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We built our house in 2000. We live out in the country, and I have feeders up for birds year round, but don't hang hummingbird feeders due to having bee hives, and sugar water is not good for them.

We have never had Mockingbirds here, and I love to watch them they are such characters, and truly will mock just about any routine sound they hear. That is until about a month ago I noted that I had a couple visiting my big bird bath which is right outside the windows from where I sit for work. They bathe, and then flit up to a branch on my sand cherry, and preen and bicker with each other.
Well yesterday, I thought I saw what looked like a miniature Mockingbird. But when I rolled over to have a better look it was gone.

Then my younger lab decided he needed to be outside was being silly about the urgency of it. Well he somehow put 2 and 2 together, and we have 4 young mockingbirds hanging out in a bush at the other end of my porch, so of course, being a bird dog he was ready for game on. He was doing laps around the bush, the babies were flitting up and sitting on a bluebird box, and my porch railing while Momma was dive bombing him. He of course thought this was all a game. He is clueless that not every creature in the world wants to be his friend. I was a bit worried that they were being forced to fledge before being fully ready, but this morning I have seen 3 of them at the birdbath.

Which brings me to share another fun memory of my labs. We vacationed in FL in May, and took our boat so we could go to beaches that were less crowded, and fish as well. We took the dogs with us on early morning fishing adventures, and actually had the opportunity for both dogs to meet nose to nose w/ dolphins. It was amazing, the dolphin were as curious about the dogs, as the dogs were about the water puppies. My boy mentioned above, really wanted to swim with them, but we decided that was probably not the safest thing to do.

So pondering these thoughts, and memories, vs doing my work, which I don't want to do today, makes me stop to realize what wonderful opportunities I have had to enjoy nature in many ways.
When I was a kid it was rare to see deer in our area, and even more unusual to spot an Eagle. Now I see both almost on a daily basis.
When I grow up I want to work with animals in a meaningful way.

That is all, Have a Happy Friday everyone. Duty calls.

The State bird of Texas. When working from home nature always takes priority, especially on Fridays. The problem for me is when I work at home everything is a "Squirrel!!"

I feel ya Tanner.

I actually learned to love the Mockingbirds when we lived in Dallas. There was one that would perch on the neighbors roof peak and go through his entire repertoire right when it was naptime for my son. This included a car alarm.

Love the visual of the dog and dolphins!

I am a nurture lover. I have plants that attract humming birds. We have lots of deer and have been watching babies this summer. We had a bear on our sidewalk seen on our security camera. We can't have bird feeders because the bears come and destroy them.

When DS30 was a baby, he and I lived with my parents, and my brother and his 2 young sons did as well.

We had a mockingbird that Daddy named "Rambo" who lived up to his name every chance he got. He/She (we never actually figured out if it was a boy or a girl) lived in a tree that stood between the driveway and the door that everyone used. We had to warn expected visitors to walk the long way around and not under that stupid tree.

Unexpected visitors were on their own.

So today I got to watch one of the adults kill a lizard and then take it to the babies.

Baby Mockingbirds. I bet they are so darn cute! I love watching birds. With six outside barn cats, it's fun to watch the birds put the cats in their place. I have a lot of Red birds and Blue Birds. Nothing more relaxing than sitting and watching birds.

I enjoyed your post, Tush.