tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52447426667004670532024-03-13T11:06:39.143-07:00Laura Goes BirdingLaura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.comBlogger162125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-45724386779995909952023-05-12T09:43:00.000-07:002023-05-12T09:43:19.382-07:00Wow! Are these midwestern birds colorful!<p>It's been <a href="https://youtu.be/fC_q9KPczAg" target="_blank">one week</a> since I landed in Madison, and I've been busy in the bird world. Not too many photos, but here are some from my cousin's feeders.</p><p>Northern Cardinal, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and Baltimore Oriole.<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7XFQFYCS0yTR-JGnDjxcka3c1hVoxC2Uq0RpnowDy7AYGK-je4jyssDmNf2rxTxA_QLMv32pLjo8IZ6LBJGcHIyx_UUoN70L2pjQ5_M_j0HAVUXaUCcQb7lJFcgjU0VBTZEwGSYJEnVklkv5kRvco12WwB6AXZXmobmmLKyjcQuWQZ7IK65PcydVrQ/s2816/IMG_0273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="2816" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM7XFQFYCS0yTR-JGnDjxcka3c1hVoxC2Uq0RpnowDy7AYGK-je4jyssDmNf2rxTxA_QLMv32pLjo8IZ6LBJGcHIyx_UUoN70L2pjQ5_M_j0HAVUXaUCcQb7lJFcgjU0VBTZEwGSYJEnVklkv5kRvco12WwB6AXZXmobmmLKyjcQuWQZ7IK65PcydVrQ/w640-h360/IMG_0273.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAD0-FMk8g-X-UboA9K6nZ2QyqEM8KVSWErAWkm1LwZp3rC_xEDKEHyj_oS7b_nOS3Wawh4F9PdHCNZdHo0q_raoAdaUaOD1gUfjn81ATp56zDGW7ZXYLOXoIGuSZS0GqKjTTbTww_Shr_iEwGvOL87FtlkNhgdqd7EjTuPiED4FZxfmcPD9thDKf2g/s2816/IMG_0270.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="2816" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiAD0-FMk8g-X-UboA9K6nZ2QyqEM8KVSWErAWkm1LwZp3rC_xEDKEHyj_oS7b_nOS3Wawh4F9PdHCNZdHo0q_raoAdaUaOD1gUfjn81ATp56zDGW7ZXYLOXoIGuSZS0GqKjTTbTww_Shr_iEwGvOL87FtlkNhgdqd7EjTuPiED4FZxfmcPD9thDKf2g/w640-h360/IMG_0270.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR623vsW2Y0ETqgNnAggdq1yVl1Xr-81eF4TDOgKWJF7URQSpk97TOiZTp34zg8VinyMUHlup81dgIX4_koVHINXXeBcDWtYaKbHR42plJ1hs7ENv4HW8aPKvGR2ZwM9Kh75rMeLITSXocyMGQM5ybTwFTi7BWpYdttSM5kTPi7X0RnmBii7XtVgFImA/s2816/IMG_0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1584" data-original-width="2816" height="360" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR623vsW2Y0ETqgNnAggdq1yVl1Xr-81eF4TDOgKWJF7URQSpk97TOiZTp34zg8VinyMUHlup81dgIX4_koVHINXXeBcDWtYaKbHR42plJ1hs7ENv4HW8aPKvGR2ZwM9Kh75rMeLITSXocyMGQM5ybTwFTi7BWpYdttSM5kTPi7X0RnmBii7XtVgFImA/w640-h360/IMG_0243.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p>I attended a Warbler Walk through <a href="https://madisonaudubon.org/" target="_blank">Madison Audubon</a> and added several species to the ol life list (though I do need to confirm that when I finally unpack my checklist). Whether I've seen it before or not, the <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blackburnian_Warbler" target="_blank">Blackburnian Warbler</a> is a real stunner. No photos this time, or possibly ever, since warblers are tough to capture without a super long lens.</p><p>I also attended a birding by ear field trip and got to know the raspy call of the <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Blue-gray_Gnatcatcher" target="_blank">Blue-gray Gnatcatcher</a>. I thought it was a fledgling calling! </p><p>The birding community here is strong and active and I have loads of places to visit and get to know. And I'm learning what's common or unusual and what's totally absent. I was given last year's <a href="https://pheasantbranch.org/phenology/" target="_blank">Pheasant Branch Conservancy Phenology Calendar</a>, and it's helping me understand the natural flow here.</p><p>Thanks for reading, and leave a comment if you visited!</p>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-42508478255100346322023-04-27T13:35:00.002-07:002023-04-27T14:26:14.801-07:00Can you help a new Wisconsinite out?<p>I uprooted myself from Portland, my home of 37 years, to move across the country, be near family, and experience a new environment and region. This was absolutely the right choice, and it's giving me the chance to reinvent myself. But it meant leaving some things behind, basic stuff like towels, dish soap, sponges, a broom, toilet bowl brushes... </p><p>So I'm blatantly asking for your help! If you are able to choose something from my <a href="https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/DJJXBC1FKVZV?ref_=wl_share" target="_blank">Amazon Wish List </a>as a little house/apartment warming gift, I would be very grateful. There are home basics on the list as well as a few less basic things, so take your pick. It costs a lot to move, and then it costs more to build up the household again.</p><p>If you would rather send a gift of art, see my <a href="https://www.etsy.com/people/gcoqxcuf?ref=cl_share_button" target="_blank">Etsy Favorites List</a>. </p><p>Thanks for considering it, and if I can help you out sometime, let me know! And if you're ever coming through Madison, drop me a line and we'll go birding!</p><p><br /></p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtgekXpZiDgPwYccVvlSwJ00v9pXkWpXUl6oB_aylA9aqyU3jy7jaqurqbhgnGu__TMHlu01MxIMqDyhRdMX69U4yPY3dT-9MdLn1quw7UyaWSCqGzzuj1l3Sq7NguATa5hY4Lcda_r21G8bVs-ry-8DJMuMCF1II6wS6-Rhelyd8qqh_Pb4ymyh5rQ/s2208/20230306_125243.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2208" data-original-width="2208" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivtgekXpZiDgPwYccVvlSwJ00v9pXkWpXUl6oB_aylA9aqyU3jy7jaqurqbhgnGu__TMHlu01MxIMqDyhRdMX69U4yPY3dT-9MdLn1quw7UyaWSCqGzzuj1l3Sq7NguATa5hY4Lcda_r21G8bVs-ry-8DJMuMCF1II6wS6-Rhelyd8qqh_Pb4ymyh5rQ/w400-h400/20230306_125243.jpg" title="Buddy and I set out on the road" width="400" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Buddy and I set out on the road</td></tr></tbody></table><br /><p></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-58519133079236137932023-03-26T15:26:00.000-07:002023-03-26T15:26:02.822-07:00Wisconsin boundIn May 2023 I will be moving to Madison, Wisconsin. I'll be surrounded by new birdlife, new landscapes, new weather, and I couldn't be happier. We'll see what I think about the politics. I can always move over to Michigan...<div><br /></div><div>Anyway, I just might start up the blog again to chronicle what it's like to learn birds in a new region.</div><div><br /></div><div>We shall see!</div>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-37231983536275338622022-09-01T14:27:00.004-07:002022-09-27T16:23:15.458-07:00Bird quiz answers<p>The moment you've been patiently awaiting: answers to the challenging photos I posted last week. If you haven't seen the quiz yet, click <a href="http://www.laurawhittemore.com/2022/08/bird-quiz.html" target="_blank">here </a>to try your hand before you read today's answers.</p><p>And here we go!</p><p><br /></p><div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijC2nVbjwB09qe5J6um2X4fyVFwS1rt3hcSH_3jaP07PP0VvuNvyOKozK0TNczz7zpE5wUAKfj30nLsbRotZklG-h6HuKJRYiZKX5NLo-e4aAjxQtfMssLqrc41jMc0JFiZQKOlBfC7IgYH2sy1AvRuBdn1SgCRqYAzhQPjntioaePclpL8cryaRfINg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijC2nVbjwB09qe5J6um2X4fyVFwS1rt3hcSH_3jaP07PP0VvuNvyOKozK0TNczz7zpE5wUAKfj30nLsbRotZklG-h6HuKJRYiZKX5NLo-e4aAjxQtfMssLqrc41jMc0JFiZQKOlBfC7IgYH2sy1AvRuBdn1SgCRqYAzhQPjntioaePclpL8cryaRfINg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. January 2022, Arrowhead Marsh, Oakland, CA<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A duck in bad light. Woo hoo! It's compact, so likely a diving duck, and it appears all dark, so you might think female Bufflehead or Ruddy Duck. But the bill is not right for either: too big to be a Bufflehead and too small to be a Ruddy Duck's super ski-slope bill. So what other dark ducks are there? Well, if you're in an Oakland estuary in winter, e.g., Arrowhead Marsh, you might be seeing scoters.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">And that's in fact what this duck is: a female Surf Scoter, maybe an adult, maybe a first-year, I can't tell. From this other angle the bill definitely looks more scoter-like, and you get a hint of the white just dusting the base of the bill. Female Bufflehead's white cheek would be much brighter, and a male winter Ruddy's cheek patch would also be much easier to see, even in poor light. A female Ruddy's striped face might be difficult to see in this light, but still her bill would be a different shape. Check your field guide for comparison.</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCl8zmaaJnG8Hx1Xb2RqTy3XH82UGz3Np50KbRhA2Mf-J72woPqNvQ8Ch4RsWHdY4f8ZoT2GQM94iRa5Hoe1LTaW7pLbK_6u767CsWcRpoPVyGC0h3JPI3RS67CMOYAoj6EMZuUm4GZ6l3tRgM4VPvDUZ3L2QZc7g8UWMWWRakKhK-d8HmPbfRX1IOKQ/s4000/IMG_6805.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCl8zmaaJnG8Hx1Xb2RqTy3XH82UGz3Np50KbRhA2Mf-J72woPqNvQ8Ch4RsWHdY4f8ZoT2GQM94iRa5Hoe1LTaW7pLbK_6u767CsWcRpoPVyGC0h3JPI3RS67CMOYAoj6EMZuUm4GZ6l3tRgM4VPvDUZ3L2QZc7g8UWMWWRakKhK-d8HmPbfRX1IOKQ/w640-h480/IMG_6805.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1Pk6VzmfmFycIVcUoLlCs4ldTPsswf1GE9Ws_cia0pfRR0K7MtJAxkvWHLjks1yK9WdRtwEM2PkDhczTtMsYciUzC6vC8N3IqBIL4hOxH94MyZYqnl_Ns-T2TXVwrk77yDe_UuCScFe_Ba04qBmQyc9woK_fmIm1dUUb98FaFfhv5Ko021cT8qJE6YQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1Pk6VzmfmFycIVcUoLlCs4ldTPsswf1GE9Ws_cia0pfRR0K7MtJAxkvWHLjks1yK9WdRtwEM2PkDhczTtMsYciUzC6vC8N3IqBIL4hOxH94MyZYqnl_Ns-T2TXVwrk77yDe_UuCScFe_Ba04qBmQyc9woK_fmIm1dUUb98FaFfhv5Ko021cT8qJE6YQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2. January 2022, Berkeley, CA<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Not a ton of field marks to go on here, but there aren't a lot of birds that might perch on a monument up high. Pigeon? Maybe. Gray head, long body might fit. But the wingtip that extends past the tail wouldn't fit a pigeon, and even from this unusual angle the bird's posture looks more vertical than a pigeon's might be. It also looks slimmer than I'd expect a pigeon to be.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">As it turns out, it's not a pigeon but a pigeon's worst nightmare: a Peregrine Falcon. Now you can see the hooded appearance, dark back, and white belly that identify these both as Peregrines, even at a distance. These birds are Annie and Grinnell, a pair that nested on UC Berkeley's Campanile from 2016 to 2022. Grinnell died this year, but new male Alden quickly took his place and helped Annie fledge two chicks.</span></div></td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Aj99SDBYhsoMtRuEShlLDKTOQENVEF2EgTnVin1D2DrjAylgzrsnHC_DspJU723OrY-NOoI5oEsSWXDZkson_Uymxq0LU_LsaJQfSHDRwBLpJNNHMT16Obnbql2g5DQhYQLpUFw2PQoSuZjwxMctZWtnrtlkVitvXnm7axEcQAeD4-N7JngKhBdaiQ/s4000/IMG_6675.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Aj99SDBYhsoMtRuEShlLDKTOQENVEF2EgTnVin1D2DrjAylgzrsnHC_DspJU723OrY-NOoI5oEsSWXDZkson_Uymxq0LU_LsaJQfSHDRwBLpJNNHMT16Obnbql2g5DQhYQLpUFw2PQoSuZjwxMctZWtnrtlkVitvXnm7axEcQAeD4-N7JngKhBdaiQ/w640-h480/IMG_6675.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxlkftWv8QZPeQfhImmDa1E2idSfAPpy_iBuO_BupabGos1OXvNWX62gbwBT4MflBWU5i1WaYMNjsgtCpe2APDXWAWeqbZQcptfjjyy59fup0TwvuyMWoHxPmlxb0i1PxvI62uHSM-TpW2okj6OI53gx0FdEyEtXi6Qyf2zHpdA3XcGpPCHcWkZ2EtA/s4000/IMG_6959.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxlkftWv8QZPeQfhImmDa1E2idSfAPpy_iBuO_BupabGos1OXvNWX62gbwBT4MflBWU5i1WaYMNjsgtCpe2APDXWAWeqbZQcptfjjyy59fup0TwvuyMWoHxPmlxb0i1PxvI62uHSM-TpW2okj6OI53gx0FdEyEtXi6Qyf2zHpdA3XcGpPCHcWkZ2EtA/w640-h480/IMG_6959.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3. March 2022, Inverness, CA<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Brown bird on the ground in Northern California in late winter. By the habitat, season, location, plumage color and general body shape we might think Hermit Thrush or California Towhee or s</span><span style="font-size: large;">ome other kind of sparrow. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;">A Hermit Thrush would have a contrasting rusty tail, which this bird doesn't, so we can rule that out. A California Towhee's chest and belly are unmarked, its vent area is rusty, and its tail is longer, so cross that off. </span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Some other kind of sparrow, then? Its back is unmarked uniform grayish brown, unlike a Song Sparrow or many other winter sparrows, but it does have markings on its underside. Thus, you can go ahead and call this a Fox Sparrow, specifically the Sooty form found on the Pacific Coast. Now that it's turned around, its bicolored bill shows, as do the triangle-shaped chest marks that merge into a central breast spot (or blob).</span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwRY0yjEvu6mfv5Z1Yhr0Btj8PlSVtZM5Ck4us8i0m-0lffleSA5tgGsrz9t8NtBUySnPyAwIZTPncx3Yv3LycXFaUwe9ps5mz0YeJUFQMvGVJJJUKSLWeNn0cfqo2TdAVTIArulz0VWKr0WOsYkSsK-FZA34-nlnrosKxtEQWORcbHoIxdxQbx5psA/s4000/IMG_6976.