We're Hungry Too!

Sigh.  I do enjoy watching the birds on the bird feeder and bird bath.  As I said earlier, I had hesitated putting the feeder up because the rodents aren't far behind.  In the valley it was rats, here, it's ground squirrels, the population of which has exploded since the loss of my two cats.  Of course, the birds didn't come in while the cats were here either.

Yesterday, while enjoying the birds, including Stellar Jay's and Robins on the suet feeder since they can't get into the seed tower, I was not surprised to look down on the ground to see a ground squirrel with stuffed cheeks.  I wasn't able to get a picture of the squirrel, but I did get a mother Robin and her child.

Well, we've been found.  Robins, Mourning Doves, Pine Siskins, Mountain Chickadees, Oregon Juncos, Brown Headed Cowbirds, California Quail, Red Breasted Nuthatches, Stellar Jays and of course, ground Squirrels at the feeder.  The bird bath has also lured in a Western Tanager pair, even the male came in one day.

I may remove the feeders by the end of September in order to encourage the birds to move on, though, I have discovered that some of the birds are year around residents, even with the snow.  I don't know, the ground squirrels have to go.  I'll have to get some live traps and transport them MANY miles away.  Sigh.

Weather Change, Wood and Birds

Last week we got close to 100 degrees.  Whew!  I was helping place water for horses on the trail at a 6 day endurance ride with a friend.  Did feel the heat.  I tried hard to make sure that I drank enough water, but I think maybe I should have drunk a bit more on a couple of days as I did get a head ache.

Today the weather has changed.  Mid 50's and rain.  I wouldn't mind except, on my first day off in a week, I had planned on getting some of the dead wood on the back end of the property moved up front to be split for heat for the winter.  I did get most of the wood that is already here covered but just really don't feel like hauling wood in the rain, even if it is a light rain.  I sure do hope we get our usual two weeks of late good weather so I can get it done.

Instead of hauling wood, I've been watching the bird feeder that I said I'd never ever place out.  Apparently Pine Siskin's, which are finches, gather in large flocks to feed after they raise their youngsters.  That darn feeder and near by tree have been full of Pine Siskin's all afternoon, rain or no rain.  Must have been nearly 50 at one point.

The Red Breasted Nuthatches and Mountain Chickadee's sneak in every now and again, but mostly it's been Pine Siskin Restaurant all day.  The Junco's have been ground feeding and I was surprised to see a White Breasted Nuthatch at the birdbath.  Really didn't expect that as I haven't seen one all summer, had to take a second look.  There's a Mourning Dove at the bath getting a drink right now.

Following through on my vow to never place a bird feeder near the house ever again, I bought a cheap little feeder at BiMart.  Filled the thing, started out to hang it and it fell apart.  Well, what do you expect for $6.99?  I did a little jury rigging and hung it outside the kitchen window.  Sigh, well, it is fun to watch them, though they haven't found the new feeder yet.

Ah, well, here's to keeping vow's!

Parasitic Birds

So, for the last month or so I've been watching this Oregon Junco take care of a bird that was clearly not a close relative.  The Junco is a very pretty little bird and the bird that it was taking care of was half again as large and while clearly in juvenile feather making it difficult for me to identify, was definitely not going to be a Junco.

My brain finely engaged and I remembered that Brown Headed Cowbirds, of which there are many around here,  are nest parasites.  They will remove an egg from the chosen host and replace it with one of theirs.  Then the chosen host will take care of the fledgling as though it is their own.  This is the first time I've actually witnessed it.  I'll tell you what though, that little Junco is taking excellent care of it's, uh, adoptive child.  LOL.  Hope the pictures are clear, I had to use a lot of zoom and they do blend well into the ground.  Hmm, I wonder when the Cowbird figures out it's a Cowbird and does the Junco ever have a clue that this isn't it's kid?  Ah, nature.

Bird Feeders

Okay, okay, I know I said I'd never put up a bird feeder again.  But, it was just sitting there looking so lonely, no seed, no birds.  I did it, I put shelled sunflower seed and thistle seed in it.  I am hoping that the already shelled sunflower seeds will prompt a cleaning up below the feeder.

Only the smallest birds are willing to go through the grate to get to the seed.  Pine Siskin as seen here, Mountain Chickadees and Pygmy Nuthatches are the only ones I've seen inside.

Down below the feeder though, the larger birds are coming in to do clean up work, mostly the Oregon Junco such as the young fellow below.  They seem to be doing a pretty good job on the clean up.  The quail come in now and again and the occasional robin.

These kids are so small that even with my telephoto they're a bit hard to get a good photo of.

Speaking of hard to get a photo of, the darn Mourning Doves are skitish as all get out.  The slightest noise or movement and they're gone.  I saw one come in for a drink, so went out and just stood as still as I could and finally another one came in for a drink.  The sun behind didn't help, but not a bad photo.

I do love this Sony camera with Carl Zeiss lens, it makes me look like a pretty good photographer.  It's a bit bulky, but it does take good photos.

Bull Bats

When I first moved here to this house, I'd often hear and see Nighthawks as I'd sit out in the yard just before dark.  Loved having them around as they eat mosquitos.  I was recently lamenting on the fact that I hadn't seen any near the house in several years.  Our little subdivision went through an explosion about that time and I figured that the Nighthawks moved on.

Last night I heard one,  didn't see it, but heard it.  They make a very distinctive sound as they hunt.  There's a road here in town called Bull Bat Lane.  I didn't have a clue what a Bull Bat was.  I was told it was a Nighthawk.  Locals called it a Bull Bat because of the sound it made combined with it's hunting at dusk, like bats.  Well, I guess it sorta sounds like a bull, kinda, sorta.  At any rate, it is distinctive, can't mistake it for any thing else.

Their return make my heart smile.