Pam and Jim Finch pulled it off. There were little peepers this morning when we opened the door to get the paper. Even through the windy storms we have had, they kept those eggs dry and warm. I can’t tell how many there are but probably 5 as it looks pretty full.

We spent Mother’s Day afternoon out at my mother-in-law’s. We had planned to take my mother-in-law and her mother with us to the peninsula so they could see the owls and the eagles. It started pouring before we were able to go. When the rain let up a bit I looked out the window and was wished a Happy Mother’s Day by this squirrel.

My husband bought me a new camera. I so wanted one before our vacation and to take better pictures through my spotting scope. I’ve been wanting the Sony DSC-H50 and I’m so happy I got it. It has a good zoom for getting a close shot of birds and it takes video at 30 fps. It takes full HD 1080 still images but that doesn’t really help on computers or the internet. But they’ll look great to watch on TV. I know nothing about cameras. I thought I wanted a DLSR when I first started looking but I just don’t want it to be that complicated. I’m having trouble even figuring this one out but it has an “easy” button so I was able to take pictures right of the bat. I’m getting a book from the library to try and explain what settings I should use for different situations. The best thing about this camera over my Olympus SW is the perfect color. When I take a picture of the living room wall, woodwork or furniture, the color is an exact match. And, of course, the 15X zoom equivalent to a 31-465mm lens on a 35mm camera.

I looked out my window this morning to find a White-crowned Sparrow. (video below) I have seen it a couple of days ago but couldn’t get a good look at it. We went down to Oil Creek today and saw Orioles and the Bald Eagle was not far from us. We were sitting on a bench getting ready to fish and I noticed something in the tree nearby….and I didn’t have my camera. My husband ran back to get it. You don’t get a chance that often to get a real close-up like that! A Red-winged blackbird was giving the eagle the business and he flew off before my husband got back with the camera. Lesson learned. Then I spotted an Indigo Bunting, a lifer for me.

We got back to Erie about 7 and went for a walk on the Marsh trail on Presque Isle. We spotted so many Bluejays, several gorgeous Wood Ducks, 2 different types of Orioles that I have to look up to make sure I have them right. It was just a wonderful, but cold, evening walk.

This year is a bumper crop year for seeing new birds. My feeders usually have house finches, sparrows, chipmunks and Starlings. All at one time I had 2 Cardinals, a Bluejay, a Downey Woodpecker and 2 Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. I’ve never seen any Grosbeaks before this past week so this is another “lifer” for me.

While at bird banding, we saw Rose-breasted Grosbeaks flying in the trees above. It seemed everyone we have talked to lately has seen the Grosbeaks at their feeders. Is this strange? I’ve never seen them before and neither has some others that I talked to. I’m so happy they came to my area of the city, though, as they are just so striking with the black and white pattern with a splash of red.