Around Home

Here are some recent visitors around the house.

The ever-present Acron Woodpecker

Black Phoebe, leaving a deposit on our patio furniture!

Scott's Oriole.  Not sure if this particular individual is female or a young male, and I am checking on it.  Will update this page when the verdict is in.

Scott's Oriole. 



 Bewick's Wren.  There have been several of these around the house lately.  Very difficult to photograph, always skittering around the ground, often at my feet when I am trying to get them in front of the scope!

Bewick's Wren

Hooded Oriole

The last few days there has been a young and very vocal male Hooded Oriole hanging around the house.  Lucky for me he was not terribly camera shy.



Hoot Hoot Again

I had just mentionoed to my wife that it had been awhile since I had heard our local owls hooting.  She came back inside and said "well, thay're out there now."  So I grabbed the scope and managed a few shots in the fading light.



Canyon Wren

Canyon Wrens are one of my all-time favorite birds.  I just love their song and curious nature as they probe around rock faces and other hidden areas.  They are also a bit funny-looking.  Luckily we have some that live around our house, and I hear and see them frequently.  They are, however, very difficult to photograph as they rarely sit still!  I was very lucky the other day as one alit for a short time as I was standing with the scope at ready.



Around Home Latley

Here are some shots of recent visitors this spring.

Some Juncos do stay for the entire year.  Lately they have been singing up a storm as they perch on top of a tree, shrub, or antenna.

Some Ash-throated Flycatchers, shown below,  have arrived for the season.

The ever-present House Wrens.  They have a nest under our eaves and can be heard calling most any time of the day.

Bushtits are usually seen in groups flitting quickly through the treetops - in short, nearly impossible to photograph.  Luckily one morning I caught this little one coming to our birdbatch.

 

Early in the morning the warblers and their allies like to poke around in the oak trees on the estern side of the house.  They are fun to watch, but usually a glimpse is about all that can be seen, and the lighting is horrible for the camera. 

I got lucky with this Warbling Viero, which stayed still long enough for a photo.



My first ever Warbler photo! A Towshend's Warbler.

The Oak Titmouse can also be tough to photograph, as they are constantly in motion.  This one was kind enough to sit still for a moment.

Band-Tailed Pigeon.  Large, loud, and not a graceful flyer.

Hooded Orioles

It has been a good year here for Hooded Orioles.  They have been coming quite frequently to our feeder, and providing some nice photo opportunites.  As is often the case with birds, the males are spectacularly beautiful, the females more subdued in color.



Hoot Hoot!

I woke up to the sound of an owl hooting not too far away from the bedroom window.  It was not very light out, but I took the scope outside to see what I could see.  The owl was fairly cooperative and allowed a number of shots, each a 1-second exposure.  Actually stood still for this shot.

Great Horned Owl



Home In March

Way behind on posting, so here goes some collected results from home for the month of March.

  It's Not always about the animals!

  

Oak Titmouse.  Very active and difficult to photograph.

  

Anna's Hummingbirds were showing nicely.

Acorn Woodpecker.  Old reliable.

 Northern Flicker. 

 Hairy Woodpecker - female.

 Hairy Woodpecker - female.

 Hairy Woodpecker - male.

 Nuttall's Woodpecker - male.

Nuttall's Woodpecker - female.

Nuttall's Woodpecker - female. 

 Downey Woodpecker - female.

Downey Woodpecker - female.

American Crow.

Good Ol' American Robin.

Scott's Oriole - male.

Scott's Oriole - female.

Scott's Oriole - female.