Thursday, February 19, 2015

Around the Yard_Feb 18

Linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences  

During these cold winter days I am like a bear and just hibernate. I have not been out of the house, except to go on the deck to fill up the bird feeders and birdbath..So I am sharing some archive fence shots or some sky shots taken from my deck and yard and some from the neighborhood.

I have been having problems with my reading list on blogger.  Some post do not update and then I seem to have had one called Ihsan NR @ Bathroom Design Interior. I do not remember following this blog..and I had the hardest time trying to find a way to unfollow this blog, it was so ANNOYING. This blog had posts  updating every couple of seconds on my reading list.. I finally found a way to unfollow this advertisement blog..If I have unfollowed you, it was by mistake. I was unfollowing any blog I did not recognize which may have been a mistake..


A cold but pretty sky..our temps have been in the single digits and low teens..with the wind chill even below zero..Come on Spring, hurry up and get here..

Above is my view while walking on the treadmill..the blue jays always scare away the small birds.


On days when we head over to the local town, we drive by this farm..They have goats, a donkey and lots of hogs..


I have shown this fence before, they have birdhouses on each post..We pass this fence on the way to the local town also..Some times they replace the old houses with new fresh new bird houses..



One day my yard and feeders were taken over by a large flock of blackbirds, the flock included this Common Grackle. Not sure if my deck railing counts as a fence shot..I am stretching it some..



A sunrise with some pretty pink clouds beyond our trees..


This moon shot was taken on Feb 12..


More of the blackbirds..Starlings blending in with one of our pine trees in the back yard..How many starlings do you see? I hope you enjoyed my photos and post. I hope everyone stays warm and safe on these brutal cold days..

Thanks for stopping by and for the nice comments..

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check for more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences and thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.    I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead..

120 comments:

  1. Pássaros azuis, céu, lua, tudo maravilhoso aqui! bjs,m tudo de bom,chica

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  2. Your bird photos are always stunning, dear Eileen!!!!
    I hope the weather will be milder very soon also for you!
    Have a nice day!!!!

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  3. Your railing does count, even more with that pretty bird on it :)
    My favourite is the pretty sky, followed by the moon and then the fence with all those birdhouses :)
    Have a fine day, I will be back on my couch in a couple of minutes...
    【ツ】Knipsa

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  4. Nice photos, Eileen

    I , too, am having problems. A lot of blogs are not "posting" my comments...and I have noticed a lot of blogs don't update either. Hope this gets fixed!

    You should head to someplace warm for a few weeks. We are MONTHS away from warm weather and seeing ground. I've just about lost my "Winter Love".....

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  5. Lovely series, but the first and the last photo are really awesome!
    Have a faster spring and warm sunshine

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  6. Lovely birds and you have more Blue Jays then me, but we have been just full with birds and deer. So many and all feeding stations are always on the busy. Record breaking temps here and KY still in state of emergency. No schools open all week and no one knows about tomorrow as temps continue to dip~

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  7. i always love black birds or ravens. i find their coloring so pretty. very cool in my humble opinion. hope you are having a great Thursday. enjoyed your shots today. have a great one!! ( :

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  8. Dearest Eileen; Wow, so many blackbirds, Starlings and blue jays♪♪♪ Sometimes, I wish we had farm clse by... I remember my mother said I had goat's milk when baby :-)
    Your 'pink clouds beyond our trees' shot is GORGEOUS, I don't think I've seen the sky with that color♡♡♡ Night, Night!

    Sending Lots of Love and Hugs from Japan to my Dear friend in America, xoxo Miyako*

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  9. Hi Eileen, You captured great shots of the beautiful birds. What a wonderful view from your treadmill. The birdhouses on that fence are unexpected to see when driving by. Nice way to brighten up the winter.
    Gorgeous pink sky shot too. I just noticed your Goldie Girl pic on your sidebar. I had 4 Golden's and my last Miss Beazy Lee passed away in 2012. I miss her everyday.
    Have a nice day.
    CM

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  10. Love how the starlings blend in! Very neat shot! I don't remember the bird house fence--what an ingenious decorating idea.

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  11. Hi there Eileen, again you have a lovely assortment of fences and birds!
    Sorry to hear you've been having spam trouble, hope it's sorted now.
    Sounds like the warmer weather better hurry up and catch up with you there, sending some sunshine over. Cheers now :D)

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  12. there are at least 15 starlings in that last photo. great shot. and i have never seen that many jays in one place... love the goats behind the fence and yes your railing does count. you may be cold but the trees and sky are fantastic...

