouths constantly wanting more, living in a crowded home that you built by gathering one twig at a time with your beak. And the more they cry for food, the more you have to stand by to ward off curious intruders that would harm your babies. Yes, it seems that moms everywhere are overworked and under-appreciated. But we really do love you. Now, what's for dinner?

Shrikes!!!

These are a few pictures I have taken during the past three or four days of some birds that have taken up residence near the Wetumpka Post Office. Thanks to my mom for correctly identifying them as Shrikes, specifically Loggerhead Shrikes.

I first noticed these birds when a large fox squirrel was passing through and they were squawking like crazy. A co-worker stated that those mockingbirds can really raise a fuss and I agreed but said I did not think those were mockingbirds. Later in the day, I took a closer look and confirmed my suspicions. A couple of days later, they were again making lots of noise and I investigated with camera in hand. As it turns out they were killing a snake! When I approached one flew to a branch with snake in beak. The snake was about 10 or 11 inches long. Here are a couple of pictures of a fierce bird with his "trophy worm".

A Mother's Love

These pictures are from the Wetumpka Post Office grounds today. I wish you had audio with the pics.

Can you spot the Killdeer in the picture?

She came off her nest and began her shrill "killdee, killdee, killdee" as I approached.

Below, you see what she was protecting.

When I approached to take a picture of the 4 eggs, she spread her wings and pretended to be wounded while sounding a rapid-fire "dee, dee, dee" that certainly attracted your attention toward her and away from her eggs.

It is amazing to watch how God has designed these birds to protect their unhatched eggs. It seems to me that Darwin would have a difficult time explaining this quick sequence of events. The eggs are surprisingly exposed, but other Killdeer in the area laid eggs in an adjoining pasture that flooded in the recent hard rains and I am afraid that most of those will not survive.