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJwRY0yjEvu6mfv5Z1Yhr0Btj8PlSVtZM5Ck4us8i0m-0lffleSA5tgGsrz9t8NtBUySnPyAwIZTPncx3Yv3LycXFaUwe9ps5mz0YeJUFQMvGVJJJUKSLWeNn0cfqo2TdAVTIArulz0VWKr0WOsYkSsK-FZA34-nlnrosKxtEQWORcbHoIxdxQbx5psA/w640-h480/IMG_6976.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct0CuH68hpFFJr0TpMwY9ILdOCsI7LaoPtfS7kRklM4uiokutDTLLedSQisRdisoKbHgPvJYiwfmX7PnnWhMu11UQedSk6KgAKzTIdhwpCUAW077cb6MUSjMG34MxSgs80ddu-scEL_R_bSOeFzpv0hOWcLWDy1x2YHgyQTKEy5cZgp6Sdf81Uy_2yQ/s4000/IMG_7000.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct0CuH68hpFFJr0TpMwY9ILdOCsI7LaoPtfS7kRklM4uiokutDTLLedSQisRdisoKbHgPvJYiwfmX7PnnWhMu11UQedSk6KgAKzTIdhwpCUAW077cb6MUSjMG34MxSgs80ddu-scEL_R_bSOeFzpv0hOWcLWDy1x2YHgyQTKEy5cZgp6Sdf81Uy_2yQ/w640-h480/IMG_7000.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4. March 2022, Inverness, CA<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Black and white birds, not much of a tail, one shows a red cap and a light breast. Black, white, and red usually mean woodpecker, and that would be right. In California, the black and white woodpeckers are Downy, Hairy, <span style="text-align: center;">Nuttall's,</span> and Pileated. However, all but the Pileated have white checks or other patterning on the back or wings, not solid black. And these are too small to be Pileateds.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The only California woodpecker with solid black and white (no bars or spots) and a good amount of red on the top of the head, not the back, is the Acorn Woodpecker. In this photo you can see the clownlike face and light iris on the top bird, and the bottom bird shows its sharply pointed woodpecker bill. The top bird also shows the pointed tail feathers typical of woodpeckers. These birds sat and preened in the <span style="text-align: center;">light of </span>sunrise before flying off to start their day.</span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmXUNRHAnv0vdz8ae2-Af3I6fnRo3tISGijVCgMDAbR2uHKcluleoBvlHbmIhH8-7yxvQcLbnOc1kCHdOQ7IriT_pRz4LLwIkaPTzYtkkes-VD5muoQk7f5HUX4taB4YGXJFbSc-17KdeVANXHGSgfjF-8XF4uVRxqaBnssW4H-IV3OtPYVznVOyfJw/s4000/IMG_7014.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBmXUNRHAnv0vdz8ae2-Af3I6fnRo3tISGijVCgMDAbR2uHKcluleoBvlHbmIhH8-7yxvQcLbnOc1kCHdOQ7IriT_pRz4LLwIkaPTzYtkkes-VD5muoQk7f5HUX4taB4YGXJFbSc-17KdeVANXHGSgfjF-8XF4uVRxqaBnssW4H-IV3OtPYVznVOyfJw/w640-h480/IMG_7014.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ozC9ST1vt2JkYavAqw0Jc4Pdd-4u1yMjISyAiQjO71jn3lUReAleVHmL3yfjtz_iV3uoE18ptVGTb-rZAiHqwHkgPZLnNDXpOO9ge4NSu2knWAPWXfCSx-vlgri663pH2mp2pa3mDNgNCQuAfvHtja1uyq-jG2GaYoeoNFNqRMVAOe8d1it3X6zPg/s4000/IMG_6992.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ozC9ST1vt2JkYavAqw0Jc4Pdd-4u1yMjISyAiQjO71jn3lUReAleVHmL3yfjtz_iV3uoE18ptVGTb-rZAiHqwHkgPZLnNDXpOO9ge4NSu2knWAPWXfCSx-vlgri663pH2mp2pa3mDNgNCQuAfvHtja1uyq-jG2GaYoeoNFNqRMVAOe8d1it3X6zPg/w640-h480/IMG_6992.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5. March 2022, Inverness, CA<br /><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">The upright posture, no visible legs, and choice of perch should say bird of prey to you. Is it an owl with all that speckling? No, owls have big round heads, and this bird's head is not big enough. The bulky body indicates a buteo, the genus of soaring hawks like the Red-tailed Hawk. Red-tails are widespread and common, so let's apply the Red-tail test. Does it have a red tail? No. But young Red-tails don't have a red tail; their tails have alternating thin light and dark bands. Does it show light colored scapular (shoulder) feathers shaped vaguely like a V against darker back feathers? I don't see that field mark, so I don't think this is a Red-tailed Hawk.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">I also don't think this is an accipiter, the genus of Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks. Their tails are banded like this but are much longer relative to the body, and the body overall would be less bulky than this bird.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">This bird's tail shows alternating thin white and thick dark bands and is not very long. Its back is speckled, and its wings have a black and white checkerboard appearance. Those field marks add up to make it an adult Red-shouldered Hawk, sometimes called "the accipiter of the forest" because of its preference for trees and its very vocal nature, much like accipiters. This bird perched in the light of sunrise and preened several mornings in a row. It vocalized a lot then took off to pursue its day.</span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmnbcZEHrFg-YtefBBmmwuydFZ-gVnhSCB0r7epDDsVCMGgcxCPfFJAFE4w-llJq3jMpXL4EgAWLY67BKi4oiJasViNotByrRbbOEhLS-Xxbiy46FY0-SPkNpjiuwewWWTfLJk4scppO8-TCLi05eORnwcumhQtyLiql1Vy-930aevhxgdLMIRrEcAg/s4000/IMG_6989.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjmnbcZEHrFg-YtefBBmmwuydFZ-gVnhSCB0r7epDDsVCMGgcxCPfFJAFE4w-llJq3jMpXL4EgAWLY67BKi4oiJasViNotByrRbbOEhLS-Xxbiy46FY0-SPkNpjiuwewWWTfLJk4scppO8-TCLi05eORnwcumhQtyLiql1Vy-930aevhxgdLMIRrEcAg/w640-h480/IMG_6989.JPG" width="640" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcbaEsch_Rn3DMB8DWyM_8JQ7XQKYxJ3idImwF4piYStsoSdMuQrjoWpghOTCI1geOZ9m2qNKZM_3wO4kxYNkt_SvrqSNxsj14Bb45FAB31ndxSabPWbQSGXn8HowuIIvchx6soRvofqgtcdJjRozoIKVo6RbXg8y2yrDKmB1HsFVIp8zx3fRmPkknw/s4000/IMG_7260.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcbaEsch_Rn3DMB8DWyM_8JQ7XQKYxJ3idImwF4piYStsoSdMuQrjoWpghOTCI1geOZ9m2qNKZM_3wO4kxYNkt_SvrqSNxsj14Bb45FAB31ndxSabPWbQSGXn8HowuIIvchx6soRvofqgtcdJjRozoIKVo6RbXg8y2yrDKmB1HsFVIp8zx3fRmPkknw/w640-h480/IMG_7260.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6. May 2022, Tigard, OR<br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">Yellowish green songbird....goldfinch? No wing bars. Tanager? Same, no wing bars. Kinglet? It's all about the wing bars again. So that leaves...</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">A spring warbler! Yay! Here in the PNW we have only about a dozen warbler species to tackle, unlike the midwest and east with their three dozen. This bird showed up adjacent to my yard, and I first noticed it because of its voice. I took a ton of photos and loved that many of them showed just the tiniest hint of a field mark and would be great quiz photos.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So, no wing bars: that rules out a lot of warblers, like Yellow-rumped and Townsend's. Orange-crowned Warblers don't have wing bars and could be colored like this, but look at the bit of its head peeking out. It's gray. And I can see white around the eye. But there's a gray-headed form of the Orange-crowned Warbler with eye arcs and a light eyeline, isn't there? Yes, but from what I can tell from Sibley's, they are also much less yellow, so this bird's body color wouldn't fit. Plus, I don't see a light line through the eye, only the arc above it.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">How about a female MacGillivray's? Maybe, but the white above the eye looks like it might be continuous rather than broken...hard to tell, though. And honestly I don't have enough experience with MacGillivray's to point out any other big differences.</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: medium;">So that leaves us with a warbler, no wing bars, a gray head, and a (possibly) complete white eye ring. If you look really close you can also see the tiny reddish feathers on its crown, making this an adult male Nashville Warbler.</span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pAf3X3kRehM-m21QO0iemu33YSBxl5F0k6ud8dtaPrDMmNeshi-7zZ-Wh8JkTtqzFOomkNmCcWgiafK3SZv_Q-Clvpj5LUXnxc0mGa_M26fq8RS4d6NvB96tRABeFzzrJrG0caSLzQM0eStkizIuETDl957vkxLwegpBJJeU5EY3oqJv3G1orJngRQ/s4000/IMG_7233.JPG" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5pAf3X3kRehM-m21QO0iemu33YSBxl5F0k6ud8dtaPrDMmNeshi-7zZ-Wh8JkTtqzFOomkNmCcWgiafK3SZv_Q-Clvpj5LUXnxc0mGa_M26fq8RS4d6NvB96tRABeFzzrJrG0caSLzQM0eStkizIuETDl957vkxLwegpBJJeU5EY3oqJv3G1orJngRQ/w640-h480/IMG_7233.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr></tbody></table><p><span style="font-size: medium;">Tell us how you did in the comments!</span></p>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-88191033962600310182022-08-25T11:55:00.002-07:002022-08-25T13:53:38.404-07:00Bird quizI got a new to me camera earlier this year and immediately started photographing birds. Some shots turned out great, but of course there were plenty of questionable ones, too, so I'm putting the slightly more challenging ones here for you to test your skills on. I've disabled comments so everyone gets a fair shot at guessing.<div><br /></div><div>Look for any visible field marks, including bill shape and body shape, and pay attention to where it is, what it's doing. Consider the lighting and don't assume coloration based on oddly lit photos.<br /><div><br /></div><div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijC2nVbjwB09qe5J6um2X4fyVFwS1rt3hcSH_3jaP07PP0VvuNvyOKozK0TNczz7zpE5wUAKfj30nLsbRotZklG-h6HuKJRYiZKX5NLo-e4aAjxQtfMssLqrc41jMc0JFiZQKOlBfC7IgYH2sy1AvRuBdn1SgCRqYAzhQPjntioaePclpL8cryaRfINg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEijC2nVbjwB09qe5J6um2X4fyVFwS1rt3hcSH_3jaP07PP0VvuNvyOKozK0TNczz7zpE5wUAKfj30nLsbRotZklG-h6HuKJRYiZKX5NLo-e4aAjxQtfMssLqrc41jMc0JFiZQKOlBfC7IgYH2sy1AvRuBdn1SgCRqYAzhQPjntioaePclpL8cryaRfINg=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1. January 2022, Arrowhead Marsh, Oakland, CA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1Pk6VzmfmFycIVcUoLlCs4ldTPsswf1GE9Ws_cia0pfRR0K7MtJAxkvWHLjks1yK9WdRtwEM2PkDhczTtMsYciUzC6vC8N3IqBIL4hOxH94MyZYqnl_Ns-T2TXVwrk77yDe_UuCScFe_Ba04qBmQyc9woK_fmIm1dUUb98FaFfhv5Ko021cT8qJE6YQ" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1Pk6VzmfmFycIVcUoLlCs4ldTPsswf1GE9Ws_cia0pfRR0K7MtJAxkvWHLjks1yK9WdRtwEM2PkDhczTtMsYciUzC6vC8N3IqBIL4hOxH94MyZYqnl_Ns-T2TXVwrk77yDe_UuCScFe_Ba04qBmQyc9woK_fmIm1dUUb98FaFfhv5Ko021cT8qJE6YQ=w640-h480" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">2. January 2022, Berkeley, CA</td></tr></tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxlkftWv8QZPeQfhImmDa1E2idSfAPpy_iBuO_BupabGos1OXvNWX62gbwBT4MflBWU5i1WaYMNjsgtCpe2APDXWAWeqbZQcptfjjyy59fup0TwvuyMWoHxPmlxb0i1PxvI62uHSM-TpW2okj6OI53gx0FdEyEtXi6Qyf2zHpdA3XcGpPCHcWkZ2EtA/s4000/IMG_6959.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipxlkftWv8QZPeQfhImmDa1E2idSfAPpy_iBuO_BupabGos1OXvNWX62gbwBT4MflBWU5i1WaYMNjsgtCpe2APDXWAWeqbZQcptfjjyy59fup0TwvuyMWoHxPmlxb0i1PxvI62uHSM-TpW2okj6OI53gx0FdEyEtXi6Qyf2zHpdA3XcGpPCHcWkZ2EtA/w640-h480/IMG_6959.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">3. March 2022, Inverness, CA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct0CuH68hpFFJr0TpMwY9ILdOCsI7LaoPtfS7kRklM4uiokutDTLLedSQisRdisoKbHgPvJYiwfmX7PnnWhMu11UQedSk6KgAKzTIdhwpCUAW077cb6MUSjMG34MxSgs80ddu-scEL_R_bSOeFzpv0hOWcLWDy1x2YHgyQTKEy5cZgp6Sdf81Uy_2yQ/s4000/IMG_7000.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhct0CuH68hpFFJr0TpMwY9ILdOCsI7LaoPtfS7kRklM4uiokutDTLLedSQisRdisoKbHgPvJYiwfmX7PnnWhMu11UQedSk6KgAKzTIdhwpCUAW077cb6MUSjMG34MxSgs80ddu-scEL_R_bSOeFzpv0hOWcLWDy1x2YHgyQTKEy5cZgp6Sdf81Uy_2yQ/w640-h480/IMG_7000.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">4. March 2022, Inverness, CA<br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ozC9ST1vt2JkYavAqw0Jc4Pdd-4u1yMjISyAiQjO71jn3lUReAleVHmL3yfjtz_iV3uoE18ptVGTb-rZAiHqwHkgPZLnNDXpOO9ge4NSu2knWAPWXfCSx-vlgri663pH2mp2pa3mDNgNCQuAfvHtja1uyq-jG2GaYoeoNFNqRMVAOe8d1it3X6zPg/s4000/IMG_6992.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4ozC9ST1vt2JkYavAqw0Jc4Pdd-4u1yMjISyAiQjO71jn3lUReAleVHmL3yfjtz_iV3uoE18ptVGTb-rZAiHqwHkgPZLnNDXpOO9ge4NSu2knWAPWXfCSx-vlgri663pH2mp2pa3mDNgNCQuAfvHtja1uyq-jG2GaYoeoNFNqRMVAOe8d1it3X6zPg/w640-h480/IMG_6992.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">5. March 2022, Inverness, CA<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcbaEsch_Rn3DMB8DWyM_8JQ7XQKYxJ3idImwF4piYStsoSdMuQrjoWpghOTCI1geOZ9m2qNKZM_3wO4kxYNkt_SvrqSNxsj14Bb45FAB31ndxSabPWbQSGXn8HowuIIvchx6soRvofqgtcdJjRozoIKVo6RbXg8y2yrDKmB1HsFVIp8zx3fRmPkknw/s4000/IMG_7260.JPG" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFcbaEsch_Rn3DMB8DWyM_8JQ7XQKYxJ3idImwF4piYStsoSdMuQrjoWpghOTCI1geOZ9m2qNKZM_3wO4kxYNkt_SvrqSNxsj14Bb45FAB31ndxSabPWbQSGXn8HowuIIvchx6soRvofqgtcdJjRozoIKVo6RbXg8y2yrDKmB1HsFVIp8zx3fRmPkknw/w640-h480/IMG_7260.JPG" width="640" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">6. May 2022, Tigard, OR<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>I'll post answers and better photos in a week or so. In the meantime, enjoy!</div>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-47586433680788917542022-08-24T16:51:00.002-07:002022-08-25T13:53:52.611-07:00Fall and Winter Classes 2022<p>Check the Take a Class with Me page to see the latest updates on my classes and field trips.</p><p>Hope to see you out there!</p>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-53255450997166451392022-02-16T10:52:00.001-08:002022-02-16T10:52:10.723-08:00It's going to be a busy birdy spring!<p>I'm pleased to announce that I'm returning to offering in-person birding by ear classes through several Portland-area organizations. Sign up today as they will fill fast! Still offering Zoom courses too, which don't have the same attendance limits.</p><p>I hope to see you online or in the field!</p><p><a href="https://www.treesongnatureawareness.org/adult-programs" target="_blank">TreeSong Nature Awareness and Retreat Center</a></p><p><a href="https://audubonportland.org/our-work/learn/adult-programs/classes/" target="_blank">Portland Audubon</a> (Choose Field Classes, or Waitlisted In-Person Field Classes if they've filled)</p><p><a href="https://www.hoytarboretum.org/learn/classes/" target="_blank">Hoyt Arboretum</a></p><p><a href="http://www.thprd.org/activities/keywords/birding/asc" target="_blank">Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec</a></p>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-18419006823157958552019-10-10T12:33:00.001-07:002019-10-10T13:37:54.385-07:00Do you hear that song? Golden-crowneds are back!<div class="MsoNormal">
