Conversing with giants

On May 6, 2021May 6, 2021 By Mike and Christy2 Comments

Conversing with giants kinda makes your neck sore but oh what stories they can tell.

Wrentit

On May 6, 2021 By Mike and Christy1 Comment

Peeking into the shrubs to get a view of the ever-present but what seemed to be always-hidden singer of a wonderful back and forth duet of sound that guided us on our walks in a costal forest. The Wrentit is a beautiful bird with a piercing eye that inhabits the costal scrub and chaparral along the west coast of the United States. They are prolific singers the fill the forests with song at all hours of the day making it easy to know they are present even if seeing them is a chore. Wrentits are non-migratory and it is reported that they may not travel further than half a mile from where they were born.

Reference: Geupel, G. R. and G. Ballard (2020). Wrentit (Chamaea fasciata), version 1.0. In Birds of the World (P. G. Rodewald, Editor). Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Ithaca, NY, USA. https://doi.org/10.2173/bow.wrenti.01

One windy morning

On May 5, 2021May 5, 2021 By Mike and Christy1 Comment

A male Horned Lark hangs on tight with his horns up and and feathers flying. In fact he looks none the worse for wear despite the winds that blew so strong birds could hardy fly.

American Pipit

On May 4, 2021May 3, 2021 By Mike and Christy3 Comments

American Pipits breed on the arctic tundra as well high alpine meadows yet can regularly be observed during winter and spring migration, as was the case this day. While they sometime can be an inconspicuous looking bird the touch of peachy-orange on this bird certainly drew our attention her way as she foraged contently on a fresh hatch of spring insects.