Yesterday was really blustery here and there weren’t many birds flying around the lake. Mr. GBH, looking very unimpressed, was hunkered down and appeared to be glued to his special spot for the whole day, his feathers blowing every which way.
Even Sammy squirrel was staying close to the ground instead of rushing up and down the palm trees. In fact he was lying face-down for so long, I began to wonder if he’d suffered a heart attack. Much to my relief, when he heard the door open, he moved off into the flower bed.
It’s a good thing he did move to a less exposed spot, because a short while later, a new and unexpected visitor suddenly came swooping in. Sammy would have made a very tasty snack for Mr. Turkey Vulture.
It was the first time I’d seen a Buzzard up close. His face certainly wouldn’t win any beauty competitions, but what gorgeous plumage he has.
He didn’t stick around for very long, and soon he was off up into the clouds again. I often think how wonderful it must be, to be able to just take off on a whim, without all the hassle of airports and having to book tickets.
Wishing you all a great weekend. I’ll be donning my ‘glad rags’ tonight, for dining and dancing with friends.
anotherdayinparadise 
We know all about that weather around here! Bent double on the cliff top isn’t fun (especially if it snows 😦 ). I love your rumpled heron shot, Ad, but best of all is the squirrel and the chat line that goes with. Adorable! 🙂
Thanks so much, Jo. So glad you enjoyed my story and pics. 🙂 xx
They certainly do look a bit cheesed off, hopefully the winds died down and soon. And hope you had a super time, sounds great fun. I do love a good dance 🙂 xx
Yes, we had a lovely evening, but did far more chatting than dancing. 🙂 The wind has died down a lot, but Mr GBH is nowhere to be seen today. 😦
Chatting is great too! Oh dear…but sure GBH will return very soon, he is loyal and faithful, quite the old soul 🙂 I didn’t see Sweet Robin for a day and I got quite worried. But then he showed up on the bench and then had a wash in the bird bath so I was very relieved. Isn’t it amazing how attached we become to our feathered visitors? They are part of the family 🙂
Thanks dear Jake. You’re awesome! 🙂
Well, you certainly are gifted with animals as well! That pose of the squirrel…exactly like Totti!
Hahaha. I haven’t seen the squirrel pretending to be Totti again. 🙂
😀
Wow love your animal farm – the squirrel gets a gold star for being so cute! Please send the buzzard my way – do you think it would like to eat my neighbour?
Thanks, Marco. We do get a lovely variety of visitors. I think you’d have to kill your neighbour first, before the buzzard would be interested. 😯
really? killing her would be messy and she’d like rub off on everything – yuk!
Silence is golden. Don’t want to incriminate yourself. 🙂
That does sound like a bit too much to cope with. 😯
I’m saying nothing *cheesy grin*
I think I would’ve been worried about Sammy, he certainly looked flat out and dead to the world
I think he was playing possum. 🙂
Ha ha ha, I think so…
Sammy looks like he wants to join his flying squirrel family 😉
Yes, her really had me worried for a while. So glad he wasn’t dead. I wouldn’t have known what to do with him. 😕
Wow – must be great having all these animals visiting your backyard!! I wouldn’t be able to get anything done, would just be staring out the window for new visitors all day:)
Funny you should say that. 🙂 I do spend far too much time gazing out of the window.
That face does look ancient, doesn’t it? Great images of his lovely plumage. Hope you enjoyed dinner and dancing. 🙂
Yes it does, rather. 🙂 Thanks, LuAnn. We did have a most enjoyable evening out. xx
No clever comments here Sylvia, just what a gorgeous set of photos. Love them all.
Thanks, Kate. 🙂
Thanks for the great pic of the Turkey Buzzard. Don’t recall ever seeing even a photograph of one before 🙂
You’re most welcome, footsy. He came by again just a few minutes ago. 🙂
Yes, imagine the freedom of being able to take to the air!
The closest I’ve ever been, is when I parasailed, but with a strange guy’s legs around my waist, I don’t think I got the full-on freedom effect. 😀
Nice captures of your visitors, Sylvia! Have a great weekend too!
Thanks so much, Tiny. 🙂
Never knew vultures ate squirrels…
Love how you captured MR GBH in the wind – his feathers are getting a massive blow dry 😀
Thanks, Mabel. Apparently vultures they only eat dead meat, so Sammy Squirrel was safe, as he was only playing dead. 🙂
Great shots of your backyard friends!
Thanks, Sheila. 🙂
Love those visitors of yours. I wish to see some birds around here. They seem to go some where. Please have a great weekend!