The more seasons you’ve been birding, the more you know what
changes to expect with each one. Many Northwest birders eagerly anticipate the
fall arrival of golden-crowned sparrows, and I am definitely in that camp. Others
enjoy seeking out shorebird or raptor migration hot spots, which I’ve enjoyed
as well. But the golden-crowned is so accommodating it comes right to your
backyard, no travel required.<o:p></o:p></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GY1_HJCkvjY/XZ-DPxd_pmI/AAAAAAAA1ME/mZh9Cdy4XZAyHpGlesIQxExgrDtyyLC-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s1600/GCSP.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="1200" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GY1_HJCkvjY/XZ-DPxd_pmI/AAAAAAAA1ME/mZh9Cdy4XZAyHpGlesIQxExgrDtyyLC-QCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/GCSP.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Brown nonbreeding plumage. Photo by Greg Gillson</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I usually <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Golden-crowned_Sparrow/sounds" target="_blank">hear</a> my first fall golden-crowned—<i>oh dear me</i>—singing from the fading
blackberries. Like many sparrows, they’re not showy, they’re kinda brown, and
they’re even more brown in the nonbreeding season, but their voice is always distinctive
and evocative. <i>Oh dear me, I'm so tired</i> the bird
sings in a somewhat wistful, descending, three-note phrase, sometimes with a bit of a flourish. It’s one mnemonic
that’s easy to remember and not often confused with other bird voices,
especially at this time of year in the Willamette Valley. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.8px;">Sexy breeding plumage complete with golden crown. <br />
Photo by Greg Gillson</td></tr>
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I’ve never been to their northern breeding grounds in Alaska
and British Columbia. How those songs must fill the air when the males are full
of testosterone and the urge to mate. Are their breeding-ground songs different
from the winter wistful songs I know so well? They are certainly more frequent! Most songbirds quit singing once
nesting season is through, or at least they slow down a lot. On sunny winter
days, song sparrows and house finches will get their groove on, but for the
most part what we hear on the land are calls, shorter, simpler sounds made by flock
members, between pairs, or in alarm when that Cooper’s hawk is near.<o:p></o:p></div>
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So when the first mournful song of the golden-crowned
catches my ear, I smile. They may just sing for a few weeks then quiet down for
the season, but that sound officially marks the start of fall for me. I’ll
watch for them and other wintering sparrows like fox, Lincoln’s, and white-throated
when I visit hedgerows, blackberry borders, wetlands, pretty much everywhere
except deep forest. And since they’re in my yard, I’ll toss some millet out and
“forget” to rake up leaves so they’ve got some good scratching spots. I’ll reacquaint
myself with their quieter calls, and once spring rolls around they’ll start up
with <i>oh dear me</i> again before leaving the
valley for parts north. Good luck, little sparrows! That’s a helluva journey.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br />Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-78093877583179490842015-11-14T13:57:00.003-08:002015-11-14T13:57:56.356-08:00The waxwings of fallFall in the Pacific Northwest is a bit of a limbo time for birding. Ducks are between plumages and are mostly brown, migrants like flycatchers and warblers and tanagers are on their way south, and osprey and cliff swallow nests sit empty. Shorebirds are coming through, and they can be fun and challenging (she said diplomatically), but frankly, fall is a bit of a letdown for me after all the excitement of spring and early summer.<br />
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Until the waxwings show up.<br />
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My mom had a Golden guide to birds in the map slot of her '72 Datsun, and if I was bored, I'd thumb through it. The birds that caught my eye were the showy ones like wood duck and painted bunting, but the waxwing, for all its brown tones, was pretty showy, too. Lemon-yellow tipped tail, cherry-red wing-feather tips? And a black mask? Neat.<br />
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I don't remember when I saw my first live-and-in-person cedar waxwing, but over the years it's become a bird I expect to see in the deciduous or riparian habitats of Oregon and California, where I've done most of my birding. <a href="http://laurawhittemore.blogspot.com/2009/07/where-bird-hides-its-nest.html" target="_blank">I even stumbled upon a nest of waxwings </a>so big they were due to fledge any minute (the post's video no longer works, sorry about that...it's a bit old, I guess).<br />
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Fall is a great time to find waxwings because they gather in large, noisy flocks (often with robins) to feast on the fruit adorning many trees and shrubs in the greater Portland area, both ornamentals and natives. A friend of mine has two Golden Raindrops crab apple trees, and each year dozens of waxwings and robins show up to strip the tasty fruit from the tree.<br />
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The flocks I saw earlier in the fall were mostly juvenile birds with one or two adults mixed in. They are easy to tell apart from the sleek adults: the crest isn't grown in, the mask isn't complete, and the chest shows dark streaks. The tail is dipped in yellow, but the red hasn't appeared on the wingtips yet.<br />
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I must admit I began this post over a month ago but never finished it. Soon the waxwings weren't as plentiful, and I thought my post was now out of date.<br />
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Last week I visited the Bob's Red Mill store in Milwaukie with a friend, and we both noticed how the ornamental trees there were heavily laden with red berries and remarked that the waxwings obviously hadn't found this patch yet.<br />
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I was back there today and, as you might have guessed, they've found it. Big time. Waxwings and robins are swarming all around the area, from the trees at Bob's to others in nearby office parks.<br />
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Another waxwing, the Bohemian, occurs in North America, but it prefers higher latitudes, breeding through Alaska and Canada and barely entering the lower 48 near the Canadian border in winter. They occur irregularly in Oregon in the Wallowas and the Blue Mountains, I believe during only the coldest of winters. That one is not on my life list yet. It resembles the more common cedar waxwing, but it's a bulkier bird and has red, yellow, and white in the wings. Several years ago during a heavy snow, one did show up with a flock of cedars. Luckily they landed in the northeast Portland backyard of an accomplished birder, so there was no question about its identity. That snow day was a lucky one for Patty!<br />
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So when you're out and about birding, don't forget to listen for the ZeeeZeeeZeee high-pitched trills of the waxwings. They're still out there feasting away!<br />
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Thanks to Jen Sanford and Greg Gillson for allowing me use their most excellent photos.<br />
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<br />Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-14878762478043068412015-01-06T17:55:00.002-08:002015-01-07T15:34:30.409-08:00Little Green BirdsRecently, I received an email from a birder asking for bird identification help. In November on the Oregon coast, he'd photographed what he believed to be a Pacific-slope Flycatcher, but wanted confirmation. He'd included two very clear photos of a greenish grayish yellow (or yellowish greenish gray) bird with two light wing bars, a pointy beak, and a whitish teardrop eye ring. Certainly could be a flycatcher!<br />
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Here is a photo of a Pacific-slope Flycatcher (this is not the photo he sent):<br />
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The field marks are all there...greenish grayish yellow (or yellowish greenish gray!), pointy beak, one of two wing bars visible, whitish teardop eye ring.<br />
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Now here are the photos he sent:<br />
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It was not a flycatcher he had photographed! It was a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, a maddeningly similar bird in looks, but vastly different in seasonality and behavior.<br />
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First of all, by November most of our flycatchers have left North America in favor of Central and South American forests. The kinglet, however, is a year-round resident and is commonly found at low elevations in fall and winter.<br />
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But even if a flycatcher did stick around past its usual departure date, it wouldn't behave like the perpetually bouncy kinglet. The stoic flycatcher sits still as it waits for a flying insect to come near, then darts off its perch to catch the bug, returning to the same or a nearby perch. The frenetic kinglet, on the other hand, gleans tiny insects and insect eggs from bark, the base of leaves, or in between needles, often hovering for a moment as it hunts. Frequently flicking its wings, it works the foliage of one bush then moves on to the next. No sitting still for this guy!<br />
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And though their plumage at first looks similar, the birds are different sizes (a wee kinglet is a mere 4 inches long!), and the kinglet's beak is tweezer-like compared to the flycatcher's more flattened beak (think about hunting style--would you try to catch a flying insect with tweezers or tongs?). In addition, the flycatcher's head has a slight peak to it, and the male kinglet sports its namesake: a secret ruby-red patch on its crown that it can reveal at will.<br />
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The next time you're faced with a little green bird, remember to think about not only what it looks like, but what it's doing and what time of year it is. Behavior and seasonality are often the key to identification of similar species, though of course the birds don't always stick to those "rules."<br />
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Soon enough these two will switch places and we'll be tearing our hair out over the oh-so-similar species of flycatcher hunting in our summer lowlands, while the kinglets will be nesting high up in the Cascades. Enjoy our winter birds!<br />
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<br />Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-66359883846629158342014-11-10T22:06:00.002-08:002014-11-10T22:21:13.652-08:00Northern ShrikeFirst Northern Shrike of the season showed up for me at Jackson Bottom Wetlands in Hillsboro this past Sunday. It was perched high in a tree and at first gave the impression of Scrub Jay. My beginner birder group had been wrestling with Scrub Jays all morning--just when they thought they'd really nailed the Jay, one would pose at a new angle and look totally different from the last one. They eyed this new tree topper with a wary hope--could it be something other than a Jay?<br />
