Carlo and Mark - Sunday, May 3, 2020

Happy birthday to cousin Carlo in Denmark and to nephew Mark in Miami.

This hawk visited me early this morning. Chasing a small bird for breakfast, it ran into one of my windows. Common names: sharp shinned hawk, sparrow hawk, chicken hawk, pigeon hawk, bullet hawk (which is why I'm not fond of common names which mean different things to different people. Even scientific names can be confusing but perhaps less so. It's identified as Accipiter velox or Accipiter striatus velox. Regardless a beautiful bird which flew off soon after meeting me up close and personal. Clicking on photos will enlarge them.

 The sharp shinned hawk, Accipiter velox, soon after meeting my window, stunned and surprised. But alive. Note the square tail, the rather small and rounded wings, small size, and in the last photo the long toes.

Recovered, it soon flew off, 

none the worse for wear I hope. 

This woodpecker was rata tat tatting on the top of a dead tree - that's a fabulous sound in the spring as woodpeckers stake out their aerial territories. Music to my ears, land dweller that I am.

Can you say, 

"Ragout aux Lapins"

I have a very hard time (had, HAD) a very hard time with some garden plants because we have so many rabbits here. Now I try and plant rabbit and deer resistant plants. The battle is not worth fighting. They were here before I was and I cannot win the battle/war. We've eliminated many of their predators so it's basically our "fault" that rabbits do what comes naturally.

Some daffodils in the north garden

Daffodils in the north garden

My favorite old fashioned primrose

Fetid (not Feted) Hellebore flowers

Hellebore flowers

My lovely Kria in her woods

Kria, mistress of all she surveys. Alpha dog.