Cyanocitta
Birding, Cooking, Maps, Wine, Books, Plants
A warm Monday, explored a nearby mountain lake looking for shorebirds heading south. Here a Least Sandpiper and a Long-billed Dowitcher.
Pleasantly temperate Thursday morning in the yard. A curious juvenile Western Bluebird was perched in one of the fig trees.
Slight overcast Monday morning, burning off quickly. Birded along the Sacramento River where there was a cooperative Northern House Wren.
Nice temperatures again this Saturday morning. The neighborhood Wild Turkey flock roosts in the pines in the yard. Lots of molting going on, I believe primary feathers on the left and tail on the right.
Early Saturday morning walk at the local suburban park. A family of California Quail were foraging in berry vines and a healthy crop of Starthistle.
Warm Wednesday in the middle of a week with daily highs above 100 F. A Bewick's Wren and an Anna's Hummingbird were out and about in the yard.
Warm Thursday morning in the yard. Some shots of birds out and about before it becomes too hot.
4/4 Acorn Woodpecker hunting for bugs.
Warm Sunday afternoon with the clouds moving in. A male California Quail scurrying around in the tall grass in the yard.
Warm Thursday morning in the yard. Some shots of birds out and about before it becomes too hot.
3/4 House Finch getting water from a bucket.
Warm Saturday in the Valley, mid 90's, birded up near Burney Mountain where it was 10-15 degrees cooler. A Western Tanager was poking around near a spring.
An Oak Titmouse is busy gathering nest material this Sunday morning. The feather appears to be from a dove that visits the yard or from one of the neighborhood chickens.
Also, today (Wednesday) along the Sacramento River, a cooperative Ash-throated Flycatcher.
Tuesday afternoon and the rain has tapered off. Black-headed Grosbeaks have arrived in the yard.
Warm Tuesday afternoon, there is a healthy bloom of Sparaxis in the yard. An Anna's Hummingbird was taking advantage.
Warm Friday afternoon in the yard. The local Sharp-shinned Hawk was hunting on the fountain. Went after a Hummingbird unsuccessfully.
Sunday morning in the yard, the Whiteleaf Manzanita (I believe Arctostaphylos viscida viscida) is blooming and the resident Anna's Hummingbird is taking advantage.
Cloudy Monday morning along the Sacramento River. A female Red-winged Blackbird was carrying nest material into the cattails.
Warm Wednesday morning walk along the Sacramento River. Lots of calling Lazuli Buntings out.
Patchy fog Thursday morning along the Sacramento River, male Red-winged Blackbirds were singing in the cattails.
A Swallowtail at one of the Meyer blooms in the yard this Sunday morning.
Nice temperate first Saturday of May. A few miscellaneous bird photographs from this morning in the yard.
-A female Bullock's Oriole with some nesting material, perhaps horsehair from the neighbor's yard.
-A Black-chinned Hummingbird, tough angled shot to get some of the purple color in the collar.
-A male Western Bluebird watching over its yard around the nest box.
-A young Bewick's Wren chattering and searching for bugs in the bark.
Cloudy Wednesday morning developed into a nice warm afternoon. A California Poppy is competing with Shasta Daisys, Yarrow and Coreopsis in the yard.
Thursday morning along the Sacramento River, a California Scrub-Jay inspecting a mossy tree trunk.
An overcast Tuesday morning at the local urban lake. An Acorn Woodpecker was working on its granary tree.
Mild Tuesday morning up at Whiskeytown Lake. A Bewick's Wren was perched atop a bare branch.
Mild Thursday morning up at Whiskeytown Lake. A Spotted Towhee was out and about with several others.
Tuesday afternoon in the yard, clouds have cleared out, Rufous Hummingbirds have arrived.
Clear, calm and mild Wednesday morning. A couple of birds in the yard: An American Goldfinch and a Western Bluebird.
Rainy Sunday morning in the yard. A Sharp-shinned Hawk has what I believe was a Golden-crowned Sparrow, in its talons.
A brief pause in the rain this Tuesday afternoon in the yard. A female Western Bluebird was perched on a budding Sycamore twig.
2/ 2 - Thursday morning light snow flurry passed through, clearing now. Birds were holed up in the budding Redbud tree in the yard.
Here a Lesser Goldfinch.
Also this Monday morning along the Sacramento River Trail, a California Towhee in the dewy grass.
Sun coming out this Wednesday morning after sprinkles last night. Some passerines out in the yard-
Dark-eyed Junco - Lesser Goldfinch
House Finch - Western Bluebird
A mild Friday in the yard, a Red-breasted Sapsucker took a break from the sap wells and visited the suet feeder.
Also, in the yard this Wednesday, the Almond is the first tree to bloom.
Warm Wednesday morning in the yard. At the back of the house, amongst irrigation controller lines, valve boxes and the dryer lint outlet, a female Anna's Hummingbird was collecting nesting material.
Misty Monday morning walk in the neighborhood between storms. Looks like it will be a good year for Poison Oak.
1/ 2 - Thursday morning light snow flurry passed through, clearing now. Birds were holed up in the budding Redbud tree in the yard.
Here an Anna's Hummingbird.
Partly cloudy Saturday morning in the yard, a Western Bluebird pair was checking out one of the nest boxes.