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Their attention paid off. They noticed the tail and bill were shorter, sky blue had been replaced by gray, and a striking black mask tied the whole outfit together. What a dapper bird! This predatory songbird is a winter visitor to the Lower 48, spending the breeding season much farther north on the taiga. It hunts small mammals, birds, and insects, impaling them on thorns or barbed wire in a gruesome larder. It also goes by the name Butcher Bird, an apt description of its predatory nature.<br />
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Our Butcher Bird posed long enough for all fourteen participants to get a view through the scope before it <span style="text-align: center;">escaped from view as we patted each other's backs, likely on the trail of a tasty meal.</span><br />
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The take away? Don't dismiss it as "just a Jay," because this time of year it might be a Northern Shrike!<br />
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Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-16540878036128766672014-04-11T12:26:00.003-07:002014-09-27T20:14:16.074-07:00Birding by Ear<br />
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I doubt I have to convince many of you that paying attention to bird voices enhances your overall birding experience. Listening to birds and learning their songs does several things for you: it increases your awareness of birds and the diversity of sounds they make, and gives you a better understanding of their world and how they interact with it. Best of all, it impresses the heck out of your friends. Friends who already think you're a little too birdnerdy (but birds are so hip right now!) will be utterly convinced of this once you interrupt a conversation with, "Hey, I think I just heard a common nighthawk *peent* overhead!" (This happened to me in southeast Portland, not an everyday bird in those parts.)<br />
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But inside they're jealous, completely green with envy, and secretly covet your seemingly omniscient ability.<br />
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They think, "How can I get that superpower?"<br />
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Truly, it's simple. I say that <i>now</i>, after being at it for more than twenty years, but I'm pretty sure it's still simple.<br />
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First of all, you must be patient with yourself. You did not learn to walk, talk, do calculus, or write a book as soon as the urge hit you. You tried, failed, tried again, practiced, practiced, practiced, and here you are: living proof that those things and more can be achieved with time, patience, and practice.<br />
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Second of all, do you have ears? If yes, then use them! How did I learn birdsong? Oh yeah, it was that one app they had back in the late '80s called Being Outside. I kid, but really it was being outside for extended periods of time, listening to songs then tracking down the singer, that gave me a leg up. If you have just thirty minutes a day to listen, you can gets lots of practice time in.<br />
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OK, so now you're feeling all gooey and warm and fuzzy about all the things listening to birds can do for you and how with just thirty minutes to an hour a day you can easily devote your entire spring to mastering the art of birding by ear. Yes, I Can! And I encourage you to dive right in! <br />
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Open your ears and practice. Every time you walk to the car, the store, the mailbox, you should picture your ears as giant deer ears, rotating and gathering sound from all points. Start to filter out the cars, the planes, the barking dog, and mentally turn your ears toward that tree that always has birds in it, or to your feeder that the finches always go to. Chances are those birds are chatting about something and you can listen in. Find them, look at them, watch them sing. The pursuit of the singer helps cement the song in your mind. <br />
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Reinforce with recordings. We are lucky to have so many recordings at our fingertips, whether on a CD, online at Cornell's web site, or right in the palm of our hand in a birding app like iBird or Sibley. Reading about the song, looking at a photo of the bird while listening to it sing, taking quizzes on songs are all good tools for reinforcement. Does that make the learning process any easier or faster? It certainly helps. I treasure my recordings and still pop a CD into the player to keep on learning. That being said, no amount of tech can substitute for yes, that's right, you guessed it...Being Outside. <br />
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Take a class or go on a <a href="http://audubonportland.org/trips-classes-camps/adult/walks" target="_blank">guided birdwalk</a>. If you have someone right there who's telling you what you're listening to, the learning curve is suddenly not so treacherous. I teach three versions of <a href="http://audubonportland.org/trips-classes-camps/adult/classes/bbe2014" target="_blank">Birding By Ear</a> every spring. The Resident Birds class starts tonight, Migrant Birds starts in May, and Nesting Birds starts in June. Good for me, bad for you: all sessions are full. But if you're in the Portland area do check out the spring morning birdsong walks, linked above. On more generic birdwalks, most leaders have at least some familiarity with local bird sounds and are happy to point them out. And there may be other participants who really know their sounds and can help you out.<br />
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Birding can be a social pursuit or a solitary one. If you start out in a group, learning from a teacher and each other, you should also strike out on your own to test your listening skills when not distracted by people noises. Likewise solitary birders might pick up tips from a group. Birds are more likely to settle down and accept your presence when you are alone, and you might finally track down that one singer that's been driving you nuts. I encourage you to slow down, sit down, and listen. The birds will be singing for you all spring!<br />
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<br />Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-32884685552420037142014-03-07T18:43:00.000-08:002014-11-22T18:28:43.345-08:00Flashback Friday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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When I introduce myself to a new session of beginning birders, I refer to the summer of 1987 as "the summer that changed my life." I was attending Lewis & Clark College, majoring in biology, and had mostly been interested in studying whales prior to arriving in Portland and finding that maybe that wasn't the best use of my time at a liberal arts college not located next to the ocean. One of my bio profs told us about summer internships available at California's Point Reyes Bird Observatory (now known as Point Blue) just north of San Francisco. Sure, I knew that place! I grew up in Berkeley, about an hour south, and had spent lots of time at Point Reyes as a child. I applied, and for some reason they accepted me, even though I could barely tell a sparrow from an eagle.<br />
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I had two jobs during my stay at the <a href="http://www.pointblue.org/our-science-and-services/where-we-work/palomarin-field-station/" target="_blank">Palomarin Field Station.</a> One was to run the mist-net system spread over several acres of oak trees, grasses, and coyote brush. We hoisted the 14 nearly invisible mist nets like a ship's sails every morning, checked on them every 30 minutes, untangled caught birds and brought them back to the lab for weighing, measuring, and most importantly, leg banding. The final step was to clasp a numbered metal ring around the bird's leg (left or right, I can't recall). This way, if the bird was recaptured, its trail could be followed through its unique band number. Same if the bird was found dead. All the North American banding data is stored at the Bird Banding Lab at the <a href="https://www.pwrc.usgs.gov/bbl/bblretrv/index.cfm" target="_blank">USGS Patuxent Wildlife Research Center</a> in Maryland. If you find a band, you can report it online and find out the bird's history. Why is this important information? Banding data helps us understand migration patterns and timing, distribution and success of breeding birds, as well as how long birds can live. The oldest known Laysan Albatross, <a href="http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/animals/stories/at-63-years-old-wisdom-the-laysan-albatross-hatches-another-chick" target="_blank">Wisdom</a>, was banded as an adult 63 years ago!<br />
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My other job was to survey Grid 2, the area pictured above. The bird observatory has run a breeding bird survey program here, and on three other grids, since 1966, and has amassed an extraordinary amount of information on breeding birds of the area. Every morning I traversed the grid, which was thick with dense coyote brush and chaparral, watched for target species singing from perches, and mapped their color bands and location. Any time a target species, like a Song Sparrow, was mist-netted, it was given a unique color band sequence so we could ID it as an individual. Thus, my birds had "names" like MRG/S meaning on its left leg was a Mauve, a Red and a Green plastic band and on its right was a silver metal band. The map pictured is the result of my logging the singing perches of individual male Song Sparrows as they patrolled their patch, defending it from rivals. G2-1 belongs to MRG/S while G2-11 belongs to S/YYO. Think about this the next time you're walking through Song Sparrow territory, and realize how close they come to each other, and even overlap. <br />
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And finally, here is yours truly at the tender age of 19 holding her first Sharp-shinned Hawk. Mist-netting wasn't always about small birds--we got this guy, a juvenile Saw-whet Owl, and even a bat. Banding birds gives you a tremendous appreciation for the variation in birds' personalities. Some were shy, some were downright badass, and most were smaller than my fist. </div>
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Before the summer of 1987, I couldn't tell you what a Song Sparrow or Wrentit sounded like, but suddenly it was my job to track them by their songs! I saw and handled many birds that summer, found a Wrentit nest on my birthday, learned all those birdsongs by heart, and learned a ton about communal dorm living. I returned to college, hung out with birders who knew far more than I did, and finally set aside my dream of studying whales in favor of these far more accessible birds. If you ever get a chance to band birds or watch it being done, DO IT! There is no place like Palomarin in Oregon, but California is just down the road--check it out this summer when the Wrentits are be-bopping away and the White-crowned Sparrow's song echoes through the fog. </div>
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<br />Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-73159497181122655722014-02-28T16:56:00.002-08:002014-02-28T18:14:51.358-08:00Laura Still Goes BirdingMy last post was December 20, 2010. I created this blog in 2007 as a way to show my photos from Antarctica, but once those were finished it became a way to share my birding trips in the northern hemisphere. Not that this was an original idea by any means, but my friends and family enjoyed it and I could toss out a few birding tips, too.<br />
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Then I met my Birding Associate. We began birding together and I blogged about our trips around the state. But eventually I felt like the blog had become a log of my romance, not of my birding. I slowed on taking photos, I didn't feel inspired, I just wanted to read blogs that weren't mine that had way better photos.<br />
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So I stopped. And got a dog. And got married. And got another dog. And quit my day job to become a copy editor, Yes, I really did.<br />
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My blogger friends have continued taking photos, posting, updating, and occasionally razzing me about my lack of posts. I even ran into one of my "fans" at a local refuge who asked me when I'd be posting again! So I am taking a shot at re-entering the blog world, to see if I can offer something unique, to reconnect with the virtual world, and to tap my creative side.<br />
