Violet Green
Tag: birding
Wrentit
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.
One windy morning
American Pipit
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.
A kingfisher rattles
Up and down a little stream a kingfisher rattles in flight.
Hoary Redpoll
Sitting in the tree-tops with a group of Pine Siskins and other small song birds was a beautiful looking small bird we decided was a female Hoary Redpoll. She was at the southern edge of her winter range and it was a pleasure to get a glimpse of her before she returns to the high arctic tundra for the summer.
Everybody likes water
Along an old county road where the snowmelt and recent rains have made temporary wetlands a variety of birds enjoy a cloudy spring afternoon.
Yellowlegs, dowitchers, stilts and even a great tailed grackle enjoyed some time in the pool.
Having open lands and bit of available water is vital for many migratory birds making the spring journey to their breeding grounds. With development of open farmlands and ranches for housing, business parks and the wonderful strip mall birds lose both land and water in which they need and humans in turn lose another connection to the other creatures we share the planet with.
These farmers fields will dry up in the blink of an eye but for now support life not only for bird habitat in the spring but they also grow food for us humans as well. Less farmland, more development. Virtual reality birds and lab grown food. The future is looking bright.
Time to get out and enjoy what we still have.
A wrens song
Listening to a pair of pacific wren sing a back and forth turned a simple duet into a symphony.
Common Grackle
Announcing their presence with those wonderful squeaky sounds the Grackles are back in town. Isn’t it amazing that when photographed, in just the right light, a bird that looks jet black to your eyes is actually a multi-colored work of art. And eyes as cute as buttons…or are they buttons?
Puffed Out
All puffed out and waiting for the sun to warm things up before hitting the lake to collect bugs.
There were literally billions, well OK, there were a boat load of swallows buzzing around the lakes in North Park last weekend collecting bugs off the top of the water. We went out early one morning to catch the action but it was cold and most of the swallows were hunkered down and puffed out trying to keep warm and the sun to come out.
nature has no boss 
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