In our May issue of Birds & Blooms Extra, we feature this snapshot of a protective red-winged blackbird, captured by Ryan Sartoski of Avon Lake, Ohio. We want to hear your clever caption for this feathered fellow. We’ll publish some of our favorite suggestions in our upcoming July issue. Thanks!
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Meet Rob Ripma, our newest featured blogger. The Birds & Blooms staff was able to meet Rob at The Biggest Week in American Birding. Rob, along with his brother Eric, write the Nutty Birder blog where they share photos from their birding adventures both near and far. Check it out: Nutty Birder.
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Spring Cleaning!
The wife sent me out for a duster; think this’ll work? Price is right…
Oh No! Not spring cleaning already!
Where’d you learn to fly….DMV?????
How much would you charge an hour to dust my house?
Come home, the house is all ready for you, honey!
Eeee-yah!!
“If you don’t like the way I dust, do it yourself!!”
Ah-Choo, Spring cleaning is so dusty.
“You want me to dust WHAT”!!
You come back here again and I’ll thrash you with my feather duster!!!
“I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!”
“I’ll get you, my pretty! And your little dog, too!”
If I’v told you once I’ve told you twice: I don’t do dusting.
“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times….stop tracking dirt in my nest!
Why is it that I always have to do all the housework!
A good feather duster is hard to find.
I said,”Out!” Can’t you see I’m cleaning house?!
“If I’m nominated, I will not run! If elected, I will not serve”!
I’m here to dust your house.
So where do you want me to start!
“Next time, wipe your feet!”
I hate spring cleaning you have to dust everything!!!!!!
“I will NOT do the dusting!”
Kick your shoes off…I just swept in there! !
WHERE ARE YOU? I’ve been cleaning this tree for the party for a week!
“And Toto too?”
“And Toto too!” (said the bad witch in the Wizard of Oz)
.. wrong quote above… Actual quote by the bad witch in Wizard of Oz…. “And your little dog too!” (Sorry for error)
I told those little ones to wipe their feet!
“You expect me to sweep up after the cat – again?”
“I SAID, NOT NOW, I’m busy!”
Don’t know why I always have to be the one to sweep!
I thought I would keep this till Halloween and then fly away on it.
“Row, row, row your boat.”
Look! I got a dust bunny on a stick!
Jousting Champion – 2012
Ha Ha Ha…. I am Count Birdula! The color of the day is Red, for Red Winged Blackbirds!
“Well who ya talkin’ to punk? I’m the only one here!”
No fair! It’s MY turn to be the Wicked Witch of the West!
HIIIIYA!
It’s time for Spring Cleaning and boy am I NOT impressed!
“Hallelujah!” “Hallelujah!”
This DOES NOT taste like cotton candy!!!
“Someday I will be a knight.”
Wheaties…….it’s not just for Breakfast anymore!
No feather dusters anymore; cat tails work great!
‘I’ll get you my pretty, and your little dog too!”
Ahh-Choo! All this dust from Spring cleaning is stirring up my allergies something awful!
Wht don’t you understand about ‘I want my Swifter back’?
Love this one!!!!!!
“Ahhh…I can scratch that itch I get frim the dust mites!”
Red Shoulder pads and a feather duster, its a fashion statement…
“Where’d you get this? At an antique store? It’s full of dust!!”
“Time to dust away the cobwebs!”
Take that..I will win the heart of the one I Love…
”Rah,rah,shish boom bah….Goooooo Red Wings!!!”
Hey Cinderella, get over here….this is NOT my Yobbie……HEYYYYYYYYYYYYY
Dusting, it never ends.
“Get off my back woman! If you wanted the stem to be longer, you should have done it yourself!”
“I’ll get you my pretty…and you little dog too!”
“UGH…It’s heavier than I thought!”
GET OUT! I AM TRYING TO SWEEP!
THIS JOUSTING IS FOR THE BIRDS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We’re Baacckk!!!!!!
“I tied the bell, on the old cat’s tail….”
I am off to war “Ho to yo ho jo” (lyric from Wagner’s Die Valkyrie, Ride of the Valkyrie’s. Used in some war movies)
Stroke , Stroke, Stroke…..
Chim chiminey
Chim chiminey
Chim chim cher-ee!
This sweep is a blackbird
With a bright, red wing!
That was one rough landing.
Singing while working, straing, to get the top notes. hahahahahah
I’m not welcome at your feeders, you aren’t welcome here…now back off little tweets!!
“Atten-SHUN!”
I’m gonna clean this marsh up! from Ben H., age 12
Chim chiminey
Chim chiminey
Chim cher…
Wait a minute… I’m not a chimney swift.
from Brian H., age 11
This is clever.
I saw them first so those seeds are mine. Don’t make me use this on you.
Get ready boys! Back up! Home run with a seed stalk!
I’m the new maid. Where do I start?
what you talkin about now??
“LADIES…..Come and get me..!!”
Blackbird singing in the middle of the night .
“Yawn” “It’s going to be a beautiful day!”
Trust me son. Your mother does not want this as an anniversary present from me.
Help1 I can’t get it.
STAND DOWN CAT!!
HEY, YOU!!!!!!!!!!!! GET. OFF. MY. LAWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
“Chaaaarge!!!!”
Hang in there! Calm Down! It is going to be okay! You are beautiful!
Go ‘way! I’m practicing my fan dance.
O Solo Mio…
I really am a Dixie Chick….
Tickle, tickle, tickle!
I’m flying away on my broom… cackle cackle
Listen to me…”DUSTING isn’t for the birds!” I plead my case.
“Oh no! My ego must have been so hot that I caught on fire!”
Got your dust bunny hangin!
This should look fabulous with the Daisy and Clover in my new vase!