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I hope you'll welcome me back! If you have any suggestions for blog posts I'd love to hear them. With my expanded class offerings at Audubon, I thought I could tie blogging and teaching somehow but I'm not sure how yet...but it'll happen!Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-82200103551916901292010-12-20T20:41:00.000-08:002010-12-20T20:59:43.456-08:00Random BirdsI haven't posted in many months, partly because I haven't had what I'd call a blogworthy adventure and partly because my photos are just so abysmal. I've been reading two blogs by birders who have really big lenses and a lot of luck....it's enough to give a girl a complex! But this heron at Ridgefield NWR yesterday gave me a good show - stared and stared at the potential vole meal in the grasses then BANG! went for it. Missed....and casually walked away, on to the next spot where perhaps the voles had not yet caught on.<br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwjc76MdI/AAAAAAAACWc/iyMocNrvGdA/s1600/IMG_1762.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwjc76MdI/AAAAAAAACWc/iyMocNrvGdA/s400/IMG_1762.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552991726168846802" border="0" /></a><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwjiUld6I/AAAAAAAACWk/CVXnVypDpbw/s1600/IMG_1763.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwjiUld6I/AAAAAAAACWk/CVXnVypDpbw/s400/IMG_1763.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552991727614523298" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwkNkdrkI/AAAAAAAACWs/mya6TIVpfP4/s1600/IMG_1764.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwkNkdrkI/AAAAAAAACWs/mya6TIVpfP4/s400/IMG_1764.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552991739223846466" border="0" /></a><br />I like the Red-tail below because it emulates <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRKVXG3DV-I">Monty Python's Flying Circus</a> but with a hawk. Dark head, light chest, dark belly band and lighter below. <br /><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwkjjXt8I/AAAAAAAACW0/G2dKR-RGJwA/s1600/IMG_1765.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwkjjXt8I/AAAAAAAACW0/G2dKR-RGJwA/s400/IMG_1765.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552991745124841410" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, here is a nifty new bird, a Red-breasted Sapsucker, that glided into the yard, clung to the chimney and had a look around. Took off for parts unknown and, to my knowledge, has not been back. Wish it had come back for the November yard list contest! Maybe I would have had a fighting chance!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwi-q5GFI/AAAAAAAACWU/wLPq22QEUTE/s1600/IMG_1561.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TRAwi-q5GFI/AAAAAAAACWU/wLPq22QEUTE/s400/IMG_1561.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552991718044407890" border="0" /></a>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-21951242495384189772010-07-12T12:20:00.000-07:002010-07-12T13:08:44.412-07:00Central Oregon Part 3After a nice quiet night at the Cabin Lake campground we spent another few hours at the blinds photographing the birdlife. I had hoped a Lewis's woodpecker would show up but no such luck. Oh well, there's always next time!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDttCyGcoKI/AAAAAAAACUc/fVR0YWEiv5g/s1600/DSCN8740.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDttCyGcoKI/AAAAAAAACUc/fVR0YWEiv5g/s400/DSCN8740.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493104065084432546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDttCXDKQUI/AAAAAAAACUU/81gfaefg6FA/s1600/DSCN8724.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDttCXDKQUI/AAAAAAAACUU/81gfaefg6FA/s400/DSCN8724.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493104057822888258" border="0" /></a><br />By this time my camera battery had expired and I did not have a spare. My Birding Associate was kind enough to take over photography duties so the rest of these are by him.<br /><br />Fort Rock was our next destination....it's right down the road from Cabin Lake. It looks like a giant volcanic fallen souffle out in the middle of an ancient lake bed.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDttDU43d9I/AAAAAAAACUk/kHkX1fTuf-s/s1600/IMG_0923.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDttDU43d9I/AAAAAAAACUk/kHkX1fTuf-s/s400/IMG_0923.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493104074422712274" border="0" /></a><br />You can hike in and all around the area. Be warned.....it's like a souffle on the outside but like a hot wok on the inside....take plenty of water and sunscreen!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrkHXYRjI/AAAAAAAACTc/AoyKxd5nKwA/s1600/DSCN8762.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrkHXYRjI/AAAAAAAACTc/AoyKxd5nKwA/s400/DSCN8762.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493102438705022514" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrjVOmD3I/AAAAAAAACTU/AIU3Y1vX5Gc/s1600/DSCN8760.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrjVOmD3I/AAAAAAAACTU/AIU3Y1vX5Gc/s400/DSCN8760.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493102425246404466" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrkag1FJI/AAAAAAAACTk/UIGAiwxR5p4/s1600/DSCN8763.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrkag1FJI/AAAAAAAACTk/UIGAiwxR5p4/s400/DSCN8763.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493102443844932754" border="0" /></a><br />Tons of birds nest here. Thousands of nooks and crannies house everything from swallows and Rock Wrens to owls and Prairie Falcons. We encountered all of those birds plus White-throated Swifts; Fort Rock is a reliable place to see them. The owls had plenty of places to hide for the day but we found ample evidence of their existence along one side of the rock.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtsqe2tT8I/AAAAAAAACUM/QtB7rKRo7gQ/s1600/DSCN8766.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtsqe2tT8I/AAAAAAAACUM/QtB7rKRo7gQ/s400/DSCN8766.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493103647601283010" border="0" /></a>All the white you see is bone.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtr59T-rSI/AAAAAAAACT8/sQH5w8oasas/s1600/DSCN8769.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtr59T-rSI/AAAAAAAACT8/sQH5w8oasas/s400/DSCN8769.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493102813963529506" border="0" /></a><br />Years (or maybe just months) of dissolved pellets containing the bones of all the little mammals caught by the Great Horned Owls that raised their young here.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrk6yodyI/AAAAAAAACTs/k68tkairSak/s1600/DSCN8770.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDtrk6yodyI/AAAAAAAACTs/k68tkairSak/s400/DSCN8770.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5493102452509538082" border="0" /></a><br />Stay tuned for the final destination - Summer Lake.Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-64717808412241747482010-07-05T09:58:00.000-07:002010-07-05T10:25:13.904-07:00Laura Goes to the RodeoAdmittedly, no birding was done at the rodeo.<br /><br />It was a fantastic show...the 75th Annual St Paul Rodeo in St Paul, Oregon. Very patriotic, very professional, and a clean comedy banter provided by the announcer and rodeo clown. Just a great time on the 4th of July!<br /><br />Here are some images of bucking, roping, barrel racing, and, of course, the audience.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQuy8wXGI/AAAAAAAACQ0/S1HeuqpuBk0/s1600/IMG_1094.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQuy8wXGI/AAAAAAAACQ0/S1HeuqpuBk0/s400/IMG_1094.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490469291854683234" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIRuAPzHmI/AAAAAAAACRM/gaxIWEZ8U68/s1600/IMG_1134.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIRuAPzHmI/AAAAAAAACRM/gaxIWEZ8U68/s400/IMG_1134.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490470377755975266" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIRt2lx6MI/AAAAAAAACRE/Z_l8LE9mSDM/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIRt2lx6MI/AAAAAAAACRE/Z_l8LE9mSDM/s400/IMG_1137.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490470375163816130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIU6yUvfbI/AAAAAAAACSU/g30qe3GuqJ4/s1600/IMG_1096.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIU6yUvfbI/AAAAAAAACSU/g30qe3GuqJ4/s400/IMG_1096.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490473895891795378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQvdn2ZlI/AAAAAAAACQ8/d381zwo-glc/s1600/IMG_1202.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQvdn2ZlI/AAAAAAAACQ8/d381zwo-glc/s400/IMG_1202.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490469303309723218" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQud2EF0I/AAAAAAAACQs/68E2bQrBZW4/s1600/IMG_1048.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQud2EF0I/AAAAAAAACQs/68E2bQrBZW4/s400/IMG_1048.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490469286189471554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITuqYtKGI/AAAAAAAACSE/8H3_8fYfL5o/s1600/IMG_1063.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITuqYtKGI/AAAAAAAACSE/8H3_8fYfL5o/s400/IMG_1063.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490472588090878050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQtzfGNdI/AAAAAAAACQk/OSUScGPkRgE/s1600/IMG_1012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQtzfGNdI/AAAAAAAACQk/OSUScGPkRgE/s400/IMG_1012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490469274818852306" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQtnW6M4I/AAAAAAAACQc/XE_jDSN7GVg/s1600/IMG_1006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQtnW6M4I/AAAAAAAACQc/XE_jDSN7GVg/s400/IMG_1006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490469271563285378" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQDLFLYhI/AAAAAAAACQU/dyKTh37EcMQ/s1600/IMG_1214.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQDLFLYhI/AAAAAAAACQU/dyKTh37EcMQ/s400/IMG_1214.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468542418215442" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITtm3NahI/AAAAAAAACR0/Ji4N9qxs-Ew/s1600/IMG_0975.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITtm3NahI/AAAAAAAACR0/Ji4N9qxs-Ew/s400/IMG_0975.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490472569965210130" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQCszcxvI/AAAAAAAACQM/0-61NeF9yMw/s1600/IMG_1230.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQCszcxvI/AAAAAAAACQM/0-61NeF9yMw/s400/IMG_1230.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468534290794226" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITtHzLnlI/AAAAAAAACRs/SI6ZlQY1zt8/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITtHzLnlI/AAAAAAAACRs/SI6ZlQY1zt8/s400/IMG_0984.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490472561626816082" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQCAmjVBI/AAAAAAAACQE/jWLav9hwXwk/s1600/IMG_1170.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQCAmjVBI/AAAAAAAACQE/jWLav9hwXwk/s400/IMG_1170.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468522425537554" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQBo9j3-I/AAAAAAAACP8/Ecilo5qDpGk/s1600/IMG_1300.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQBo9j3-I/AAAAAAAACP8/Ecilo5qDpGk/s400/IMG_1300.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468516079591394" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQAzTerHI/AAAAAAAACP0/3mvStnxZH8Q/s1600/IMG_1251.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIQAzTerHI/AAAAAAAACP0/3mvStnxZH8Q/s400/IMG_1251.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468501676010610" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIU7WQAFUI/AAAAAAAACSc/_UMLhhyhIEQ/s1600/IMG_1291.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIU7WQAFUI/AAAAAAAACSc/_UMLhhyhIEQ/s400/IMG_1291.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490473905535587650" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIPm4G2LjI/AAAAAAAACPs/hglgdBdmxMo/s1600/IMG_0965.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIPm4G2LjI/AAAAAAAACPs/hglgdBdmxMo/s400/IMG_0965.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468056288603698" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIPmrTjAMI/AAAAAAAACPk/vcfoUGf7Aeg/s1600/IMG_0953.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIPmrTjAMI/AAAAAAAACPk/vcfoUGf7Aeg/s400/IMG_0953.