The Change Of Seasons
…Brings new birds!
Yesterday, I was visiting my parents, and a strange bird landed in a back yard tree. It turned out to be a Townsend’s Solitaire. I saw the first one of these I had ever seen this past spring, but this time I was able to get some good pictures of the cute little guy. I love the little white rings around his eyes!
This morning, when I went outside to scatter some birdseed on the front lawn, I heard strange birds singing in the tree above my head. Before even looking, I went inside to get the camera. **I have learned that this is the best way to do it…if you look, and locate the birds, and they are something rare or unusual, the disappointment is MUCH greater when they fly away before you can take pictures if you know what they were.**
When I returned with my camera, I took this shot up into the tree where I could see them moving, just to see what they were.
That photo wasn’t great, but I could tell that they were Cedar Waxwings! I didn’t see them at all last winter, so I am glad to see that they are back in town! I did manage to get some fairly good pictures of them, though the light was wrong for perfection. Here they are, denuding a tree of juniper berries:
There were a few young Waxwings with them. The young ones look so awkward and mangy next to the sleek adults! Here is one next to an adult, and one in awkward flight:
This afternoon, I parted the curtains a crack to look out and see all the Juncos that my seed-spreading this morning had attracted, and there was a Spotted Towhee (another of our wintertime birds) amongst the Juncos (AKA ‘junkers’ around our house). He is not such a cooperative photographic subject. I only got a couple of decent photos of him.
I like it when new birds come through!
Hey Katie,
I never knew you were so into birds. I’m learning about them through your site!!! I’m getting ready to move to Costa Rica in a few days to run a jungle lodge, so whenever you guys want to come down please do, you got a free place to stay!!!!
This is a great bird report documented with beautiful photos. It’s super that you get cedar waxwings. They’re such lovely birds.
Even the birds love the season chanes
They are beautiful! The Cedar Waxwings are my favorite.
Eric! – Thanks for visiting my ‘blog! I would LOVE to go and visit Costa Rica. I actually book hotels, trips, and tours in CR as part of my job. It’s beautiful there!
Sonja (AKA ‘mom’) – I love all these fancy birds that stop by. I wish I had started paying attention to them years before I did!
Uncle Roger – It’s always great to hear from you! The birds do seem to love the seasons changing.
Dana – You should go find a tree or a bush that has berries on it, and sit and watch it for a while. That’s where they hang out. They love Pyracantha berries, apparently.
Thanks for commenting, everyone!
Katie,
Nice birdies. I remember sneaking around the Oak woodland in the hills of Livermore, Ca. seeking the Rufous-sided Towhee. I did eventually get some photos(remember film?). It was a thrill to finally figure out how to get close enough for a decent pic.
Is your tourist season over? Our’s is ramping up very fast. Eeek! actually had a semi-trafic jam last night!!! The sign of the great migration every year. We are still waiting for fall to visit. It is due this week sometime. Fingers crossed.
Stay healthy and Hi to your Mom,
Ed
I’m glad you have fun bird pics to post. I only ever see ravens and the occasional pigeon. I don’t have any trees in my neighborhood. There was a gigantic bird splot on my car window today. That’s about my only bird encounter lately.
We get a lot of different birds around here but never saw any like the beauties you seem to see. Then I was thinking…how do all those good looking unusual birds find their way to a spot in the desert that’s way out there? Didn’t take long for me to figure it out though…when you’re flyin’ high, you naturally have a bird’s eye view of the terrain down below and when you have a hammy type of bird flying around, they naturally flock to the better photographers for a personal bird layout. How else would they get their picture published all over the USA and Costa Rica.
Hi Katie,
I like the new look on your blog… very wintery! Thanks for sharing.
Peace, Love & Happiness
Magpie
Thanks for the great post! I am as always in awe of your bird-identification skills (and I enjoy all of the pictures too). Cheers!
Thanks for commenting, everyone!
Ed – Those towhees don’t really hold still for very long. They are beauties, though. I saw my first California towhee this year, too.
Janet – I am sure there are lots of birdies there, they may just be up higher, or in less accessible places. I saw an ash-throated flycatcher and a yellow warbler at the Crystal Inn in May while visiting you…
Uncle Doug – Ha ha ha. They ARE handsome birds, though…
Magpie – Good to hear from you! Thanks for the compliments on my ‘blog! I appreciate you stopping by!
Kiri – Thanks for stopping by! I am glad I can share these photos. In reality, since I have so little spare time, the birds must come to me for now. I can’t wait to be able to go seeking them out again!