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  13. Hi Eileen, Enjoyed all the photos ... You know the one with all the bird houses on the posts ... I wonder if birds nest in those even though they are so close together? I once had Mountain Bluebird houses on posts near each other ... oh, about 10 feet apart ... and I could never get them to use both houses at the same time. In any event, it's a neat picture, and a cool looking fence! Have a good day and thanks for your comments on my blog. John

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  14. So sorry to hear you're having issues with your reading list, and wow, I've seen a lot of ads streaming in on FB but not on Blogger as of yet, and hopefully not. I hope spring comes your way, and mine too soon. Your photos are always a treat to view.

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  15. A beautiful setting with the birds...I enjoy watching Blue Jay's. the fence is cool and I'm guessing the birds are pretty fond of it. Hoping your day is filled with lots of Joy.

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  16. Oops, I forgot to mention I just adore the sea of birdhouses on the fence posts!

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  17. Even the blackbirds are beautiful with that purplish shine on their feathers. I understand that donkeys are defenders of goats against coyotes, so you often see a donkey among the goats.

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  18. Hello, Eileen! Lovely photos!
    The blue jays look very cute - I hope they don't scare the small birds too far away.
    Stay warm! Hugs!

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  19. i like that birdhouse fence line. :) and i counted at least 14 starlings with 1 grackle in your pine. what a cool shot! thanks, eileen!

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  20. The sheen on that grackle is lovely, a very nice view of the birds from your treadmill. Enjoyed all your bird shots, and also the one of the cows. Those people had a great idea with the bird houses. I wonder if they make their own? They look pretty to look at and are also great homes for the birds. Happy day Eileen :)

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  21. Good morning Eileen, always a beautiful spectacle to your photos! Beautiful Blackbird and the herons! I loved the farm fence, very funny! The sky and the trees of winter very similar here;))! Hugs.

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  22. p.s. For the first time I have noticed a problem. A couple of people are having trouble commenting on my blog and have let me know by email, which I have really appreciated. Hope these problems get fixed soon for all of us.

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  23. love the blue jays even if I recognice they can be an annoyance . So, now the ads have found a way to be followed :( Thanks for telling us.

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  24. p.p.s. That moon shot is incredible.

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  25. Hello Eileen!!
    I always enjoy your wonderful pictures with your yard birds!
    I also like the fence with the birdhouses!So cute!!Hope you have a warm and relaxing day!
    Dimi...

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  26. Hi Eileen. Those spammers really are annoying so I'm pleased you managed to fix that one. Your Blue Jay shot is so interesting with so many together like that. I'm sure our Eurasian Jays wouldn't behave like that.

    I hope your weather warms up soon. I'm sure it will.

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  27. I loved all your pictures and the information about them. I saw the grackle for the first time and was reminded of an Irish story where this bird indirectly led to hero's ruin. It was long back ,when i read it.

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  28. I love blackbirds. They are so hard to get a good photograph of. A little like my Black Lab. They either blend into the shadows, or the shine of their coats blind the lens.

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  29. Hi Eileen, well, if I had views like that while working out, I think I might be in better shape! The birdhouses are adorable on those fence posts, and although those bluejays can be little bullies, they sure are beautiful!

    Have a lovely Thursday!

    Poppy
    P.S.: Don't feel so bad about your chilly temps; it's been very cold and snowing here for days, very unusual for this Mediterranean island!

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  30. I love the fence with the bird houses, that's such a nice sight! I bet you enjoy that every time you pass it. I counted 15 starlings... the Blue Jays are wonderful! We don't have them here, "only" their cousins, the Scrub Jay and the Steller's Jay, both I like very much.

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  31. I haven't been out much either...just running to the shop and back to the house. This crazy cold is unbelievable.

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  32. Excellent shots. There is a fence somewhere around here that has birdhouses on each post---I have never take a shot of it. Thanks for the idea.
    MB

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  33. Lovely shots. Hope it warms up soon.

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  34. Oh my goodness, Eileen. I love that last shot. I first thought now why is she posting this picture...then looked closer and wondered were those birds...then read what you said. Enlarged the photo...I just simply love it. I got 15 birds also.

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  35. Such a delightful post. I enjoyed seeing all of your pictures of your surrounding area.

