This place is for the birds

Literally.



The Zigster took a little walk around the perimeter this morning. He was startled (ok, it might have been a little more than startled...his exact words were, "I almost shit my pants.") by a flurry of wings just as he started to check out some of our new little tomato plants.

A mallard hen has apparently decided that the old straw mulch around one of our tomato plants is the perfect spot to make a nest.

Now these particular plants are right next to the house...they were "extras"...ones that we didn't have room for in the planters, so rather than throw 'em away, we just stuck 'em in wherever we could find a spot.

Of all the great "hidey-hole" places a damn duck could nest around here, this one chose a high-traffic area.

To paraphrase Forrest, "I'm not a smart duck, Jenn-nay."



When we lived in the apartment in town, we saw a hummingbird or two, so last year for Christmas, I stuck a hummingbird feeder in Ziggy's sock.

Since we moved, of course, we didn't have a chance to put it up there, so one of the first things we did when we moved here is find a spot for it and crossed our fingers that the little fairy-birds would find it.

This morning, they did.

It's been "hit" probably six or eight times already this morning. I've noticed at least two different birds...one is smaller than the other...but I have no idea if there are just two or six of different sizes.

But the way they've been at it this morning, I'm thinkin we're gonna hafta start buying hummingbird juice by the gallon.

Very cool.

Annnnd...this evening I walked down to the beach, camera in hand, just to do a little beachcombing. While there, Mama and Papa Goose had their six babies out for a little paddle up and down the beach.





Just tooooo cute.