Bushtits look like little mice with wings. They move about in flocks while making this “pip” sound.
A BBQ today at the in-laws was crashed by a flock of about 40 of them. It was fun to watch.
White-tailed Sparrow
This grainy pic was taken through a window in a bit of a rush. I saw what I thought was a new bird for me. It looked kind of like a sparrow, but as you can see, it has some unusual tail markings.
In the end, I decided I was looking at a song sparrow with a few extra-stylish tail feathers.
Little things
The macro lens lets me explore detailed structures like the inner-workings of these flowers. The plant is actually a weed that I mistook for an aster when it was small. I planted several of these in planters and now I have a small knotweed garden. I probably shouldn’t let these go to seed, but they grow so fast and have interesting flowers. Gratifying.
There was even a hitchiker on the plant – equally beautiful.
Aster
Uslurper
Water Fight
When the temperature starts to go up, tempers can flare. This black-headed grosbeak was enjoying a cool bath in the shade when a house sparrow came a long and started splashing.
The party was pretty much over at that point. Each bird jockeyed for position, crowding out the other. The grosbeak with the height and weight advantage prevailed, but the harassment cut short what should have been a more enjoyable time.
Friends and visitors
I am beginning to feel the rhythm of our backyard. Today I saw my first downy woodpecker in quite sone time. Also, the black headed grosbeaks are back at the feeders and the honeybees arrived right on queue as the Astors began to bloom.
The grosbeaks are as timid as any birds that ever visit. This one was surprisingly cooperative.
The hummingbirds are jousting for dominance right now and even crowding me as I fill my homemade feeders. They are very sweet and I love it when they fly close. The tiny feeders hold only about 1.5 ml each and a hummingbird can come close to draining one at a single shot.
Backyard Fireworks
I like how this Douglas Spirea looks when it blooms, It is a stunning flower comprised of hundreds of tiny blossoms.
Before they burst open, they are organized in clusters like grapes. Once the flowers are out, they combine to form a single cone shape like a bottle brush.
Today in Ridgefield, Wa.
My wife and I took an auto tour around the wildlife reserve and saw quite a few birds trying to stay cool in the August heat.
This Great Blue Heron was fishing in the marshy waters and stopped for a quick photo-op.
Today, we saw a juvenile wood duck. I could tell it was a male because of the red eyes.
We also saw some turtles, egrets and quite a few lesser yellowlegs. Toward the end of our drive, we caught sight of a coyote who looked pretty hot out there.
In all, it was a productive day at the reserve and a nice day in general.
