SUMMER GROSBEAKS

A quote I saw recently and like - no author was listed.

"Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be."

SWALLOWTAILS ARE BACK

We have seen them out in the yard lately.   I haven't been able to get my camera out in time to get photos but here are some from awhile ago when we were at
Mt. Baldy - which by the way...I am determined to go there sometime in the next few weeks before it gets too hot, to hike behind the old ice house that burned down years ago. 

I RARELY SEE HOUSE SPARROWS IN MY YARD

I took these awhile back.  They are  birds that prefer to hang out near restaurants and drive thrus - grocery stores, anywhere that people have food around. 

When I've read about them  at Wikipedia ....it is said they pretty much stay away from humans and feeds mostly on seeds, grains and bugs.  What !?!

Some one needs to set the record  straight and tell them to stop hanging out near the MacDonald's drive thru.   I do believe they love french fries.

............................

Then here is another description found at "All About Birds" ...someone is wrong - now who is it??

"Habitat of the House Sparrow
Some of the natural habitats that they live in include forests, meadows, grasslands, deserts, desert edges, woodlands, and more. The vast majority of their population lives in urban areas."

Personally I go with the definition at All About Birds.  Whichever one is right, who knows but I like them for their beautiful feather patterns.

NORTHERN FLICKER

Northern flickers  live in the west (I live in Southern California mountains) and  have a red shaft of color on the tail and then there are flickers who live in the east who have a yellow shaft.

The flickers  are some  of the prettiest birds that come to the yard around here.  I always put peanuts on the deck railing upstairs and keep peanut suet out also, especially in winter.   Some years there seem to be more of them but lately, the last few years I haven't seen as many.

CUTE SPARROW

Back to bird watching again - since I'm home more than I'm out.  

We made it through Mother's Day without snow which means.....we shouldn't have any more until late fall!  

We still aren't having all that  many birds coming to the yard - since spring brings out a lot of bugs.  I've gotten new plastic inserts for a bird bath.  I always find it fun to watch them take baths.

HOUSE FINCH

It's not often they land where I can get a clear pic of them. 

BIRD WATCHING YESTERDAY

Black headed grosbeaks this time of year come sporadically to the yard to eat seed.  The air is filled right now with a lot of tiny insects so for a lot of the day they are out eating bugs. 

This one stopped by for a bit yesterday.  There are still nuthatches, house finches, flickers and chickadees around.  I especially like when a flock of pigeons come to the yard because they pick up a lot of the seed that the other birds throw out of the feeders on to the ground.

He finally saw me taking his photo and then jumped down to the ground.

I learned something yesterday.  I was watching a squirrel up in a  cedar incense tree and she  was eating the bark of branches.  This is something I didn't know they do.  I thought they were all about nuts and seeds.  Cedar Incense trees have a really soft wood and they must supply some type of nourishment for the squirrels. 

In one photo you can see her "finger" start to pick off some wood.

So this is what I found when I did a quick research   

Squirrels use bark in their nests. When bark is removed from trees, the cambium layer with sugars and nutrients is exposed. Squirrels often eat that layer when other food is scarce, particularly in the winter. Chewing on bark can also maintain the health of a squirrel's teeth

SOME BEAUTIES SEEN ON A WALK IN 2014 THROUGH A BOTANICAL GARDEN

       NATURE NEVER GOES OUT OF STYLE


The first photo is a photo my sis took on a walk near her area.  It makes me happy to see it.  The rest was taken by me in 2014.  They also make me happy when I see them. 

A CHIPPING SPARROW IN THE YARD LOOKING LIKE SHE HAS A LOT OF EGGS ...OR JUST COLD AND PUFFED UP

I've never seen this particular bird in my yard before.  In fact here ...where I live there are no species of sparrows that  I've  seen in my yard.  In a different location I use to get lark sparrows and at least a few others species.  So this is a first sighting for me.

First it was puffed up on a branch (it's been mushy mix of snow/rain and in the 30's ..or maybe the  bird is  pregnant.  I don't know if this is a male or female.  The bird  moved down to the  house and doesn't look as fat in those pics.

I only realized after taking the pic the wire was hanging down.  I'll have to fix it after the storm moves out..

A PEACEFUL QUIET PLACE TO SELF ISOLATE AND WATCH THE GEESE

We found a place hardly anybody goes right now and we were able to sit at a picnic table and watch the geese before we took another walk along the shoreline for exercise.  It was a beautiful day and I think I'll go back over today.  This morning we were socked in with fog but it looks to be clearing now.   Snow is still forecasted in a few days.

This beauty was pruning her feathers and drying off and it was fun to watch her shake her feathers.