Towheeblog

These first two shots show a male Varied Thrush hopping onto our garden porch.  This winter visitation of thrushes is the most exciting garden bird event since the Band-tailed Pigeons thundered down out of the sky for the first time two years ago…then landed like gunny sacks on our platform feeders, making them unstable and even more wobbly.  That was a surprise of bulk, this is a surprise of beauty.

Of course, the the Varied Thrush visitations are NOT annual.  This irruptive species is here one winter, gone the next.  I take the pictures through the windows, not wanting to scare them away.  Al;most as secretive,  but an annual visitor: Fox Sparrow.

Another daily visitor: Mr. Hairy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And up the road in the upper reservoir in Lithia Park, an uncommon Common.  The pair of Common Mergansers swimming in the old swimmin’ hole.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s the male with the white sidewalls, the female with the gray.