Blog Archives

Northern Mockingbird

7/30/2014

0 Comments

Can hear the calls of the mockingbird, but don't get a chance to get too close, except every once in a while...

Northern mockingbird, near some private yards, at the edge of lower orchard

It was singling it's long song here on the cable, with its tail tucked down

The pygmy nuthatches now are taking seeds from the feeder and digging little holes for them in the tree branches, this way they save them for winter.

Pygmy nuthatch hammering and digging out a hole in tree branch

Pygmy nuthatch with sunflower seed, bringing it to hide in tree branch

Was lucky enough to get some more photos of the Anna's hummer in the farm's garden flowers...sometimes the hummingbird actually rests on the flower while feeding.

Anna's hummer at the farm, "steps" on the flower petals while feeding

Anna's hummingbird, using flower petals for support

In the backyard, Acorn woodpecker checks out one of the nut and seed feeders (above)...
small goldfinch throws some water around in the birdbath(below).

Pacific Slope Flycatcher

Returning from the mailbox, I see the little Pacific Slope flycatcher on a fence wire near the recycle bins.

0 Comments

Woodpile quail youngsters

7/27/2014

0 Comments

Hope this little bird can grow into those feet

Late evening light - the wood pile quail youngsters out and about with their parents, looking larger but still with baby feathers

Male woodpile quail, "on guard" at top of pile

Female adult quail with small group of youngsters

Not far from the quail, at the end of the lower orchard where it intersects with a small woodland area near a field of tall grasses, I found a family of ash-throated flycatchers - however the light was mostly against me, and just got a few good photos.

Ash-throated flycatcher

The flycatchers were quite animated, and were feeding in the tall grasses before I scattered them with my intrusion, and chattered back and forth to each other, beautiful, melodic tones in the bright early evening light.

First sight of babies inside the bluebird nest - you can just see an open beak as one of the adults delivers food

One of the juvenile bluebirds still visiting nest with tiny worms - goes to the nest hole as if delivering food, not sure the chicks inside actually respond.

Small pacific slope flycatcher on the mailbox this morning!

Pacific slope flycatcher, chirping occasionally while looking for insects in the side yard

This little bird jumps around a lot, and will return to different perches in the same area while hunting

...jumped onto the utility cable...

Pacific slope flycatcher at the end of a branch

Acorns and apples are ripening throughout the orchard

0 Comments

Defensive mechanisms for small birds

7/25/2014

0 Comments

Pygmy nuthatch, frozen in place at the feeder

"Frozen in place" pygmy nuthatch, bravely peering with one eye

While out in the backyard with the pygmy nuthatches, I noticed all of a sudden that none of them were moving, they had frozen in place...

This is a defensive mechanism which I have seen with cedar waxwings - if they perceive any danger, they just freeze where they are sitting - so maybe a hawk alarm had gone up, and the nuthatches froze - the hawks have been frequenting the back yard area...

There were three of them, two on the branches and one at the feeder, it was so strange, it was as if time had stopped...it was for over a minute, and maybe as much as two minutes...

Well, I thought, at least it is a chance to get some close shots, since one thing about bird photography, is that your subject is usually jumping around...

When I brought my camera close to this frozen nuthatch, I noticed it had closed its eyes! If the hawk was going to eat him, at least he wasn't going to look!!

Brown creeper

Past the lower orchard, there is a grove of old trees, where I saw this brown creeper - difficult bird to get photos of, they are so well camouflaged, the camera can't often "see" anything to focus on.

Brown creeper - these birds forage in lichen covered branches and tree bark for insects and seeds.

Western bluebird at the nest box

(Above) One of the intrepid bluebird adults, bringing a bug to the nest box - baby birds are loud, and should fledge soon.

(To the left and below) Young finches approach adult (on far right in both photos) for a feeding. They were making a racket on the utility line above the nest box.

Two young finches approach adult on far right for food

Nesting or roosting hen turkey

As I was leaving the bluebird nest box area, I saw this turkey - also not moving as to avoid detection - when they are sitting like this, it can mean they are nesting, their nests are on the ground. Or else she is roosting here for the night as it was early evening - invisibility in both cases is essential.

Red-breasted nuthatch, back yard

Red-breasted nuthatch in back yard - it was not frozen like the pygmy's, they seem less shy with the camera than some of the other birds.

Juvenile or female black-headed grosbeak, back yard

This might be the juvenile grosbeak - feathers are damp from the birdbath.

Juvenile black-headed grosbeak? Back yard, early morning light

Another Anna's hummer portrait, from the back yard

0 Comments

Wilson's warbler, female

7/22/2014

0 Comments

Wison's warbler - probably female

Have been doing the long walk on the property, hoping to see these again, only to find them today very close to the house, right across the road!

Wison's warbler

Wison's warbler and junvenile

Female had a youngster following her who was still needing to be fed...

