Conk-la-ree!
Posted: February 29, 2012 Filed under: 365 Yoga Challenge, Air, Critters, Digital Art, family, home, nature, Photography, pond, Spirit, Spring, Walking, water, weather, winter | Tags: birds, ducks, flowers, nature, Outdoors, Photography, pond, rain, Red-winged Blackbird, water, winter 50 Comments
Conk-la-ree! is, according to All About Birds, the classic sound of the male Red-winged Blackbird. As I mentioned recently, the presence of this bird is one of our signs of spring. Just step outside and you’ll hear his call. Conk-la-ree!
It’s raining here in the Bogs today. The rain has been so heavy that we’ve had some minor flooding in the basement. This has spurred us on to finally do something about having the front yard regraded, a project we’ve been putting off for a variety of reasons. We have someone coming by next week to give us an estimate on the job.
The regrading will mean replacing the front porch. I suspect that’s going to be a DIY job somewhat similar to Project Patio. It will give M a good excuse to use his cement mixer again. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it?
The photos in this post are from today’s walk. We’ll have to finish our Reeds Gap hike tomorrow. I hope you don’t mind. I want to show you what’s going on around Breezy Acres.
Ring-necked Ducks on the pond.
We’ve had some excellent news this week. M the Younger and his lovely wife have finally found jobs. They have been out of work since moving back this way last May. The new jobs are in the Pittsburgh area which is not too far from us (not nearly as far as Colorado!). It looks like they may have found a good place to live as well and will hopefully have that wrapped up so they can move in this weekend.
And on that good note, it’s time for me to finish this post. Time and motion wait for no woman, and this woman needs to get moving. There is a lot happening in the Bogs lately. Thank you so much for stopping by. Don’t mind that blur you see whooshing around. That’s just me, trying to keep up with life. Happy Leap Day! 🙂
Life in the Bogs 
what a beautiful post, i love walking around your bogs, and i am tempted to title one of my posts aftera birdcall inspired by ‘conk-la-ree’!
Thank you, Dadirri. 🙂
Love the rainy pictures – especially the third and fourth with the rain drops on the buds and flowers. Very beautiful.
Thank you, Anita. 🙂
Glad to hear about the jobs. That’s great news! It’s been raining here today, as well–huge thunderstorms, actually. Happy Leap Year Day to you, as well.
Hugs,
Kathy
Thanks, Kathy. Hope you’re staying dry over there. Looks like you just had another round of heavy rain move through.
Now who would have thought a Robin would know so much about another bird! Hope your leap year day has been great!
lol, Chris! Robins are very wise birds. Sometimes. 😉
Wow, the crocus shot is just stunning! Beautiful light there.
Congrats on the good news!
Thank you, Karma. 🙂
I love the song of the blackbirds! And those crocus are marvelous.
Thank you, Ted. 🙂
Congrats to M the younger and his wife for finding jobs and a place to live! That must come as such a relief to the whole family. 🙂 Happy Leap Day!
It’s a big relief, Dana. Thank you. 🙂
these are a lovely selection of photographs
Thank you, Chloe. 🙂
well, lots of good news in the bogs today!!! new jobs, new place to live and a whole new project that is not going to be put off again!!! and on top of that, all the signs of the spring!!!
enjoy!!!
Thanks, Ellen. 🙂
I heard the redwings this morning for the first time this year!
So good to hear about your son and daughter-in-law…hope all goes well with the move!
Thanks, Marie. 🙂
If I can’t live surrounded by nature, I can at least visit your blog. Beautiful!
Thanks, Susan. I’m glad you enjoy the Bogs. 🙂
Look at all that rain! Wow! What great photos, though too bad about the basement.
So blackbirds say that Conk-a -ree tweet, hmm? All I know is that they dive bomb my head whenever I get too near them, and so I have developed a bit of paranoia about the red winged blackbird.
I’ve been dreaming about birds pecking my head, too! Except recently they have been roadrunners!!! LOL!
LOL, Bo! I hope the roadrunners haven’t been too hard on you in your sleep. 😀
I love redwing blackbirds! I think they are field lovers as I always saw them on my parents’ farm but rarely see them here in the woods. Lovely photos, as always. I hope M the Younger likes Pittsburgh, it is a great place to live.
Thank you, Lynn. I think they’re going to enjoy Pittsburgh. It’s a great city. 🙂
I’d love to step out and hear that bird singing to me! As I’ve said before, you’re so fortunate to have spring so early there!
Thank you, Smidge. 🙂
I’ve surprised myself by liking the second picture best … the one with the rain on the pond.
Good news on the job fronts. 🙂
Thanks, Sallyann. 🙂
Lovely photos and great news that they found jobs.
Thank you, TBM. 🙂
So glad to hear about the jobs and place to live! Good luck with that yard/porch project. Crossing my fingers that everything will go well.
Beautiful rainy pictures, the crocus is my favorite, love the colors 🙂
Thanks, Michaela. 🙂
Beautifol Fotos super schön Grüsse dich lieb und wünsche dir einen schönen ersten März.Ganz liebe Grüsse von mir Gislinde.
Thank you so much, Gislinde. 🙂
I hope a remaining cold spell doesn’t zap too many flowers!
Thanks, Frank. Me too. 🙂
Love the rainy shots!
Thanks, LadyFi. 🙂
Red winged blackbirds are our first true sign of spring too. Haven’t seen any yet. DID see a pair of Sandhill cranes in a cornfield, last Sunday, up to their ankles in snow. Poor things, I think they misjudged their arrival. We still have some snow on the ground but at least we didn’t get slammed with it like the East Coast…and we didn’t get tornadoes like the Midwest..so we’ll quietly sit here under the radar so to speak and hope spring just slides on in.
Being under the radar, especially when the storms are raging, is a very good thing, Dawn. We’ve been pretty lucky here in that respect, too. 🙂
Thank you for the picture of the Redwing Blackbird. Over here in the UK we do not have this bird but we do have Redwing Thrushes which we call Redwings and this has caused some confusion recently on my own blog. It is good to see what yours look like, sorry I have no picture of ours but if you are interested take a look at http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdquide/name/r/redwing/index.aspx
Thanks for the link and the info, Libby. Your Redwing looks a little like the American Robin (which I know differs from your little robin).
I love the second picture. It looks like a painting.
I’m glad your son and his wife are now employed. What a relief, I imagine.
Thank you, Christine. 🙂
Nice to see the redwing, wasn’t it? Hope your next walk isn’t as rainy!
Thanks, Tracy. 🙂
I love the water drops on the buds… 🙂
Thank you, Elizabeth. Me too. 🙂