Hooded oriole making a racket in one of the large oak trees between the farm and the old orchard.
Jumping around, too, so my apologies photos are not better.
Jumping around, too, so my apologies photos are not better.
Hooded Oriole
Hooded oriole - an elegant bird
When I went to step under the tree to see if I could get a better angle, a hawk shot out of the tree - so that's why the oriole was making all the fuss! Looked like the cooper's hawk, but it was moving too fast for me!
Probably juvenile female downy woodpecker
Thought I had discovered a new bird, but realized it must be a juvenile, it was making noises I hadn't heard before from these birds, and seemed to be chasing another downy, possibly the adult, indicating juvenile behavior, as in still needing the adult to feed it.
Female downy woodpecker, old orchard
Red-tailed hawk, leaping from tree
As I came around the corner into the old orchard, I flushed the red-tailed hawk from its high perch in the eucalyptus grove.
Red-tailed hawk, screeching.
The red-tail zoomed around to make one screeching pass over me, after leaping from its perch.
Female quail in a big stretch
Juvenile quail Quail action shot (above). This female quail jumped up in a big stretch; it was out on a evening stroll with its mate and some of the remaining juvenile chicks, who are getting to be almost full size.
Male downy woodpecker, back orchard
Apple trees heavy with fruit right now in the orchards still with trees in them Little male downy inspects all the boards again that have been placed under the trees to hold up the heavy apple tree branches full of apples, in the back orchard.
Male Downy woodpecker, back orchard, inspecting the boards
House finch, at the edge of the old orchard
Anna's hummer in the back yard
Goldfinch in the back yard near the feeders
White-breasted nuthatch, backyard feeder
All the nuthatches are gathering seeds to hide in the tree branches for the winter.
Pygmy nuthatch with a small piece of peanut
Two pygmy nuthaches competing for a seed
Pygmy nuthatch, back yard