To keep in practice, or maybe because I just like to, I have been snapping photos of birds in our own yard and the woods across form our house when I am home all day. Sometimes you just need a break from laundry, dishes, or even blogging and scrap booking. :0)

Not sure what this guy is, but he looked so cute in the bush of berries I snapped anyway.

I think this is a sad looking Bluebird, but I could be wrong.

We have so many Downy Woodpeckers lately, it’s just amazing. We still have on Hairy Woodpecker too but he’s more shy, kinda like the Red-bellied, they just like to stay out range of me. Dang them!

Ever since I started bird watching I had been wanting to see a Cedar Waxwing and this year I was lucky enough to see several. First I saw them in Wisconsin Rapids, then in an Iowa rest area and then, to my surprise, in the woods across from my house.

I really enjoyed watching them, even if they would pose for me to get some awesome shots. Only mediocre ones.

Bygones, maybe next year they will be more cooperative.

Not sure what this one is, but I still feel blessed to have had about 10 of them migrate through this fall.

Another view of the mysterious bird.

Even simple Sparrows make me happy.

This Sparrow looked different than the ones I’m used to seeing. I think it’s a White-throated Sparrow, but he didn’t stick around long.

Clueless, just not sure, but it’s a pretty little thing, no?

The word kinglet comes to mind but really don’t know what it is.

Some birds venture near this nest (bottom) in the tall pine next to our driveway. The nest has appeared to be empty and abandoned since we’ve lived here, although one of the new squirrel babies worked a little on it for about a week. But it appears empty, unless, maybe, just possibly, the flying squirrel lives there now?