I'm still here!

You have read how I feed lots and lots of birds! We've seen Mourning Doves, Starlings, House Finches, Purple Finches, Scrub Jay, Rock Pigeon, House Sparrow, Humming Birds, Mocking Birds, Great Horn Owls and even Coopers Hawks! So, the other day I looked out my window and I said...."Gene, I think there is a hawk out side!"

Now I was a little sad that we feed the birds and here was a hawk that was looking for a quick meal! I figured all the birds had flown away. But as I watched, I noticed he was calking his head this way and that appearing to be listening.


He's listening on each side of the fence....then suddenly there was a quick jump down to the feeder below. As you can see there is a lot of cover from seeds that sprouted up from the dropped seed.



He's on the feeder listening. Apparently some little birds were down on the ground either hiding from him or not aware of him above them. Then he jumped down to the ground. I lost tract of him, but when he re-emerged he had a little sparrow in his claw!


Thanks for all you faithful readers! I'm still here and I hope you find your way back to me! I hope to have a great give a way soon! Keep reading!

I did a little research. He is a Cooper's Hawk and he did the hunting exactly as they say they do! Read about him here.

Birding!

Last Monday Gene and I went birding at the Laton Kingston Park.  It's a little park with access to the Kings River.  Because it is Spring and kids are in school, the water is low and it is fairly cold for water activities, the park was virtually empty.  Except the occasional lone guy that has rap music blaring and a shady look to him....but that is not important right now!   We saw some birds we have never seen before.

A little background....I have begun taking not of the little birds that come in my yard.  And some big ones!  If you read my blog you have probably read about the hawk that comes around and some of the other sitings. 

At this park there is a bridge and under the bridge are little mud nests belonging to these birds:

I believe them to be cliff swallows due to what I could identify.

There were many hawks

Which were flying high above.  Having only a limited lens these were the best photos I could muster.

I'm not exactly sure what kind of hawk it was but hopefully someone can give their opinion.


Then high in the trees we saw flashes of yellow and we think them to be yellow rumped warblers.

There was marking in the right spots.  Yellow under wings and blackish on top.  They were very high in the trees so it is hard to say exactly.

There was the occasional Western Scrub Jay.  This one appears to be robbing a crows nest.  There were Mocking Birds, Sparrows
 

But the most exciting was the Cedar Waxwings!  I have never seen such a beautiful bird in California. I know there are amazing birds in California but not in the usual back yard.  We heard and saw a slight rustling over on the edges of the park high in some trees.  When we looked through the binoculars we saw them! I wish I had a $5,000.00 lens but here are some of the better photos I could get

As you can see, it was a successful outing!  Who knew? I think I found a new hobby!  I hear there are bald eagles up in the Sierra here...really????

Oh the carnage! Right in my own front yard!

Carnage!

This morning while getting ready to go to the store to get a new drapery rod and some cookie ingredients, (but that is not important right now) Gene calls for me to "come and see this"......

I said, "what"....then I looked out side and saw this
We watched while he/she devoured a bird. We quietly crept outside and got a couple of photos, he/she didn't seem the least bit concerned.After about 20 minutes this was all that was left

From the remains, I'd say it was a mockingbird. I was trying to find out what kind of predator it was. From what I could figure it was a Cooper's Hawk. It was about the size of a crow and seems to fit the description. I'm no expert, so if anyone knows what it was, let me know.

If only I had my camera the other morning when I was startled about the ducks trying to fly away from under my patio, but that's not important right now!

Escaped!

So here I am posting from my iPad! I feel so tech savvy!

The other morning, while enjoying the delicious breakfast my husband made, I heard an unexpected sound. You see we feed LOTS and LOTS of birds. I'm pretty sure my neighbors don't like it, but that is not important right now!

As we were sitting on the patio I heard an unfamiliar bird call. You see I have identified mocking bird, scrub jay, house finch, starling, purple fiche, coopers hawk, rock pigeon, humming bird, owl and house sparrow but this was different. I said to Gene "that's not a normal bird"! We jumped up and looked around. Suddenly we saw him there above on the wires. He was a beautiful parakeet of some kind. I know the neighbors have an aviary in their back yard. I looked up and was a little sad to see him. I'm guessing he escaped from their yard. I hope he makes it. It gets pretty cold here in the winter. I take solace in the knowledge that my yard has the most amazing amount of bird seed in all of California! Maybe the world! Good luck little guy! My yard is always welcome!

I guess I wasn't so savvy, since I had to go to the computer to take off the extra photo! But...hey, I'm learning. Thanks to the new blogger app for the iphone, maybe I can post more!