Towheeblog

There was an octet of waxwings at Fairview Wetlands this afternoon. Half adults, the other half streaky kidlings. A small dead pine along the lone pool’s shoreline was their launching pad, as adults led the young on brief sorties over the water after insects, then back to the perch. Faster than many flying insects the waxwings are decent fly-catchers. While I watched them a trio of superb insect-mouthers was zooming past. Barn Swallows, one of the ultimate flying bug-catchers.

The turkey family makes another visit. Tom, hen, one young one:

In upper right image you see our one, still green, tomato.

NUTHATCHERY
Both local species are regular in our garden. Family groups some days during summer.

Mostly I see the nuthatches after suet, or sunflower seeds, or working some of the handy trees around our place. But one day I saw the red-breasted up on the power line, checking out a splicing point…? Duh, looking for spiders. We don’t poison our garden so there are hundreds of spider webs around, and their tasty little spinners (if nuthatch you do).

There is no morning here with no House Finch. One typical example, eating, naturally:

LET IT BEE

STURGEON MOON

Post-breeding dispersal is happening in Birdworld now. The waxwings this afternoon…oddities (for our garden) passing by…orange-crown, Western Tanager. In this season young birds may show up in unexpected places, briefly. Often it is a youngster who doesn’t really quite know what it means to be a jay, or robin, or flycatcher. Birds less likely to flock are more likely wander far afield. Thus, every year, some place on the Pacific Coast gets a wintering Tropical Kingbird who’s come hundreds of miles from its birthplace. It is unlikely you will ever see a Bushtit or chickadee far afield. They stick to the group.

On one remote Pacific isle it’s rabbit-be-gone. Click here for an environmental victory.