Social distancing has not infected the avian world. Today a Steller’s jay came by to check out our feeders here in Salem. He, in turn, was checked out, and unwelcomed, by our local scrub-jay tribe. It was a young Steller’s and I suspect he wandered here from some nearby grove of conifers. At first he was cagey, then he landed on our bird bath:
For the second day in a row we had a young Black-headed Grosbeak pass by. There are two nearby creeks and a number of cottonwoods not far off so it was a very mild surprise. Puts our garden list up to twenty species so far. The covids, woodpeckers and Bushtits are the most predictable right now.
The Bewick’s Wrens are the only singers at this point in the season. Some time I expect waxwings. There is a lot of ripening fruit on our trees and shrubs. It seems strange that robins are as scarce as they seem to be. Do people hereabouts poison their lawns? Killing off earthworms and the robins?
54 Ratcliff Drive SE, Marion, Oregon, US
Aug 27, 2020
8 species
Anna’s Hummingbird 1
Downy Woodpecker 1
Northern Flicker 1
Steller’s Jay 1
California Scrub-Jay 5
American Crow X
Bushtit 20
Black-headed Grosbeak 1
Towheeblog 
I too worry about the toxins that humans use in their yards. The animals don’t realize how dangerous these toxins will be. Yesterday, I fear that one of the MANY Scrubs I feed daily got into something awful. Sadly, she did not survive. I wrote a story about her yesterday and would love to share it with you. This is the first blog post I have written in about five years. The little Scrubbie inspired me. So…I am back to blogging again after many years. I remember your blog posts and appreciate your writings. Blessings! ~Gerean
A Dignified Farewell ~~~> https://animalspirits222.wordpress.com/2020/08/26/a-dignified-farewell/
By: theanimalspirits on August 27, 2020
at 6:27 pm
thanks, and keep caring though it is burdensome these days
By: atowhee on September 10, 2020
at 5:13 pm