...Attack!!

I locked myself in the office and plowed through a bunch of work this morning, including balancing the bank accounts for both businesses, my personal accounts, and our house hold accounts. A dreaded job, but it went rather well today. As a reward, I decided that I'd spend a few hours out with the camera this afternoon. Woman plans, God laughs. The minute I was all gathered and ready to go, the skies opened and the monsoons began. Never one to be completely laughed at by God, I regrouped and headed for our deck and the new gazebo, where I huddled for several hours and took several hundred shots.

It always seems that the birds are even more frenetic when it rains, especially the hummers. I snapped this picture just as this female was launching a full-on attack on another female who had ventured too close to "her" feeder. Take a look at her in Ferocious Large to see how she has flared her tail, a sure sign of aggression in hummers. By the way, P-Hummie definitely has competition this season - there is a second male and he is making a play for the ladies, right in P's territory. The nerve! There are now at least a half dozen hummers in the backyard and I've decided that this season will be a special called The Hummer Games. You like?

Also seen today...
An exhausted Daddy Downy Woodpecker, making non stop runs on the suet

A ferocious uncommon grackle!

A soaking wet, totally stressed Mrs. Royal Redness

and a very endearing Junior Chickadee, trying to get someone to feed him

Glad you all liked the portrait of Peggy yesterday! As you know, I'm not a portrait photographer - it scares me, frankly. So, I was pleased at how well it came out, and also pleased that the subject herself liked it! I can't take much credit for it, though, because Peggy is an extremely photogenic and beautiful subject. Don't tell her I said so, though, okay?

Happy Tuesday, blippers!