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  36. Fence looks incredibly feeders. Birds are humming in your garden. Regards.

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  37. These pictures are absolutely stunning! i love the flocks of blue jays and starlings and the moon shot is magnificent!!

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  38. As I started to type I realized I had been concentrated on the birds and not the fence meme. :)
    Wonderful shots Eileen!
    Love those birdhouses on the fence. Makes me wish I had a fence to do that with.
    It's so cold here too - 1 degree- at the moment.

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  39. Hi Eileen,
    Great idea to have bird houses on fence posts. Makes the for a prettier fence!
    The goats (hoping I am not seeing things) look lovely. I like farm-like settings. We are in the low 10-20s today and tomorrow. I know you guys are in the midst of cold weather too. So, bundle-up, stay warm and enjoy every bit of that retirement :)

    Have a Beautiful Day!
    Peace :)

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  40. i confess that I do like blackbirds. they are exciting birds to watch.
    as always, wonderful photos, eileen.
    that shot of the moon is really interesting!

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  41. Nice crowd of Blue Jays, Eileen.

    I'll bet they're pretty raucous...
    ~

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  42. Lovely photos ! I have had Cow birds hording at the feeders already where they should still be far away . The fence with the bird houses looks soo cute I love it ! Thanks for sharing , Have a good day !

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  43. 13 starlings and a bird that isn't a starling?

    Your blue jays are very handsome, i didn't relaise they 'flocked! The grackle is so beautifully coloured...

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  44. Olá, o frio também nos obriga a ficar no conforto da casa a saborear o quente da mesma, as foto, como sempre acontece, são magicas.
    AG

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  45. The first picture is totally awesome, Eileen.
    I also love the sunrise and the moon.
    Best regards, Irma

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  46. That Grackle shot is wonderful. They have such pretty feathers.
    Wow that is a bunch of Blue Jays, to bad they scare off the smaller birds.
    I think Goats are funny animals.
    So sorry it's been so cold for you. Hang in there, Spring is coming.

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  47. Your first bird, feathers with that sheen, startling, And yes, sometimes one or two of friends on my side list do not update, these are always an "every day" post, so when it isn't near the top, I know to scroll down and find them. Enjoy being inside, without that drive every day in snow, ice, hail, or even fine weather.

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  48. The first shot id excellent and you certainly have a lot of Jays and Blackbirds vsiiting you.

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  49. Cool shot against the pines, and I love those bird houses on the fence posts- that's a neat way to decorate, for sure. Have a great day..and I hope it warms up there.

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  50. Wow! I never saw a bluebird convention before, Eileen!



    ALOHA from Honolulu
    ComfortSpiral
    <3

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  51. Look at all of those blue jays! Wow!

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  52. Ooh! I like to play "find the ..." in pictures. I spy 20 Starlings and one handsome Grackle!

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  53. Great shots of the sky, birds and other animals.

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  54. Oh, yes! I love the Blue Jay Convention!! Terrific captures of birds, critters and skies, Eileen!! Hope all of you have a great weekend!!

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  55. that's some great photos Eileen, love the moon one, thanks for your comment at my blog :-)

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  56. Eileen, your bird photos are always fantastic !
    The starlings on the pine look lovely!
    Greetings

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  57. Would you LOOK at all those blue jays? Be still my heart!!

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  58. i love the fence with all the birdhouses, such a good idea!
    and this moon looks great :-)
    happy weekend to you

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  59. Lovely sheen on that Grackle. It's bitterly cold here today and my birdie visitors are also very hungry!

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  60. Being able to watch birds come and go from your own yard is a wonderful blessing, each bird a miracle of beauty in its own way. The sky never fails to be a source of inspiration.

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  61. I'm thinking there might be four and twenty blackbirds there....:) Will you bake them in a pie? Oh, yuck! Love the grackle - they are so interesting to me. We don't have them here. Beautiful shots of the bare trees against the sky. I hope spring comes soon for you - that is very cold! xo Karen

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  62. LOVE the fence w/ bird house on each post. Can you pin it?

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  63. Beautiful views as always Eileen, I really love the colorful bird in the first photo.

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  64. Very nice ! I really like the birdhouse fence !

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  65. Those birds are so colorful! Someone has a hobby of making little bird houses - very cute!

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  66. I highly recommend feedly for keeping track of blogs if your reading list is playing up. Love those Blue Jays.

