Flickers and Duckers!

During the spring, we get visits from a lot of birds and ducks on our lake.

Sometimes they stay all summer

and

sometimes they are here just for a day or two and move on farther north...

On taking a walk by the lake a few weeks ago, there were ducks wayyyyy out on the lake.

So, unfortunately, I couldn't get the clearest picture of them, but I had to try!

I don't know what kind of ducks these were....

does anyone know?:

They were really cute, and I loved the black and white of them,

but

I don't have a clue what they were:

We watched, but they wouldn't come any closer.

Sigh.

Maybe next spring I can get closer shots if they come through our area again.

But, we were THRILLED to hear one of our favorite birds return to our area

two weeks ago.

My Flickers!

If you haven't seen one up close, they are magnificent birds!

They are quite big birds.

They have this "eyebrow bib" of black on their chests, and I love their

freckled bodies:

And they have this MAGNIFICENT

spot of red on the back of their heads!:

These two were a couple...he was chasing her all over our trees!:

(That's okay with me....there's nothing MORE I'd like than Flicker babies!)

Wouldn't they make handsome parents?

And they make the most amazing sounds.  Once you hear one, you know what they are from then on:

Can you tell I am smitten with them?

O.K....okay.....

Just ONE MORE photo for today, then:

Flickers!!!! (sigh)
....I think they're dreamy...

how about you?