Juvenile Wilson's warbler

Only good photo of the juvenile wilson's warbler (above) In the lower orchard, an acorn woodpecker on the utility pole where the bluebird nest box is (below).

Acorn woodpecker, lower orchard

Western bluebird delivers another blackberry to the nest

Walking up to the farm, saw this Anna's hummer in the farm's garden flowers...

Anna's hummer, at the farm

Anna's hummingbird in the flowers

Meanwhile, continuing through the old orchard, where there are only a few old trees left, this red-tailed hawk let me know I was on its territory...I think the camera pointing at these hawks gets them acting defensively, protecting the safety of their domain.

Red-tailed hawk, old orchard

Zooming back around for another pass

Red-tailed hawk, directly overhead

Goldfinch, on furlong rd. private drive

Amaryllis Belladonna

Seeing "naked ladies" all around the orchard now, are these early this year?

0 Comments

Juvenile bluebirds "playing" nest

7/19/2014

0 Comments

Juvenile bluebirds interested in nest box, lower orchard

While watching the bluebird nest box, a few of the juvenile bluebirds showed up, and seemed to want to "play" nest, maybe important practice for next year when they are adults.

Juvenile bluebirds jumping from nest box top in order to fly and land at nest entrance.

One of the juveniles shows up with the teeniest worm, and tries to deliver it to the nest, below.

Western bluebird juvenile with tiny worm

One of the young birds regressing, hoping to be fed by its sibling

In the middle of the juvenile "play," one of the adult birds shows up to deliver a black berry.

Adult western bluebird delivering blackberry to the nest

Suddenly, there is a lot of commotion at the top of the pole, where the old starling nest was. The juveniles all gather around that nest hole excitedly. Even a goldfinch joins in.

Juvenile bluebirds playing nest at the old starling's nest, at the top of the pole

The juvenile with the small worm shows up with his prize as well.

Goldfinch on left, juvenile bluebirds on right - everything starts looking like a nest hole.

On the utility wire crossing the orchard field, some violet green swallow sit, preening.

Violet-green swallow after preening - definitely gets the "fluffiest" award

Male Downy woodpecker

(Above) Small male downy woodpecker jumps through the backyard trees pretty fast.

Red-shouldered hawk flying from tree top, early evening.

0 Comments

Bluebird nest box update

7/16/2014

0 Comments

Red stains on nest opening must be berry stains - since the black berries are ripening now, and bluebirds eat both fruit and insects. Nest is still active and seemingly thriving, chicks can be heard noisily chirping when parents arrive with food.

Female bluebird shoots from the nest after entering box with food

Male bluebird with grasshopper

Male waits on nearby utility wire for his turn, carrying a big grasshopper

Male bluebird arrives at nest with grasshoppper

The camera click makes him turn towards me - he's put off by my presence, and just drops the grasshopper into the box.

Male western bluebird at nest box

Juvenile western bluebird

A juvenile bluebird sits on fence post near the farm (above). Nearby is an adult bluebird on a metal post.(below)

Adult western bluebird

Also at the farm, I find the group of turkeys with the juveniles making their way through the lemon tree rows and drip lines. This is probably the same group I saw in the mist, near the house a few days ago.

Adult female turkey with juvenile, at the farm

Group of turkeys, mostly juveniles

Turkeys disappear into the tall grasses bordering the farm, with one of the adults maintaining the rear guard as I follow them part way.

California quail

The woodpile quail, keeping a lookout. Behind the woodpile was the female with the chicks...his feathers are fluffed up in front from the wind.

Female California quail

Meanwhile, some photos from the back yard birds -

Anna's hummer, back yard

Red-breasted nuthatch, back yard

California towhee on the fence post

Pygmy nuthatch at the hanging water bowl

0 Comments

Closer look at tiny quail chicks

7/13/2014

0 Comments

Suddenly, ahead of me on the path through the orchards are the quail couple with their small chicks, taking a stroll together in the early evening light.

Amazingly, I catch up with them, and get some close images of the chicks...

Quail chicks

California quail chick

At first the group does not even seem to mind my presence. Finally, the male starts a series of alarm chirps, and the chicks begin to run back into the tall dry grasses for cover.

Male California quail accompanying the chicks

Quail chicks running, and disappearing back into the dry grass

Male bluebird with worm

Back at the bluebird nest box, female brings a bug into the nest - for the first time, the baby birds can be heard chirping.

Male waits with a worm to deliver on a nearby utility wire.

Pacific Slope Flycatcher

I think at first this is a black phoebe, sitting and hunting for insects on the drip lines at the farm, but realize later it is the small Pacific Slope flycatcher. Both birds are insect catchers.

A red-breasted nuthatch shows up at the back yard suet feeder, with a couple of young fledglings with it...Notice the difference being the stripe through the eye, and a reddish under body coloring, from the white breasted nuthatch. Otherwise, they are the same size and shape. (Pygmy nuthatches much smaller)

Shows the reddish breast of the red-breasted nuthatch

This is one of the young red-breasted nuthatch

Red-breasted nuthatch, showing the stripe through the eye and the red breast

By comparison, below is the white-breasted nuthatch, co-incidentally around the same time, arriving at the water bowl among the feeders in the back yard.

