This morning wintry fog hugged the valley floor. This made the Scrub Jay and other birds puff out their feathers.
Then the sun burned off the fog and the insect-eaters got busy.
Yellow-rumps, about forty of them at Ashland Pond.
Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a hard bird to get in the frame. See him?
Along Siskiyou Boulevard late this afternoon I saw this Merlin. He was in a treetop in plain view halfway between Tolman Creek Road and Toleman [sic] Creek bridge signs. Just after he launched he disappeared in typical magical Merlin fashion, speeding off from view.
This evening around 5pm there was a wintry chill on Mt. Ashland. The temp was at 50 degrees but heavy clouds and a stiff breeze made it feel cold. A Goshawk soared at treetop level along a ridge above Milepost 6 on Mt. Ashland Road. Not much else besides Ravens and a small flock of Varied Thrush.
AUTUMNAL PLANT ACTION:
Wet weather has certainly spawned the spore forests of mushrooms. These two are just busting through the duff on the ground.
Mountain colors:
Ashland Pond, Jackson, US-OR
Oct 30, 2014 11:10 AM – 12:10 PM. 27 species
Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) 60
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) 11
Pied-billed Grebe (Podilymbus podiceps) 2
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) 1
American Coot (Fulica americana) 4
Rock Pigeon (Feral Pigeon) (Columba livia (Feral Pigeon)) 25
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura) 2
Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus) X
Downy Woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) 1
Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) 3
Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans) 1
Western Scrub-Jay (Aphelocoma californica) 5
American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) X
Black-capped Chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) 2
Bushtit (Psaltriparus minimus) 20
Ruby-crowned Kinglet (Regulus calendula) 1
Hermit Thrush (Catharus guttatus) 1
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) 1
European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) X
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum) 15
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata) 30
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus) 2
Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia) 1
White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys) 5
Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla) 30
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) 8
Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria) 4
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