Post by Randy on Jul 25, 2020 22:52:48 GMT -8
Obviously things have been relatively quiet for the summer. However, I really enjoy patch birding and seeing how species come and go and although I generally only get out for about an hour around my place once per week, I generally find something of interest. Even if it's not rare, there are so many fascinating things to see and observe, particularly as they change throughout the year.
A couple weeks ago on July 11, I observed this Anna's hummingbird enjoying the Evening Primrose (I think):
That same morning I observed a couple black swifts overhead. One of which appeared to be a juvenile given the barring. I know it's a poor picture, but the lighting was poor and it was quite far away!
On July 16 looking out my window before work I observed this empid repetitively flying into my water feature then back to the log on the edge of the water feature. It seems to be be a Willow Flycatcher but I'm open to other thoughts. I have to admit the eye ring on the downward flight appears somewhat like Pacific-Slope. I apologize for the poor photos but it was taken through a window very early in the morning!
Steller's Jay's have been regular and this one posed on the 19th as I was finishing my walk:
On the 19th I was also very surprised to come across this immature Black-throated Gray Warbler. Certainly not a breeder at my place so maybe an early migrant?
I have regular Brown Creepers year round here as well, and I saw a bird clambering up a tree truck as a creeper would but was interested to see it was a Bewick's wren!
Today it was relatively quiet given the time of year but again I was not disappointed by birding my "patch". I came across this wren, which I initially assumed was simply a recently fledged Bewick's wren but it turned out to be a house wren. A new yard bird for me (#119). It seems it may be a young one due to the fleshy gape, but I'm not sure where they're breeding since I have not come across one on all my previous walks:
I had a red-eyed vireo singing later in the morning as well.
My list for the month is a modest 35 species, but given the quiet time of year I'll take it! I'm hoping for some migrants coming through in the coming weeks!
July list so far:
Black Swift
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Bewick's Wren
European Starling
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
House Finch
American Goldfinch
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak
A couple weeks ago on July 11, I observed this Anna's hummingbird enjoying the Evening Primrose (I think):
That same morning I observed a couple black swifts overhead. One of which appeared to be a juvenile given the barring. I know it's a poor picture, but the lighting was poor and it was quite far away!
On July 16 looking out my window before work I observed this empid repetitively flying into my water feature then back to the log on the edge of the water feature. It seems to be be a Willow Flycatcher but I'm open to other thoughts. I have to admit the eye ring on the downward flight appears somewhat like Pacific-Slope. I apologize for the poor photos but it was taken through a window very early in the morning!
Steller's Jay's have been regular and this one posed on the 19th as I was finishing my walk:
On the 19th I was also very surprised to come across this immature Black-throated Gray Warbler. Certainly not a breeder at my place so maybe an early migrant?
I have regular Brown Creepers year round here as well, and I saw a bird clambering up a tree truck as a creeper would but was interested to see it was a Bewick's wren!
Today it was relatively quiet given the time of year but again I was not disappointed by birding my "patch". I came across this wren, which I initially assumed was simply a recently fledged Bewick's wren but it turned out to be a house wren. A new yard bird for me (#119). It seems it may be a young one due to the fleshy gape, but I'm not sure where they're breeding since I have not come across one on all my previous walks:
I had a red-eyed vireo singing later in the morning as well.
My list for the month is a modest 35 species, but given the quiet time of year I'll take it! I'm hoping for some migrants coming through in the coming weeks!
July list so far:
Black Swift
Anna's Hummingbird
Rufous Hummingbird
Great Blue Heron
Bald Eagle
Belted Kingfisher
Downy Woodpecker
Hairy Woodpecker
Pileated Woodpecker
Northern Flicker
Western Wood-Pewee
Willow Flycatcher
Pacific-slope Flycatcher
Steller's Jay
American Crow
Black-capped Chickadee
Violet-green Swallow
Barn Swallow
Bushtit
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Brown Creeper
House Wren
Bewick's Wren
European Starling
Swainson's Thrush
American Robin
House Finch
American Goldfinch
White-crowned Sparrow
Song Sparrow
Spotted Towhee
Common Yellowthroat
Black-throated Gray Warbler
Western Tanager
Black-headed Grosbeak