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468052852211906" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIPmCGx86I/AAAAAAAACPc/Ooa1shniJWQ/s1600/IMG_0952.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIPmCGx86I/AAAAAAAACPc/Ooa1shniJWQ/s400/IMG_0952.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490468041792811938" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIU7ww6QOI/AAAAAAAACSk/k264Bsxh7qI/s1600/IMG_1212.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDIU7ww6QOI/AAAAAAAACSk/k264Bsxh7qI/s400/IMG_1212.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490473912652939490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITuD7wQFI/AAAAAAAACR8/ZiZkk2HWtt4/s1600/IMG_0961.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TDITuD7wQFI/AAAAAAAACR8/ZiZkk2HWtt4/s400/IMG_0961.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5490472577768898642" border="0" /></a>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-25160589839166570142010-07-02T21:43:00.000-07:002010-07-02T22:50:15.765-07:00Central Oregon Part 2From Sisters, we headed to Bend and then south, finally heading east and arrived at Cabin Lake campground. We'd traveled a Forest Service road to get in and the huge Ponderosa pines were breathtaking. We saw several Lewis's Woodpeckers flycatching from perches and sallying about the treetops. I hadn't had much experience with either sapsuckers or Lewis's Woodpeckers but now I've been reading that both are consummate flycatchers, as witnessed at Calliope Crossing.<br /><br />The campground was at the edge of the pines and we could look out onto the plains and see the transition from forest to Great Plains habitat. Lots of sage and rabbit brush out there...plenty of wildflowers, too. No water or facilities at this campground and best of all, NO OTHER PEOPLE. Lack of facilities keeps the riff raff out.....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D8RyFQQI/AAAAAAAACKM/kbTU13tqgxw/s1600/IMG_0474.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D8RyFQQI/AAAAAAAACKM/kbTU13tqgxw/s400/IMG_0474.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540436144242946" border="0" /></a><br />Well, looks like two of the riff raff made it in after all......<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E7MZFhbI/AAAAAAAACLk/lmfkryrwP9c/s1600/IMG_0622.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E7MZFhbI/AAAAAAAACLk/lmfkryrwP9c/s400/IMG_0622.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489541517028984242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7G-8wr5AI/AAAAAAAACOk/m-_91YaoVKU/s1600/IMG_0627.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7G-8wr5AI/AAAAAAAACOk/m-_91YaoVKU/s400/IMG_0627.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489543780575732738" border="0" /></a><br />The campground was lovely but the real draw for this place are the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cabin_Lake_Guard_Station">water features</a> next door at the Forest Service Guard Station. The station is closed but there are two permanent blinds each overlooking a "guzzler"; a small basin filled with water from adjacent tanks. Water is scarce in these parts so birds come from all around to sip awhile. Photographers and birders also flock here and two separate photographers blinds were set up nearby. Still, only four people present....not exactly a hopping tourist attraction, fortunately for us.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E6q9OhCI/AAAAAAAACLc/ynVWp23mPB8/s1600/IMG_0609.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E6q9OhCI/AAAAAAAACLc/ynVWp23mPB8/s400/IMG_0609.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489541508053763106" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EPC9PLEI/AAAAAAAACLE/79sxsoTk954/s1600/IMG_0561.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EPC9PLEI/AAAAAAAACLE/79sxsoTk954/s400/IMG_0561.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540758582012994" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I have a Canon PowerShot SD890IS, just a wee point and shoot. It's got a 20x digital zoom on it which works pretty well. Sitting quietly in the blind, with just my little camera with its little lens, even I was able to capture some pretty spectacular bird shots. I will let the birds speak for themselves.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FWg9DnQI/AAAAAAAACMM/2ner9FNcQIg/s1600/IMG_0742.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FWg9DnQI/AAAAAAAACMM/2ner9FNcQIg/s400/IMG_0742.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489541986405031170" border="0" /></a>Mourning Dove<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FxNnzvMI/AAAAAAAACM8/Nl0wpynRH0E/s1600/IMG_0828.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FxNnzvMI/AAAAAAAACM8/Nl0wpynRH0E/s400/IMG_0828.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542445072104642" border="0" /></a>Red Crossbills<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EN6UYOoI/AAAAAAAACK0/-_R76crbULk/s1600/IMG_0541.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 369px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EN6UYOoI/AAAAAAAACK0/-_R76crbULk/s400/IMG_0541.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540739083287170" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FwMNp-VI/AAAAAAAACMs/xNK4NHHctoE/s1600/IMG_0795.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FwMNp-VI/AAAAAAAACMs/xNK4NHHctoE/s400/IMG_0795.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542427514108242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EOkuPbsI/AAAAAAAACK8/D1DwB5XpjRc/s1600/IMG_0553.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EOkuPbsI/AAAAAAAACK8/D1DwB5XpjRc/s400/IMG_0553.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540750466051778" border="0" /></a>Western Tanager male and female<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FYEsyBCI/AAAAAAAACMk/I6YmYEA8NNQ/s1600/IMG_0780.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FYEsyBCI/AAAAAAAACMk/I6YmYEA8NNQ/s400/IMG_0780.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542013180314658" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EPvTVxQI/AAAAAAAACLM/ttr5nY4fuU4/s1600/IMG_0564.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7EPvTVxQI/AAAAAAAACLM/ttr5nY4fuU4/s400/IMG_0564.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540770485880066" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D81JACZI/AAAAAAAACKU/a0-ARaDNiKU/s1600/IMG_0481.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D81JACZI/AAAAAAAACKU/a0-ARaDNiKU/s400/IMG_0481.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540445635611026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GK24K3iI/AAAAAAAACNU/cUO421IxfDE/s1600/IMG_0921.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GK24K3iI/AAAAAAAACNU/cUO421IxfDE/s400/IMG_0921.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542885643312674" border="0" /></a>Chipping Sparrow<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FXLMExwI/AAAAAAAACMU/avTcRpl6XGw/s1600/IMG_0770.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FXLMExwI/AAAAAAAACMU/avTcRpl6XGw/s400/IMG_0770.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489541997742311170" border="0" /></a>Brewer's Sparrows<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FXozRfPI/AAAAAAAACMc/Z8819n49LGk/s1600/IMG_0756.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FXozRfPI/AAAAAAAACMc/Z8819n49LGk/s400/IMG_0756.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542005691350258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FybATrPI/AAAAAAAACNM/oxKD_Xm2pgE/s1600/IMG_0843.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FybATrPI/AAAAAAAACNM/oxKD_Xm2pgE/s400/IMG_0843.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542465844391154" border="0" /></a>Cassin's Finch<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7JwXHXY1I/AAAAAAAACO0/WaTMOTr1wLM/s1600/IMG_0849.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7JwXHXY1I/AAAAAAAACO0/WaTMOTr1wLM/s400/IMG_0849.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489546828487025490" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7Jv3lA2aI/AAAAAAAACOs/UxmL_H2-Y6c/s1600/IMG_0738.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7Jv3lA2aI/AAAAAAAACOs/UxmL_H2-Y6c/s400/IMG_0738.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489546820021442978" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E8bI55HI/AAAAAAAACL0/UPd6yv2YAuw/s1600/IMG_0673.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 394px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E8bI55HI/AAAAAAAACL0/UPd6yv2YAuw/s400/IMG_0673.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489541538167514226" border="0" /></a>joined by a Northern Flicker<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7KVANWukI/AAAAAAAACPE/JDkOhnABG3A/s1600/IMG_0835.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7KVANWukI/AAAAAAAACPE/JDkOhnABG3A/s400/IMG_0835.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489547457993292354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GLZ7-RnI/AAAAAAAACNc/pv9KkmZSoaA/s1600/IMG_0913.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GLZ7-RnI/AAAAAAAACNc/pv9KkmZSoaA/s400/IMG_0913.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542895054505586" border="0" /></a>Yellow pine Chipmunk? Where's my mammal book....<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FxlhxUAI/AAAAAAAACNE/DXFKj2FxPaQ/s1600/IMG_0822.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FxlhxUAI/AAAAAAAACNE/DXFKj2FxPaQ/s400/IMG_0822.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542451489230850" border="0" /></a>Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FwoqnWDI/AAAAAAAACM0/Cpba2HnlYDs/s1600/IMG_0818.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FwoqnWDI/AAAAAAAACM0/Cpba2HnlYDs/s400/IMG_0818.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542435151763506" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FWGK04vI/AAAAAAAACME/ghhhgvVDsvQ/s1600/IMG_0701.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7FWGK04vI/AAAAAAAACME/ghhhgvVDsvQ/s400/IMG_0701.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489541979215028978" border="0" /></a>Green-tailed Towhee<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7Jw2XakxI/AAAAAAAACO8/cwrbU-EoqK0/s1600/IMG_0919.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7Jw2XakxI/AAAAAAAACO8/cwrbU-EoqK0/s400/IMG_0919.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489546836875842322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D-pGucWI/AAAAAAAACKs/fiY0QfN_MPg/s1600/IMG_0532.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D-pGucWI/AAAAAAAACKs/fiY0QfN_MPg/s400/IMG_0532.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540476764582242" border="0" /></a>White-breasted Nuthatch<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D9kCukCI/AAAAAAAACKc/Miu0qildNqg/s1600/IMG_0498.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 367px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D9kCukCI/AAAAAAAACKc/Miu0qildNqg/s400/IMG_0498.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540458225766434" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D9wRe_xI/AAAAAAAACKk/IrUcM_qwuog/s1600/IMG_0529.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7D9wRe_xI/AAAAAAAACKk/IrUcM_qwuog/s400/IMG_0529.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489540461508886290" border="0" /></a>Yellow-rumped Warbler<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GiqONn6I/AAAAAAAACOE/8_SW3JEaI8s/s1600/IMG_0901.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GiqONn6I/AAAAAAAACOE/8_SW3JEaI8s/s400/IMG_0901.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489543294562967458" border="0" /></a>White-headed Woodpecker<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7Gh4dmetI/AAAAAAAACN8/0Hz5Gd0kXjg/s1600/IMG_0911.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7Gh4dmetI/AAAAAAAACN8/0Hz5Gd0kXjg/s400/IMG_0911.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489543281205738194" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GjJX3CAI/AAAAAAAACOM/WYXU5SKPVUI/s1600/IMG_0907.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GjJX3CAI/AAAAAAAACOM/WYXU5SKPVUI/s400/IMG_0907.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489543302924929026" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GLpdmLII/AAAAAAAACNk/WFfxoMRerSw/s1600/IMG_0912.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7GLpdmLII/AAAAAAAACNk/WFfxoMRerSw/s400/IMG_0912.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489542899222064258" border="0" /></a><br />And it was all capped off by a gorgeous moonrise......this was taken through my scope. Cool!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E7jLso9I/AAAAAAAACLs/n8ymtVTiNq0/s1600/IMG_0656.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC7E7jLso9I/AAAAAAAACLs/n8ymtVTiNq0/s400/IMG_0656.