Today's Backyard Wildlife

[DLJeffs]

My folks had a big box full. A couple years ago my mom and I went through them all using one of those slide viewers. Put together a time line of 90 slides and had them put on a cd. The time line went from my dad in Korea, through his graduation from college after, my brothers being born, then weddings, grandkids. Good one to preserve all the family history. Made one for my mom and each of my brothers and then pitched all the slides.

 

[Nature Man]

For some unknown reason we are seeing Roadrunners pretty frequently in our yard this year. I posted a pic previously of one, but I captured another pic I thought was interesting. Caught one on top of our wood pile. Chuck

 

[Gdurfey]

If a roadrunner could Chuck wood, how much wood would a ……nope, doesn’t sound tight. But I sure love those guys. Could it be I watched to many Looney Tunes as a kid?

 

[djg]

If a roadrunner could Chuck wood, how much wood would a ……nope, doesn’t sound tight. But I sure love those guys. Could it be I watched to many Looney Tunes as a kid?

In reference to Looney Tunes, I was going to say, we don't have any roadrunners around here, but we've got plenty of coyotes!

 

[Nature Man]

In reference to Looney Tunes, I was going to say, we don't have any roadrunners around here, but we've got plenty of coyotes!

Guess this Roadrunner is safe, then!

 

[DLJeffs]

There was a really colorful lesser goldfinch feeding on our Russian sage blossoms out back. I took my camera out and naturally they flew away. So I sat on a rock next to the spruce tree and waited, hoping he'd come back. That goldfinch didn't come back before I got called in for dinner but I did grab these few shots of other fairly common visitors.


Eurasian collared dove. We actually have a dove sitting on a nest again. It's the second time this summer. Not sure if it's the same pair or a different pair.








White-breasted nuthatch. First time I've gotten photos of a white-breasted. We more often see the red-breasted nuthatch. Hard to photograph because they rarely sit still.


Western scrub jay. This one was upset with a Stellar's jay that was in his juniper tree. I couldn't get a decent shot of the Stellars.








These are female lesser goldfinches. The male that drew me out there in the first place was more black and yellow.





The mountain chickadees are one of our most common and most trusting birds. I have one that will actually perch on the feeder while I'm still holding it in my hand. The last one still has some downy feathers so probably this year's hatchling.

 

[Nature Man]

There was a really colorful lesser goldfinch feeding on our Russian sage blossoms out back. I took my camera out and naturally they flew away. So I sat on a rock next to the spruce tree and waited, hoping he'd come back. That goldfinch didn't come back before I got called in for dinner but I did grab these few shots of other fairly common visitors.
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Eurasian collared dove. We actually have a dove sitting on a nest again. It's the second time this summer. Not sure if it's the same pair or a different pair.

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White-breasted nuthatch. First time I've gotten photos of a white-breasted. We more often see the red-breasted nuthatch.

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Western scrub jay. This one was upset with a Stellar's jay that was in his juniper tree. I couldn't get a decent shot of the Stellars.

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These are female lesser goldfinches. The male that drew me out there in the first place was more black and yellow.

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The mountain chickadees are one of our most common and most trusting birds. I have one that will actually perch on the feeder while I'm still holding it in my hand.

All good, but that Western Scrub Jay is a truly award-winning shot!

 

[SENC]

Eurasian collared dove

You need to get out there and shoot that b@st@rd. Lazy SOBs, they wait for other dove (mourning, ww) to make their nests then run them off so they can have them.

 

[Webb]

You need to get out there and shoot that b@st@rd. Lazy SOBs, they wait for other dove (mourning, ww) to make their nests then run them off so they can have them.

Then wrap the breast in bacon and grill it……

 

[SENC]

Then wrap the breast in bacon and grill it……

don't forget the jalapeño!

 

[DLJeffs]

You need to get out there and shoot that b@st@rd. Lazy SOBs, they wait for other dove (mourning, ww) to make their nests then run them off so they can have them.

Thanks for that, I didn't know they would commandeer other bird's nests. I laugh every time I watch all the other birds spook away from the feeder when a bigger bird or a hawk flies by. But the doves will just stand there, clueless, and then look around as if thinking "where'd everybody go?". It's no wonder 90% of the time when I find a pile of feathers in the yard, they're dove feathers.

 

[SENC]

Thanks for that, I didn't know they would commandeer other bird's nests. I laugh every time I watch all the other birds spook away from the feeder when a bigger bird or a hawk flies by. But the doves will just stand there, clueless, and then look around as if thinking "where'd everybody go?". It's no wonder 90% of the time when I find a pile of feathers in the yard, they're dove feathers.

Yes, those ring-necks are invasive. We love seeing them when dove hunting - no limit!