White-breasted nuthatch getting a drink, back yard

0 Comments

Fledgling red-tailed hawks

7/12/2014

0 Comments

Following photos are from Joy and Lisa's property, off of Occidental Rd, but pretty much around the corner from Cherry Ridge Rd.
In Eucalyptus trees bordering their back yard is a red-tail hawk's nest, which produced two chicks this year, now fledged and in flight and full voice...

One of two juvenile red-tailed hawks in flight

Here's what the hawk's nest looks like, in the small grove of eucalyptus trees.

Similar nest near property here, but it did not seem to have any chicks this year - last year there were two successful chicks.

Juvenile red-tail in flight, "screeching"

They like to land in the tree near the nest. Parents are probably mostly still feeding them, until they can polish their own hunting skills.

Juvenile red-tailed hawk

Female Western Bluebird at nest box

Also, a bluebird's nest box, with chicks that sound like they are ready to fledge any day

Western bluebird removing waste from the nest box

Anna's hummer at feeder under porch

Cool yellow house finch

Chestnut-backed chickadee takes a sunflower seed from the under porch feeder

Kept hearing northern flickers, and then this one showed up on utility wire overlooking their side yard and garden

Red-shafted Northern Flicker

This might be a first year northern flicker

0 Comments

Another misty morning...

7/11/2014

0 Comments

Red-shouldered hawk on utility pole

Hawk is looking a little damp because the mist was thick earlier...

Leans forward to take off

Hawk turns to fly away from my position. Very active part of the property for small birds, this area has become a favorite, and the hawks perch here a lot, much to the consternation of the resident acorn woodpeckers, who also claim this pole.

Young goldfinch among the farm's garden flowers

Walking up to the farm, because all the flowers are in bloom there, I spy many goldfinches and also hummingbirds.

Cooper's hawk, back yard

Returning to the house, I surprise the cooper's hawk in the back yard - it jumps into the old oak tree.

Cooper's hawk is feeling a little trapped with me right below him, and a thick canopy of branches above that he has to find a way out of - so he's peering up here to plan his exit.

Poised for flight

Cooper's hawk has to land one more time in the tree before being able to exit. Below, mourning doves in the back yard - there are two here, one is sitting directly behind the other on a the tree limb.

Two mourning doves, side yard

Later, the same day, the juvenile red-shouldered hawk flies directly towards me from the orchard where I sit in the back yard, to land in the old oak tree.

Meanwhile, at the bluebird nest box, they must have young chicks now, because the parents begin the bringing of the large bugs to the nest.

Western bluebird with large, spidery bug

0 Comments

Fledged swallow chicks

7/10/2014

0 Comments

Violet-green swallow adults "park" their newly fledged chicks on the utility line near house, and bring food for them, like they did when the chicks were in the nest!

Newly fledged violet-green swallow chick on utility line

Baby bird can see parent swooping towards it with food

Food delivery - parent bird is on the right

Adult on left flies away, as chick recovers itself in the air

Food encounter dislodges chick from its perch, but it flies around to land again on the wire, in order to be ready for another feeding.

There were three chicks, and two different pairs of adults bringing food to their respective fledglings.

A different chick waiting for its parents to return with food

Western Bluebird at nest box, lower orchard

Was concerned about this nest box, especially since the other one with the tree swallows got raided - this one on the bottom looked like some animal had been pawing at it, trying to get into the box.

Predator control for the bluebird nest box

After some research on the internet, I wrapped the pole with sheet metal (makes the pole harder to grip), put a vent collar around it to make any access to the box more difficult, and smeared the sheet metal wrapping with a mixture of petroleum jelly and hot sauce!

You can see the mud spot on the bottom of the box, where the birds do not perch, as if perhaps a raccoon or other animal had tried to disturb the nest by breaking in.

Female bluebird in nest box tries to take food offering from the male, perched on the outside

After working on and around this nest box, I went back later to make sure the birds were still active in the box after the disturbance.

Female bluebird gets ready to leave the nest box

Activity seemed normal after the predator control work, and I know I will sleep better - did not want the heartache of another box being raided.

Coyote

While watching the bluebird nest, I noticed in the open field next to it, that there was this small, very skinny coyote looking for food.

Found another acorn woodpecker nest! This one is also in an old dead pine tree stump, but it is much lower to the ground than the one on the property.

One adult leaves the nest, and another one goes in

These trees are full of holes that the woodpeckers have bored into in for winter storage of acorns

This violet-green swallow chick is "parked" on a tree branch near the farm, and the parents were bringing food, just like the ones near the house

Anna's hummer, back yard

0 Comments

<<Previous

Author

Archives