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  67. Hi Eileen, We do see grackles and starlings at times although my feeder is safflower, sunflower, and cracked corn which seems to not attract them so much. The starlings like the cat food I put out for the fearless though. Your blue jays are pretty - I know what you mean about their dominance. Just their nature. I see that with "our" red-bellied woodpeckers too. Stay warm!

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  68. Beautiful pictures, wonderful compositions with beautiful birds !! great colors in the feathers!

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  69. Gorgeous shots of the grackle and starlings! I love the birdhouse fence, too!

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  70. I think I see 16 starlings, but I'm not sure. Beautiful pictures. I just love that fence with the birdhouses!

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  71. I counted 18 starlings and 1 grackle! It is amazing how those starlings blend in! What a nice view you have while walking on the treadmill! That is what I call multi-tasking! Birding and walking at the same time!

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  72. I am struck by the beauty of the fence.

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  73. Very nice series, like those birdhouses.

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  74. I remember those bird houses on the fence and just love them. : )

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  75. Love the Starling tree. Too many to count.

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  76. It is delight to see your yard. Beautiful birds there.

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  77. I've never seen so many blue jays at one time! It has been too cold here to be out for long either and I have been digging into my archives for pics a lot!

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  78. You always have a great variety of well done pics.

    When I switched from blogger to being self hosted the loss of the blog roll is the thing I miss the most. I use feedly but it is a poor substitute.
    Given that, it still drove me crazy sometimes when I would have issues like you describe.

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  79. A very pretty series of shots. I wonder how that ad blog got onto your list?

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  80. Nice bird pics! Yes, I've been having issued with my blogger feed too. Some of the blogs I follow, I don't get their updates until a few days later. I suspect that is happening to my posts too....but I've yet to get an unsolicited follow. That's really weird. Glad you were able to get rid of it.

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  81. Hi Eileen, Hope you and the birdies stay warm. Love the pictures of the Starlings and the Grackles. They are under-appreciated by many due to their huge flocks and that they eat grain crops sometimes. Have a really good Friday tomorrow!

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  82. Like seeing every shot. The bird houses look so cute.

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  83. It's lovely to see birds looking so chubby and glossy even in such a harsh winter. Thanks to you venturing outside to feed them, no doubt. Also love the fence of birdhouses.

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  84. I've got a spammer in my blog feed too; I don't know how it got there. And now I'm wondering if my comments get through if they have to be approved. I know AOL and Yahoo emails tend to get rejected. I may have to change my comments to my Gmail account but then I'll have to check it frequently.

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  85. Glad you were able to fix your Blogger problem, Eileen. That really can be annoying.

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  86. Stunning photos (as usual ) Eileen, Sorry to hear about your problem with your blog, these idiots are such a problem, just want to spoil it for everyone. I am over the heat here and just want winter to arrive, though thankfully, our winters are mild compared to yours

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  87. Grackles are so colorful!!
    Have a GREAT Day!!

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  88. An interesting set of photos. The photo of all those starlings in the pine tree is amazing. And your first sky with fluffed clouds is delightful.

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  89. Lindas fotos! A natureza é realmente incrível!

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  90. Last picture is amazing. Well, I counted them! There are over 20 starlings in your picture! :) Have a nice weekend!

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  91. When the blackbirds arrive they do indeed arrive in large crowds!

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  92. Love the beautiful photos of the birds. Nature is so amazing. Have a nice weekend.

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  93. That was quite a convention of blue jays! I know they have to eat too, but I get annoyed when they swoop down on the deck and grab peanuts that we put out for the squirrels. Wish they could read. I'd make a sign: "BIRD FOOD in the front of house! Full feeders 24/7!"

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  94. Wonderful series again, Eileen. The photo of the Common Grackle on the fence is my favourite today.
    Thanks for sharing the beauty and enjoy your weekend.

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  95. Any fence with birds is OK with me. Round here unfortunately the bird boxes on a fence would not last long - just asking to be knocked off by our antisocial brigade.

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  96. I love those grackles colours!
    I know what you mean. I loathe Google +. Drives me nuts! (It's not a long drive, nor a short putt!)

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  97. It's interesting to see all the bird houses on the fence. Are they generally occupied or are they just decorative?

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  98. All pictures are very nice, but I adore the last one all the birds in the pine tree ! so cute !
    I never use this reading list I use Feedly which is like the former Google reader.

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  99. Looks like a noisy flock of starlings.

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  100. I love the fence with the bird houses. Great idea.