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489541523146843090" border="0" /></a>More soon!<br /></div>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-29053960326957798392010-07-01T22:56:00.001-07:002010-07-01T23:35:52.669-07:00Central Oregon, Part 1This past weekend, my Birding Associate and I took a trip over the Cascades to some wonderful birding areas in Central Oregon. Our original plan was to head to Bandon, on the southern coast, but when the high temp was forecast at 59 degrees I reconsidered. We ended up on the much warmer side of things and visited several new birding spots for us. We started in Sisters, at a well known place nicknamed Calliope Crossing. It's out of town a ways at the intersection of a couple of back roads and a nice creek. See the book, Birding Oregon by John Rakestraw for directions.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_4EEq2KI/AAAAAAAACJc/4eOZWmj27N4/s1600/IMG_0424.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_4EEq2KI/AAAAAAAACJc/4eOZWmj27N4/s400/IMG_0424.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489184121977231522" border="0" /></a><br />The first thing we saw when we pulled in was a woodpecker-ish bird actively flycatching from a telephone pole. We soon ID'd it as a Red-naped Sapsucker and were transfixed as it easily darted through the air filling its bill with insects.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC2DagSsciI/AAAAAAAACKE/YXtVN5SLUr0/s1600/IMG_0420.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC2DagSsciI/AAAAAAAACKE/YXtVN5SLUr0/s400/IMG_0420.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489188012202684962" border="0" /></a><br />Eventually, we wandered down through the trees along the creek. Soon we heard an incessant peeping and quickly found the nest of the busy sapsucker.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/LU7q0Zz6dbw&hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LU7q0Zz6dbw&hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_4gxeatI/AAAAAAAACJk/sChGlENCG0g/s1600/IMG_0434.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_4gxeatI/AAAAAAAACJk/sChGlENCG0g/s400/IMG_0434.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489184129681353426" border="0" /></a>You can see the darkening of the bark where the sapsucker always lands. In the next photo, without the bird, you can see the two spots where its tail feathers rest.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_5XISBOI/AAAAAAAACJs/twGBU_KyqBU/s1600/IMG_0439.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_5XISBOI/AAAAAAAACJs/twGBU_KyqBU/s400/IMG_0439.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489184144272524514" border="0" /></a><br />Finally, we had to tear ourselves away to continue driving south. Who would want to leave this scene? We saw a number of different birds here, including the namesake, Calliope Hummingbird. Tanagers, Hairy Woodpecker, House Wren (at a nest), Common Yellowthroat, several flycatchers all made the list.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_5qCW4gI/AAAAAAAACJ0/UEqn7K2vYsk/s1600/IMG_0440.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_5qCW4gI/AAAAAAAACJ0/UEqn7K2vYsk/s400/IMG_0440.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489184149347951106" border="0" /></a>Great views of the Three Sisters along Hwy 20. More vistas were yet to come.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_6F13XBI/AAAAAAAACJ8/-tpRBIIQ1NQ/s1600/IMG_0469.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 224px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TC1_6F13XBI/AAAAAAAACJ8/-tpRBIIQ1NQ/s400/IMG_0469.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489184156811746322" border="0" /></a>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-1344504754960717082010-06-21T19:02:00.000-07:002010-06-21T19:21:26.250-07:00BitternIt didn't come out in the open for us but we did see a Bittern at Steigerwald Lake NWR today. While we were watching an active Oriole nest, I turned and saw the butt end of the bittern landing in the grasses. Eventually, it came out of the densest patch and pointed its bill skyward to match its surroundings. But when it bent its neck it became a shape that "just didn't fit" with the tall grass.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TCAZ90-U3gI/AAAAAAAACI0/aarpAXYdlek/s1600/IMG_0396.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/TCAZ90-U3gI/AAAAAAAACI0/aarpAXYdlek/s400/IMG_0396.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5485412896120036866" border="0" /></a><br /><br />No other photos today....get out and find yourself a bittern!Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-73965453116120274712010-05-23T19:25:00.000-07:002010-05-23T20:07:09.923-07:00Birds I Have Seen in the Past Five MonthsOK, yes, yes I know....no blog entry since January! I have certainly been on some bloggable adventures with my Birding Associate but never came away with many interesting photos to share. But here is a recap of some lovely, if blurry, birds I've seen here in Oregon and in the Bay Area of California over the past few months......just to let you know I'm still kicking.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnLRJBgLI/AAAAAAAACHo/IHwOPsTKZjc/s1600/IMG_0312.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnLRJBgLI/AAAAAAAACHo/IHwOPsTKZjc/s400/IMG_0312.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474661002811375794" border="0" /></a>Western Tanager at the bath this afternoon after the latest downpour.<br />Window screen not helpful for photography...must remedy that situation.<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnLI2sr6I/AAAAAAAACHg/D1-X3wKWtW4/s1600/IMG_0319.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnLI2sr6I/AAAAAAAACHg/D1-X3wKWtW4/s400/IMG_0319.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474661000587030434" border="0" /></a>Song Sparrow loves the birdbath<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nsopeoBYI/AAAAAAAACIg/cmrspEfaZqU/s1600/IMG_0317.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nsopeoBYI/AAAAAAAACIg/cmrspEfaZqU/s400/IMG_0317.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474667005118776706" border="0" /></a><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnMNV6NkI/AAAAAAAACH4/kEvDPfcnHvM/s1600/IMG_0289.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnMNV6NkI/AAAAAAAACH4/kEvDPfcnHvM/s400/IMG_0289.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474661018971551298" border="0" /></a>I've moved to a new house with my Birding Associate and we are learning<br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> who's who in the new neighborhood.<br />Feeders and baths are at the ready.<br />We've decided you need a minimum of six birdbaths to really accommodate the wildlife.<br />This is only three of them.....<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnLvd3YuI/AAAAAAAACHw/AlEUdM6lpVA/s1600/IMG_0300.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nnLvd3YuI/AAAAAAAACHw/AlEUdM6lpVA/s400/IMG_0300.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474661010951856866" border="0" /></a>Lazuli Bunting at the Sandy River Delta last weekend.<br /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm7PFxoFI/AAAAAAAACHY/Pdp_dpaJkd8/s1600/IMG_0220.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm7PFxoFI/AAAAAAAACHY/Pdp_dpaJkd8/s400/IMG_0220.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660727382974546" border="0" /></a>Female Western Bluebird in Berkeley in March.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm68PjkiI/AAAAAAAACHQ/PYCegmcVQRI/s1600/IMG_0198.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm68PjkiI/AAAAAAAACHQ/PYCegmcVQRI/s400/IMG_0198.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660722323722786" border="0" /></a>Cooper's Hawk across the street from my parents' home in Berkeley. The nest was in the backyard of the neighbor's house and she had amazing photos of it.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm6vNEC5I/AAAAAAAACHI/05Of0XODcMY/s1600/IMG_0195.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 370px; height: 400px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm6vNEC5I/AAAAAAAACHI/05Of0XODcMY/s400/IMG_0195.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660718823607186" border="0" /></a>Allen's Hummingbird at Pt Reyes National Seashore<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm6CW6sYI/AAAAAAAACHA/j2qNFydWD9Y/s1600/IMG_0188.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 258px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm6CW6sYI/AAAAAAAACHA/j2qNFydWD9Y/s400/IMG_0188.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660706785341826" border="0" /></a>California Quail at Pt Reyes HQ<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm5z5A39I/AAAAAAAACG4/9_JxNdZjGUM/s1600/IMG_0185.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nm5z5A39I/AAAAAAAACG4/9_JxNdZjGUM/s400/IMG_0185.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660702901821394" border="0" /></a>Godwits and Gulls at Drake's Beach, Pt Reyes<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nms7f0kgI/AAAAAAAACGw/kZNRzRe5A-4/s1600/IMG_0181.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nms7f0kgI/AAAAAAAACGw/kZNRzRe5A-4/s400/IMG_0181.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660481605341698" border="0" /></a>Ravens at our lunch stop.<br /><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmsibYADI/AAAAAAAACGo/mhliYl3WpHY/s1600/IMG_0179.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmsibYADI/AAAAAAAACGo/mhliYl3WpHY/s400/IMG_0179.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660474875805746" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmsdOMipI/AAAAAAAACGg/IsJn86C-_UI/s1600/IMG_0154.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmsdOMipI/AAAAAAAACGg/IsJn86C-_UI/s400/IMG_0154.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660473478351506" border="0" /></a>Peregrine Falcon at Pt Reyes Lighthouse. Many many gray whales were also seen but much too far off for photos. I was a whale nerd before I was a bird nerd.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nrB_eqcpI/AAAAAAAACII/cltV2WsC1zA/s1600/IMG_0125.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nrB_eqcpI/AAAAAAAACII/cltV2WsC1zA/s400/IMG_0125.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665241497989778" border="0" /></a>Surveying the scene at Arrowhead Marsh, near the Oakland Airport<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmsNa1daI/AAAAAAAACGY/XFPeJUtLLM8/s1600/IMG_0142.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmsNa1daI/AAAAAAAACGY/XFPeJUtLLM8/s400/IMG_0142.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660469236397474" border="0" /></a>Black Phoebe<br />Note the wonderfully blue sky....a rare bird in Oregon in March but perfectly normal in Berkeley. Now why did I leave?<br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmrugmA-I/AAAAAAAACGQ/FLa4dR-l82I/s1600/IMG_0138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 247px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nmrugmA-I/AAAAAAAACGQ/FLa4dR-l82I/s400/IMG_0138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474660460939052002" border="0" /></a>Surf Scoter<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nrCu4VZ6I/AAAAAAAACIY/Nk6lxfCAGKg/s1600/IMG_0149.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nrCu4VZ6I/AAAAAAAACIY/Nk6lxfCAGKg/s400/IMG_0149.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665254222129058" border="0" /></a>Can you find the Burrowing Owl's head?<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nrCEbboII/AAAAAAAACIQ/jA0nO6z-Wtw/s1600/IMG_0126.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nrCEbboII/AAAAAAAACIQ/jA0nO6z-Wtw/s400/IMG_0126.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474665242826612866" border="0" /></a>Or the Clapper Rail in the reeds?<br /><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nkaNqnzRI/AAAAAAAACGI/Iv2ReLwlq6w/s1600/IMG_2626_2.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S_nkaNqnzRI/AAAAAAAACGI/Iv2ReLwlq6w/s400/IMG_2626_2.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5474657961041710354" border="0" /></a><br />Happy Birding to you!<br /></div>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-43116296840902320842010-01-16T20:18:00.000-08:002010-01-16T20:46:40.212-08:00White-tailed Kites on the coastMy birding associate and I traveled to the northern Oregon coast last weekend for our first getaway of the year. We repeated <a href="http://laurawhittemore.blogspot.com/2009/01/weekend-at-coast.html">the trip we made last year</a> but stayed one more day and went to a few more spots.<br />Our first stop was the fields around the Nehalem Sewage Treatment Ponds where we'd seen a White-tailed Kite last year. This time we were rewarded with THREE Kites! A pair sat together and preened then a third joined them and they all hovered and hunted over the fields. My photos aren't the greatest but they bring back the thrill we felt watching all three of these magnificent birds fly effortlessly around us.