This male Downy Woodpeckerkept us company during what was perhaps, but probably not, the final snow of the long winter season last week. He will show up every now and again over the summer months but his visits become less frequent as the insects spring to life and the feeding is good.
Yesterday these two Barn Swallows were hanging out on a fence near a lake where we took an afternoon walk. Nice to see them back in town and their colors are sure vibrant right now. Soon after these photos were shot they took off and were buzzing around the lake hunting for bugs which is always an amazing sight to observe.
Last Sunday the wind was blowing hard but that did not deter these little Tree Swallows from spending their day looking for a suitable summer residence and it sure seemed like box 29 was high on their list of desirable homes.
The competition was high and words of caution we flying as freely as these swallows glide through the skies.
A quick resting spot on the roof was in order and acceptable to both shoppers at box 29.
A little good company makes staying close to home just a bit easier and two of our closest companions these days are the Mountain Chickadee above and the Red-breasted Nuthatch below.
A Pink Sided Dark-eyed Junco is a wonderful companion to have keep us company while we work our way through these days of sheltering at home.
With a disgusted look on their face an American Robin wonders where spring has gone. Standing on a pond that was liquid as liquid can be only a few days prior and the forecast ahead points to another chilly couple of days. Really?
Spring can be so fickle yet this guy will tough it out.
Well that’s a mouthful.
The names given to groups of particular birds are always interning, and sometimes head-scratching to say the least, but with a little imagination these do seem to fit the bill.
So let’s begin.
Last week we got paid a visit by a group of six Stellar’s Jays. While it is typical for perhaps two or three to hang around the nearby forest six at once was a new experience. All six seemed friendly enough towards each other and curious enough about us so a “band” of jays…well perhaps.
A cast….ummmm….maybe. They each did seem to play a role in the whole show. Some were boisterous and bold others a bit more shy like this guy below who hung around on the edge of the forest while other paraded by quite close to us. Unfortunately they did not congregate or come close enough together for a nice group shot but we caught at least three or four individuals who all seemed to strike a similar pose and looked remarkably similar as well.
All seemed to be having a good time and displayed quite a range of vocalizations ranging for the usual scolding Jay sounds to songbird initiations and one Jay was quite adept a imitating the sounds of a pair of Golden Eagles we have heard all winter calling from the tops of the trees. So in their very own Stellar’s Jay way it was indeed a party.
And while we were indeed scolded every now and again for hanging around in their forest it was a gentle scolding and one we could easily accept for invading their space.
So there you have it a nice visit with a “band”, “cast”, “party”, or perhaps a “scold” of Stellar’s Jays on a April afternoon.
We watched and mostly listened as this male Sage Thrasher sang his long and complex song from the top a the sage brush on a quiet dirt road.
According to All About Birds “males have long, complex, melodic songs, with remarkable variety. The rambling series of phrases, often preceded by soft clucking notes, is continuous and interspersed with moments of repetition and mimicry. Songs can be very long indeed; one male was recorded singing for 22 minutes straight.”
While this guys song was not a whopping 22 minutes it did go on and on leaving me out of breath just listening.
We were pleasantly surprised one recent morning when we noticed a flock of birds foraging in the distance turned out to be beautiful Gray-crowned Rosy-finches. They were busy gobbling up the remaining seeds of some plants not buried deep under a winter of snow. Beautiful birds and ones we don’t often see.
A golden eagle enjoys a perch high above a wide open valley. Sitting and scanning for a meal to appear below.
nature has no boss 
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