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  101. Sorry you are having Blogger Problems. Those stupid advertisements will do anything to 'invade' our stuff... Gads...

    We have Jays in the summer (but never too many) --and they don't seem to 'bully' the little birds. BUT--we are having Starlings this winter (only about 4-5 I think) --but they are eating me out of house and home... I had to move the Bluebird Mealworm feeder because the starlings were getting it all.

    Love the Birdhouse Fence... NEAT.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  102. Good Ole Blogger.. Lost my comment.. SO -I'm not sure it went in.... (Said something like conflicting edits).. No back button to push to get it back... Darn!!!

    Sorry about your Blogger problem. Advertisers will do most anything to invade our space... Dang!

    We have jays in Summer --but not too many and they don't seem to bother the other birds. BUT--we do have 4-5 Starlings now which are eating anything and everything. I had to move my Mealworm feeder since the Starlings were getting the food before the Bluebirds could... Darn!!!

    Love the birdhouse Fence.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  103. what an awesome collection of images!! those bluejays always travel in packs and they are such a beautiful shade of blue!!

    i adore that fence, it is so colorful and creative!!!!

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  104. Your moon shots seem to be showing more and more spectacular detail, Eileen. I loved all of your birds and was fascinated by the cows (I grew up in dairy country) but the Grackle especially won my heart. As with pigeons and starlings, I've always felt the colours of Grackles are under-appreciated. Love to see our more common birds given a chance to shine :)

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  105. You have wonderful archives ... I don't know whether it was more fun to see the ones I haven't seen before (or don't remember) or to revisit old favorites. That birdhouse fence I just loved before and it made me smile again.

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  106. The close-up of the Common Grackle is my favorite. What an amazing shot!
    I'm kind of hibernating, too. Mostly because it's dark when I get home - I can't wait to be able to go for walks in the daylight after work again :)

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  107. Love your cold sky and clouds! The black birds certainly have fierce stare. And your moon looks like it was folded in half.

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  108. That's a whole lot of Jays!!! Really nice shot of the crew. As are the Starlings. Great pics! And the Common Grackle is a good looking bird:)

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  109. Someone above has probably already said this, but your image of the starlings in the pine trees would make a great jigsaw puzzle!

    Sure do like that blue sky in your first shot. Nice family of Blue Jays, even if they do scare away the little birds. That's a lot of bird houses on the fence posts! Very cute! Great capture of the Grackle with the seed poised in its mouth. He posed perfectly for you. :-) Lovely sunrise and wonderful moon shot!

    Stay warm this weekend!

    Lindy

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  110. I'm surprised you don't seem to have any snow. I know it can still be cold with no snow but I would have thought you have a whole lot of white stuff at this time of year.

    Your photos are lovely.

    I hope you can keep warm. xx

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  111. I'm with you about Blogger..There was a triple X rated blog on my list with very explicit pictures that showed up very close to my blog and I COULDN'T get rid of it..Hate that..Google has way too much control over everything..because I have Yahoo, no one is notified when I post a comment anymore..What's with that..Today, I had NO comments..never happens..I hope there isn't something else going on now..We'll see...Hope you had a great day..Love the Blue Jays..Never saw so many in one spot..

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  112. A bear who is hibernating is unfollowing some blogs.
    How a bear under this condition thinks and acts.
    Grin....

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  113. What a bummer with the follow-hack! It's so annoying when things like that happen - don't they know you'll be put off their product forever??

    LOVE that fence with the bird-feeders - I wonder if the birds ever get confused??

    And love the blue jays - even though they're not RED!!

    have a great weekend, my friend!

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  114. That is an awesome shot of the moon! I love seeing bluejays even though they are certainly pesky guys running off the other birds. The starlings have been trying to take over a couple of my feeders and I shoo them away when I see them. Pesky critters. Loved your photos, Eileen! Have a nice weekend!

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  115. Nice shots Eileen. I also don't like the cold, but fortunately I live in a very temperate climate and don't have to endure the cold too often.

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  116. Thanks for sharing your lovely nature study photos Eileen, got to admit I am a little partial to watch the blue jays flitting about


    my blog moved to www.pearlmaple.com

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  117. The starlings actually make pretty ornaments for that long-needle pine. The grackle appears to be sitting on a fence to me! You have so many Blue Jays!

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Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

BTW, Anonymous comments unless a name is included will not be published. Also, comments with links will be deleted.

Have a happy day, Eileen

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