Thanks, YC. I wish I could send you a few birds. 🙂
Mr Heron looks gloomy. I hope he has a nice weekend.
Mr GBH has perfected the art of looking gloomy. 🙂
Hahaha!
The face is something prehistoric. I’ve heard it said he doesn’t have feathers on his face to keep the yucky stuff he feeds on from making a huge mess. ;(
Thanks for sharing that, Gunta. 😀
Have fun!
Thanks, Nancy. I did. 🙂
I have always said if I could wish for a super power it would be to fly. Have fun dining and dancing.
Thanks, Jo. Yes it would be really wonderful. *sigh* xx
Facinating photo’s
Thanks, Marylou. 🙂
Mr GBH’s ruffled feather made me smile – he doesn’t look very impressed!
No, I think he’s like me. Doesn’t like having his hair blown around. 😃
Nor me – windy weather is my least favourite type.
I have that sort of hair that loves to fly in the breeze, and never lands back in the right place. 😦
That sounds very similar to mine. Sometimes I am tempted to have it cut very, very, very short so that the wind can’t blow it anywhere!
Been there, done that, cried my eyes out. 😦
Perhaps I won’t do it then! 😉
I’ve never seen a squirrel hunker down like that. My dog does that when she is hot and is trying to use the tile floor to cool off. How funny!
It was quite strange. i wondered if he was trying to get some warmth out of the bricks. 🙂
great captures Sylvia. Mr Turkey Vulture looks like he’s ready for lunch 🙂
happy Friday 🙂
Thanks, Lola. I’m sure he found something to eat later. 🙂
Plumage 👍. Face. 👎.
Have fun, ad.
Thanks, Gemma. I’m sure I will. 🙂
Now that would make my day to have a Great Blue Heron visiting.
He’s a very welcome regular here, Roslyn. 🙂
Sylvia it seems you were hosting Grand Central Animal station. I think turkey could use some make up and glad rags. 🙂 Happy dining and dancing!
Hahaha. Yes, I think he could, and so could I, so I’d better to it, or I won’t be fit to be seen. 😀
You must enjoy seeing what new critters arrive in your space. Your camera has to be ever ready.
Yes, you’re so right, Lulu. My camera is always within reach. 🙂
This fellow seems very thoughtful, very well captured… 🙂
By the way about this way of flying
– I guess our catering mostly are better… 😀
Thanks, Drake. Yes, I think he was wondering where the nearest dead body was to be found. 😀
I saw the first picture of the buzzard and clicked to look up close and thought what a bunch of beautiful of feathers. A rich brown.
Then scrolled on down and read your comment about it too. You take such wonderful closeups. How come they sit so still for you? 🙂
Thanks so much. I guess I get the closeups because they don’t know I’m there. I’m pretty quiet, and a stealthy stalker. 🙂
I always appreciate your slinking around my place. 🙂
Likewise. 🙂
Your visitors have a lot of personality – they must be so much fun to watch!
Thanks, Meg. Yes, I love watching them all. 🙂
I saw turkey vultures about three years ago and they looked so ugly, but what caught my attention was indeed the plumage and wondering what nature intended when she gave them wings, so strange lol
Yes, their faces aren’t pretty at all. They can fly pretty amazingly though. Maybe that was Mother Nature’s compensation to them for being ugly. 😀
mmm! I think you may be right! though I do wonder what the Thanksgiving turkey must be wondering eh 😄
Hahaha. Shame, hey?
Yeah! bet they grumble and cry foul daily lol
😆
I learned a great deal about vultures last year while in Texas. I read the Turkey Vultures do NOT kill. Fascinating creatures and their purpose in the circle of life.
Well that’s nice to know. Ingrid. I’d hate to see a murder happen in my backyard. 🙂
You have some amazing wildlife at your place. I love the buzzard.
Thanks, Debra. I’m so fortunate to get so many visitors here. 🙂
Not bad for the backyard…hehe. Lovely photos. Same to you.
Thanks so much. Yes, there’s always something going on here. 🙂
You have the most exciting visitors, Sylvia! Those turkey vultures are huge! I often see them on the side of the road enjoying their dinner.
Thanks, Jill. I have seen them at a distance too, but not this close up before. 🙂
Beautiful photographs dear AD, especially squirrel fascinated me, I haven’t seen a pose like that before. Thank you, have a nice weekend, love, nia
Thanks so much, Nia. Yes, the squirrel was acting very strangely indeed. 🙂
The Turkey vulture has the face only a mother could love, but now doubt its plumage can be slightly admired.
Haha Yes, you’re so right, Mona. 🙂