Oh dear, Is it measure once cut twice.Or…
Tan and orange or Tan and blue, hummm ?
Dear Nadesan,I wish to know your opinion about the Jeneva deciison. I think this situation has increased the diffrences between tamil and Singalese. But most of Tamil (About 99.9%) in jaffna believe that America should send their nato force against Singala rulers and economic embargo etc ..Bharthipan
Don’t bother me now, can’t you see I am busy dusting??
I thought they only gave adults acupuncture, but i will try anything once!
This will make a great nest brush.
“I’ll get you my pretty.”
I will never live this one down. More jokes from the crows about my weight!
Yeah! Shake and Break bird seed!
You want me to dust that AGAIN? Men!!!!
You want me to dust that AGAIN? Men!
Shoo, you pesky squirrels!!!!
CAN YOU SEE ME NOW!!!
Maybe the wife is right, I do need to loose weight when I start breaking branches!
“Look, Ma, no hands!”
“I got it! Start the car!!”
“ZOMBIES!!!”
“No, not the knight, you idiot! Your bishop! Use your bishop!!!”
“But you told me shoulder pads were back I’m style!”
From sun up to sun down, a blackbird’s work is never done!
I said, I said, Noooooo photos!
My caption is: “Oh, sooolo miiiiioooooo!!!”
Awww! Put the camera away!
Sayanora!
This is my cattail,so go away !
I am so sick and tired of having to come in and clean this room everytime I come home!
See this? Dusters don’t have to be made with feathers!
aaaa choooooooo
“I just got back from down South and I want everyone to hear me.”
My hot dog sure look funny!
Thats right, im the badest bird in town.
So much dusting to do, so little time to do it…
Who needs cotton candy?!
Who needs cotton candy ? !
I’m wondering what the hoopla is about ?
Move over mom…. Time to dust the nest
Where’s Cinderella when you need her?
The blackbird is the wicked stepmother.
whistle while you work….
Wish these things came with better directions.
The nest needs a little dusting…before the brood comes home.
Who busted my favorite perch while I was gone!!?
My wife will pull my tail feathers off if I don’t get this fixed before she gets back!!
And I’ll get you…and toto too!
Hey, these Swiffer things really work!
I am ready for battle….I will kick that blue jays behind.
What do you mean, I can’t have this?/////
What happened? This cape used to fit me just fine!?
Okay, got your ears cleaned out. I’m ready to do your nose next.
This house cleaning is for the birds!
Over My Dead Body!
“Drop and give me twenty”
Go Redwings. Beat Predators.
It’s like this, see, I’m the toughest guy in this joint.
Am I cleared for takeoff or what?
Do you have a lighter duster?
Why? Someone said “Grab the Cat’s tail!” That’s why!
Steady, steady….I can do this!
Help I broke it and can’t fly away.
If you think this is something…..you should see the rest of the cat !
We’re baaaack!!!!!!
We’re baaaack!!!
A-choooo!
Come on, I asked for ear swab not dab burn duster gee…..
If you come any closer, I’ll dust your feathers — and you know what that means!
I’m so mad from all this honey do list my wing feathers done turned red.
Hang on, it’s almost Friday!!!!
I have two:
Cinderella, Cinderella, All I hear is Cinderella!
Here it comes Harry (Potter)!
Do you like my new red extensions?
‘I know it’s a odd looking ear of corn I’m roasting!’
Ready for some in-flight jousting?
COUGH, COUGH, SORRY! WORMBALL.
Harry Potter made it look easy!
“You talkin to me?” ‘ YOU TALKIN TO ME” ?
This the best photo of a Red Wing I have ever seen! Exquisite! And I take tons of bird photos.
Please don’t disturb me I’m cleaning out the nest.
C’mon! I dare you! I double dare you!!!!!!!!!!
Who turned on the fan?
Ah, just what I need for some nest building!! It’s mine!!
Help! I can’t hold it any longer!
Oh no…. it’s slipping!
Oh yeah? Take that!!!
How many times do I have to tell you “Get out of my field and don’t come back”!
I absolutely love my Birds and Blooms Xtra magazine. So worth the money!!!
Also Birds and Blooms.
“I’ll get you, my little pretty…”
Listen up ladies! You’ve got to shake out those dust bunnies!
Does this cattail make my butt look big?
“I want a pitcher,
Not a belly-itcher!”
Ladies, Listen up! I just finished my spring cleaning!
Wipe your feet ! I just swept in here!
“don’t make me release the flying monkeys”
Can’t you clean your feet? I’m tired of sweeping up after you!
Don’t you dare!
Don’t call me a Chicago Black Hawk!
I’m a Detroit Red Wing!
I’m making s’mores. Want one?
Don’t call me a Chicago Black Hawk!
I’m a Detroit Red Wing!!
(author is a fan)
This is NOT Buckingham Palace. HALT! Who goes there?
just for fun regarding red wing blackbird–”Can’t you kids find something to do while I finish cleaning?!”
This should get the wax out of his ears!
I hate dusting – do you understand?? I hate it!!
I’ll get you my pretty and your little dog too!
Ha kids listen up or you’ll be next in line using this feather duster.
Get OFF of it or I’ll dust off your eyeballs!!
Now take this duster and clean you room the right way!
“Watch it there or I’ll dust you off too!”
If you vote for me, I promise a free nest cleaning and food for all.
I said they’re NOT shoulder pads!!!
Don’t waste my time, I’m cleaning house, can not you see.
Let me at those dust bunnies!!
Eeeek! A human!
Will dust for food!
“I just cleaned that floor” !!!!
“I’ll get you my little pretty!” Wicked Witch of the West
Oh it hurts—-someone shot me with a cattail—maybe two!!
Oh boy! This will make a great duster.
Dang spiders, always making webs around my tree