Interesting Birds

[Steven B in PV]

Hi Steven B --
Your pictures are Great,
but I have to say that earlier,
I was jealous for you living in Puerto Vallarta !
Thank you for sharing.
RandyO

Ha!  Thanks, RandyO!  My family has been in Peaceful Valley since 1938.  I would rather be here in the  land of ice and snow than on the beach in Mexico.  Silly me.

A new camera and lens is arriving this week which should help with getting better images.  I hope my pictures don't discourage anyone from sharing their experiences and photos.  I'm here in part to learn from others.

[tulkula]

I love these pictures and tales. Thank you so much for sharing Steven from PV. I will have to do some sleuthing to learn their sounds. Imagining you calling them and their response is delightful.

[Steven B in PV]

Ritual courtship by the cabin this morning.




   

[Steven B in PV]

Today, American Dippers began nest building in both the JT and Confluence nest boxes.

Also, there was a mature Bald Eagle, and two Sandhill Cranes at the south end of Beaver Reservoir.


   

   

[Sal DeVincenzo]

Love seeing all the wildlife photos, and conversation, Steve, and everyone else. Looks like a snow day today. Stay cozy.

[BrookeC]

Hi Steven and other fellow Birders -

I’m very envious, but happy to hear of Steven’s rare visitors! And thanks to everyone else who posted their sightings too - great to learn!

At our feeder in the Bar-K we’ve had flocks (20-30) of Evening Grosbeaks all winter long and they’re still around.

Last week we had a number of Red Cross bills. And earlier this week, a Blue (sooty) Grouse hung out on our rock outcrop for quite a while.

Clarks Nutcrackers often show up to decimate our suet feeders.

There were three bald eagles up at Rock Lake in the snow storm yesterday. The lake is completely open, but they were feeding on a large dead carp on the shoreline.

I thought I spotted a couple Mountain Bluebirds up here before the snow came this week. And one turkey vulture flying overhead. Signs of spring!

And of course, the usual contingent of chickadees, White-breasted and Pigmy Nuthatches, Juncos, Stellar Jays, etc.

I’ve been an amateur birder forever. I don’t have a good camera (just my old iPhone) or I would try to post some photos of my sightings.

I have the Sibley bird app on my phone, which is pretty fun to have handy. This app is a little pricey, but I find it’s worth it.

Brooke

[burtonwc1]

Laurel Wanrow and I bagged a Lincoln Sparrow in our Jamestown wood pile two days ago. Two dippers and a kingfisher in the creek. BrookC in BarK we would love to come up to see your Evening Grosbeaks! Contact us at Seven03-608-2047.

Bill Burton

[burtonwc1]

Laurel Wanrow and I bagged a Lincoln Sparrow in our Jamestown wood pile two days ago. Two dippers and a kingfisher in the creek. BrookC in BarK we would love to come up to see your Evening Grosbeaks! Contact us at Seven03-608-2047.

Bill Burton

[Michelle]

Male BTLH broad-tailed hummer just zoomed past us on the deck!

Wooohoo!!!
Do I win a prize?

[Steven B in PV]

Male BTLH broad-tailed hummer just zoomed past us on the deck!

Wooohoo!!!
Do I win a prize?

Yes, and that was the prize!
 Yesterday, I put out two humfeeders at the Palisade farm and was rewarded this afternoon with the first of season male Black-chinned Hummingbird.  The wave is coming!
Steve

[Steven B in PV]

Today at 3:15 pm, the first-of-season male Broad-tailed Hummingbird came to feeder at the cabin.

Early this morning a yearling calf came to a spring fed watering hole in the forest 70 yards from the house.  I'll call her Big Bird.

[Steven B in PV]

Early this morning, a Scrub Jay made a brief appearance outside the dining room window.


   



Most of you who have put out hummingbird feeders have probably seen their first hummer of the year.  The male Broad-tailed that visited here on Apr 24 didn't remain, but another appeared Saturday, Apr 29.  Yesterday, a first female Broad-tailed came to the feeders and not long after, several males were chasing about.


   


One of the males had lost it's tail feathers, probably due to an attempted capture by a predator.  The photo below shows the new replacement feathers that should be completely regrown in about two weeks.  For comparison, the next image is of another male a few minutes later.  Broad-tailed Hummingbirds are so named for their very broad and comparatively long tail as seen when they hover and display.

[Steven B in PV]

It was a Jay Day when early in the morning (5-10), a Blue Jay came to the tray feeder, followed by a Scrub Jay, and our local Steller's Jays.  Blue Jays are occasional visitors from the flatlands and Scrub Jays nest in the shrub belt across the lower foothills.

Jays are part of the Corvid family which included magpies, crows and ravens.




   

   

   

[John Hardman]

Hey Steve ~

Your 3 Jays look like a page out of my "BIRDS of North America" field guide!  Great photos! 
Here are a couple recent visitors to my backyard!   Have not seen Grosbeaks in my yard
in a few years but I don't keep a feeder filled and out all day anymore either.  A couple days ago
there were 2 Tanagers and 2 Grosbeaks on my neighbors feeder.  What a splash of color that was!

~ SOB john

PS:  The picture of the little Pine Squirrel is of "Baby Dos". I rescued Her and a sibling (Uno & Dos) in my backyard a month ago when the 
Fire Mitigation Team felled a tree with their nest up top!  Their eyes were not yet open. I attempted to re-introduce them to their mother to no avail. 
Took them to Greenwood Animal Rehab.  Both did well til a week ago when Baby Uno developed a respiratory issue and died ;(
I picked up Baby Dos and released her in my backyard.  So far SO GOOD!