Just chilling....
Every year for the past 15 or more years, a pair of Oak Titmouse (or is it Titmice for plural ??) have nested in this bird house in our backyard. Here are photos of the 2024 Spring adult Oak Titmouse parents entering (they were so darn fast - lots of bird butt photos) and exiting (sometimes with hatchling poop waste) from the bird house today. Maybe in a few days I will try to get a photo or two of the hatchlings ......... I tried unsuccessfully today - I didn't want to disturb them too much (second to last photo).
The last photo of two very young Oak Titmouse hatchlings in the same bird house is from April 18, 2008.
Camera time is set to UTC.
Observed on Juniperus californica leaves near tip of twigs moving slowly for 12 minutes about 0.7 m above ground.
Overlooking Indio and Coachella
MI big year species #11
Ventura Cove, Mission Bay, San Diego, San Diego County, California
Mr.Cangoos.....Ummmm dinner is late again....what's your excuse THIS time???
Our "Buddy" seriously working on a peanut!!
Nothing like a really good shake, after making 'snow angels'!! I think he was the only one excited to see that last snow storm!!! He couldn't wait to get out there!!
Good to see the ole girl again....Funny thing is she kept swimming in closer, but she never slapped her tail this time! Usually she comes right over & glares at me, then slaps her tail at the dog!!
Pair- The O'Malleys
Larva on Cordylanthus sp.
Kissing Cottontails
Likely just a single eyas this year
Baby Hawk, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo
Baby Hawk, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo
Baby Hawk, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo
Baby Hawk
A pair of western bluebirds flying from tree to tree together. It always makes me happy to see them. Link to observation of bluebirds bathing: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/190548925
Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana) Native, migratory songbird in the Thrushes (Turdidae) family that is 18cm (7 inches) long. Adult male tail, upper parts and throat are deep blue. Breast sides and flanks are chestnut colored, and belly and undertail coverts are gray. Female is duller, brownish gray above, breast and flanks tinged with chestnut, throat is pale gray. Nests in holes in trees and also in nest boxes. Bluebirds are year round residents in local (Monterey County) oak woodlands. Several nesting boxes can be seen in Toro County Park (Monterey County, CA). Diet is mostly insects and berries. Often forages by perching fairly low and flying down to ground to capture insects, sometimes hovering briefly before pouncing. May catch insects in mid-air, or may seek them among foliage. Perches or flutters among branches to take berries.
Breeding: "The western bluebird nests in cavities or in nest boxes, competing with tree swallows, house sparrows, and European starlings for natural nesting locations. Because of the high level of competition, house sparrows often attack western bluebirds for their nests. The attacks are made both in groups or alone. Attacks by starlings can be reduced if the nesting box opening is kept to 1.5 in (38 mm) diameter to avoid takeover. Nest boxes come into effect when the species is limited and dying out due to the following predators: cats, raccoons, possums, and select birds of prey such as the Cooper's hawk. Ants, bees, earwigs, and wasps can crawl into the nesting boxes and damage the newborns. Western bluebirds are among the birds that nest in cavities, or holes in trees, or nest boxes. Their beaks are too weak and small to dig out their own holes, so they rely on woodpeckers to make their nest sites for them."
Ebird with species description, range map and sound recordings: https://ebird.org/species/wesblu/
The Cornell Lab (Birds in U.S. and Canada, includes Compare with Similiar Species) https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Bluebird/
Xeno-canto Bird songs, sound recordings, and species range map: https://xeno-canto.org/species/Sialia-mexicana
Audubon Guide to North American Birds https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/western-bluebird
Monterey Birds, Don Roberson, 2nd ed. 2002, sponsored by Monterey Peninsula Audubon Society, p. 368.
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of North America, ed. Jon L. Dunn, 7th ed., 2017, pp. 408-409.
National Geographic Field Guide to the Birds of Western North America, ed. Jon L. Dunn, 2008, p. 310-311.
Merlin Bird ID (great app available for Iphones) by The Cornell Lab (Bird ID help for 8,500+ species) https://merlin.allaboutbirds.org/
Comprehensive Feather I.D. tools and more: https://foundfeathers.org/resources/
Found Feathers (Worldwide): https://www.fws.gov/lab/featheratlas/idtool.php
Continuing- Mr. Cangoos, Here's looking at you, kid'....
Well Hello 'Notch'!! Good to know you are still here. This one rarely comes to the house. First sighting this year & he was over by his usual spot, near the truck shelter
On mistletoe on Gregg's catclaw.
Nibbling on a terra-cotta planter.
Continuing-Mr.Cangoos warning the other pair to keep their distance!! These two were right at my feet, & they have never threatened me or the dog.
There were also some Fox Squirrels in the trees along the southern end of the drainage lake, like this one that appeared to be eating some sort of plastic pet toy. Weird ??
A Snowy Egret resting on the western island at the Bridgewater Island Pond in West Sacramento, CA.
Continuing...I actually thought this was going to turn into a fight...Nope....
Continuing, already counted.
Being submitted for the Gerald & goofy files, & yes he got his seed..... :)
this little guy was busy mouthing off at me, for whatever reason...(I didn't have my chickadee dictionary with me again!!)
Enjoying a snow cone!
Extra large and beautiful squat tree.
Coming over to see Side Kick (the dog is on the edge of the shore just in front of the Goose). It's probably Mr.Cangoos. He was alone tonight. Maybe Mama is sitting already.
Mr.Cangoos honoring me with some close ups, while the Missus ate her din din.
Oh I love this one!!!
In the second photo, the squirrel is nibbling on the terra-cotta planter for its minerals. Afterwards, it jumps up to the birdbath to to quench its thirst from the salty mineral nibbles.
This one has such a lovely purple head/neck
Continuing-already counted
Big guy showing off!
Mr.Mrs.Cangoos, As soon as I called to them they left their nesting site, went over to their rock, then came over for their 1st din din this year.
Sooo good to have them back again!! This is the earliest they have ever returned...and I have no problem with that!!! :)
I wish we would get a nice sunny day so I could get some really nice photos of these characters, showing their true colors!
'Buddy'....Mommie the dish is still empty....and it's getting late....
Raven followed me down to the wetlands tonight. He was alone & had a whole lot to tell me...Unfortunaely I didn't have my raven dictionary with me...This is the first time he has landed in a tree & I could take a pic of him. The last picshows him in the very top of the pine tree, waaay across the wetlands.
He finally did take flight, but of course too many branches got in the way of any photos.
Loose or stray donkey (or pony?). We called animal rescue and they said they would pick it up. I still think it would qualify as wild though.
This is 'Buddy', & he wasn't interested in coming over tonight.