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KTfyYUbpI/AAAAAAAACEk/lGs46_kzeUs/s1600-h/IMG_0081.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KTfyYUbpI/AAAAAAAACEk/lGs46_kzeUs/s400/IMG_0081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427562675243871890" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KTfkedyAI/AAAAAAAACEc/0dYSz_9aGp0/s1600-h/IMG_0072.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KTfkedyAI/AAAAAAAACEc/0dYSz_9aGp0/s400/IMG_0072.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427562671511554050" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRGIo0YxI/AAAAAAAACD0/ZBR3sDJlh8w/s1600-h/IMG_0094.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRGIo0YxI/AAAAAAAACD0/ZBR3sDJlh8w/s400/IMG_0094.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427560035518800658" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KTgLpL1qI/AAAAAAAACEs/uQApLm2gww8/s1600-h/IMG_0106.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KTgLpL1qI/AAAAAAAACEs/uQApLm2gww8/s400/IMG_0106.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427562682025498274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRGTixqQI/AAAAAAAACD8/jdmnM0Hu470/s1600-h/IMG_0108.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRGTixqQI/AAAAAAAACD8/jdmnM0Hu470/s400/IMG_0108.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427560038446246146" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRF7jzubI/AAAAAAAACDs/4j1gs0oZVQg/s1600-h/IMG_0083.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRF7jzubI/AAAAAAAACDs/4j1gs0oZVQg/s400/IMG_0083.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427560032008124850" border="0" /></a><br />Here are a few shots of Ridgefield NWR on the New Year's Day trip with Mr and Ms Nut.<br />Look at their photos <a href="http://mdupraw.blogspot.com/2010/01/ridgefield-nwr-part-1.html">here</a><a>, </a><a href="http://mdupraw.blogspot.com/2010/01/ridgefield-nwr-part-2.html">here</a><a> and </a><a href="http://mdupraw.blogspot.com/2010/01/ridgefield-nwr-part-3.html"> here </a><a>.<br /><br /></a><a try="" href="http://www.blogger.com/%20%3Ca%20onblur="><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRMxb3c4I/AAAAAAAACEU/hXdVQ-o1tzw/s400/IMG_0035.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427560149549544322" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRHSXAMQI/AAAAAAAACEM/DX4fA_iv8-c/s1600-h/IMG_0037.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRHSXAMQI/AAAAAAAACEM/DX4fA_iv8-c/s400/IMG_0037.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427560055308300546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRG1ej5mI/AAAAAAAACEE/8yTpJYYI7HU/s1600-h/IMG_0060.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 225px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KRG1ej5mI/AAAAAAAACEE/8yTpJYYI7HU/s400/IMG_0060.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427560047555372642" border="0" /></a>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-34027269201164189002010-01-16T20:03:00.001-08:002010-01-16T21:00:49.758-08:00A Day in the Life of My BirdbathLast December we had a frigid spell here in Portland and I finally bought a de-icer for my birdbath. Everything was frozen solid except for my bath so I set up the BirdCam on it to see who showed up. Nice parade of customers! I started with a nice, clean bath and you can see how it ended up. Notice I did not reset the date\time.....it really was December 2009 not July!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMxVzAkzI/AAAAAAAACCM/s91V8ULFG18/s1600-h/WSBC0011.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMxVzAkzI/AAAAAAAACCM/s91V8ULFG18/s400/WSBC0011.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555280227439410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMxmDHhmI/AAAAAAAACCU/fiXNYN5-t-k/s1600-h/WSBC0025.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMxmDHhmI/AAAAAAAACCU/fiXNYN5-t-k/s400/WSBC0025.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555284589971042" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMyJgeGqI/AAAAAAAACCk/GqMvh8VXLbw/s1600-h/WSBC0040.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMyJgeGqI/AAAAAAAACCk/GqMvh8VXLbw/s400/WSBC0040.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555294108326562" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM_iHUnII/AAAAAAAACDM/cTMF9r7TkX0/s1600-h/WSBC0122.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM_iHUnII/AAAAAAAACDM/cTMF9r7TkX0/s400/WSBC0122.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555524052032642" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM_4oAflI/AAAAAAAACDU/Mt2XMImwaFY/s1600-h/WSBC0167.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM_4oAflI/AAAAAAAACDU/Mt2XMImwaFY/s400/WSBC0167.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555530094706258" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM_HbJ-mI/AAAAAAAACDE/NaX5UgW4Cc8/s1600-h/WSBC0111.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM_HbJ-mI/AAAAAAAACDE/NaX5UgW4Cc8/s400/WSBC0111.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555516887464546" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM-9z9fuI/AAAAAAAACC8/gSk3merH4KQ/s1600-h/WSBC0084.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM-9z9fuI/AAAAAAAACC8/gSk3merH4KQ/s400/WSBC0084.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555514307149538" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM-kAve1I/AAAAAAAACC0/DnDHzrPucu4/s1600-h/WSBC0081.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KM-kAve1I/AAAAAAAACC0/DnDHzrPucu4/s400/WSBC0081.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555507381435218" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMyseHsvI/AAAAAAAACCs/3q2_BQ-d82Y/s1600-h/WSBC0078.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMyseHsvI/AAAAAAAACCs/3q2_BQ-d82Y/s400/WSBC0078.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555303493710578" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMx100ovI/AAAAAAAACCc/zp7MCyQjl8Q/s1600-h/WSBC0038.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KMx100ovI/AAAAAAAACCc/zp7MCyQjl8Q/s400/WSBC0038.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555288824980210" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KNHF79_dI/AAAAAAAACDc/MMKWfhe0_8U/s1600-h/WSBC0183.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KNHF79_dI/AAAAAAAACDc/MMKWfhe0_8U/s400/WSBC0183.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555653927173586" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KNHWPLOMI/AAAAAAAACDk/q3Sz8FFKYXs/s1600-h/WSBC0203.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/S1KNHWPLOMI/AAAAAAAACDk/q3Sz8FFKYXs/s400/WSBC0203.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427555658302699714" border="0" /></a>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-22210385740715746772009-11-07T21:26:00.000-08:002009-11-07T21:42:03.877-08:00When Bad Photos Happen To Good BirdsIt's been a terribly long time since I've made a blog entry......much has happened and many birds have been seen by me and my Birding Associate but photos of the birds in question weren't often captured and, frankly, I got lazy. I don't know how much I'll be blogging in the future but I really want to get back into a groove. It'll help when I finally get the external hard drive set up and ready to hold the photo library. Currently my machine cannot hold everything I want to load onto it so I must expand.<br /><br />Anyways......I was scrolling through photos and I thought I'd share some not so great ones with you at least to show you that I really was out there birding! If you know the identities of my subjects please take a guess in the comments section. I won't enable comment moderation so make your guesses before clicking to the comment page and use Scout's Honor. Hee hee!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZZxnTCd1I/AAAAAAAACB8/RzFSKdBnynQ/s1600-h/IMG_2265.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 235px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZZxnTCd1I/AAAAAAAACB8/RzFSKdBnynQ/s400/IMG_2265.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401603511974786898" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZZx_DEPiI/AAAAAAAACCE/YUYKUM2_ab8/s1600-h/IMG_0504.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 396px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZZx_DEPiI/AAAAAAAACCE/YUYKUM2_ab8/s400/IMG_0504.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401603518350245410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZXAZdeBvI/AAAAAAAACBc/66lK1you--0/s1600-h/IMG_0367.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZXAZdeBvI/AAAAAAAACBc/66lK1you--0/s400/IMG_0367.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401600467423594226" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZXADxf83I/AAAAAAAACBU/s8-8wCg3FI0/s1600-h/IMG_0267.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZXADxf83I/AAAAAAAACBU/s8-8wCg3FI0/s400/IMG_0267.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401600461602026354" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW6U8VUII/AAAAAAAACBM/rZB05zTcLkE/s1600-h/IMG_0265-1.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW6U8VUII/AAAAAAAACBM/rZB05zTcLkE/s400/IMG_0265-1.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401600363131654274" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW6JrGVII/AAAAAAAACBE/IEwR7pTfZxI/s1600-h/IMG_0208.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW6JrGVII/AAAAAAAACBE/IEwR7pTfZxI/s400/IMG_0208.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401600360106579074" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW52WAVjI/AAAAAAAACA8/e7AxyTtjTSQ/s1600-h/IMG_0173.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW52WAVjI/AAAAAAAACA8/e7AxyTtjTSQ/s400/IMG_0173.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401600354917832242" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW5netFZI/AAAAAAAACA0/Mi3PZXFvjLk/s1600-h/IMG_0138.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW5netFZI/AAAAAAAACA0/Mi3PZXFvjLk/s400/IMG_0138.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401600350927787410" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW5cVtRDI/AAAAAAAACAs/hZBeYWgCHA4/s1600-h/IMG_0032.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 389px; height: 400px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SvZW5cVtRDI/AAAAAAAACAs/hZBeYWgCHA4/s400/IMG_0032.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5401600347937260594" border="0" /></a>Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5244742666700467053.post-42011925345588292302009-07-06T21:43:00.000-07:002009-07-07T08:11:14.862-07:00Hiding a NestOn your average walk through most natural areas around Portland a birder will see and hear probably 20-30 species of bird. Songbirds, birds of prey, waterbirds and the like. Each species has different needs for building a nest, gathering food and successfully raising chicks. Ospreys nest right out in the open....if you're top of the food chain you don't need to worry much about predation. Barn and Cliff Swallows build fairly obvious nests under bridges or rooflines and their height above ground and colonial tendencies help protect them from predators. Great Blue Herons nest in colonies above ground and away from most predators.<br /><br />Anyway, you get the picture.<br /><br />But of those 20-30 species you've seen on your walk most are smaller songbirds that go to great lengths to conceal their nests from predators. Building and incubating are probably the easiest time. Once chicks are hatched and hungry the parents are actively feeding and much more activity goes on around the nest. You are more likely to find a nest during the nestling phase if you keep your ears open for the frantic begging calls of the nestlings.<br /><br />So here's what happened to us at the Sandy River Delta on Saturday. We'd had great looks at all kinds of songbirds and had been serenaded by Thrushes and Chats. Walked by this tree......<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcYZZDlSI/AAAAAAAAB_g/_ZsgQWYrOjs/s1600-h/IMG_0369.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcYZZDlSI/AAAAAAAAB_g/_ZsgQWYrOjs/s400/IMG_0369.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355585218587890978" border="0" /></a>No big deal, right? A tree. But heard begging and noticed a lump......See it?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcYs2oHHI/AAAAAAAAB_o/LoCAitA_Nto/s1600-h/IMG_0370.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcYs2oHHI/AAAAAAAAB_o/LoCAitA_Nto/s400/IMG_0370.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355585223812193394" border="0" /></a>Got the scope on it and here they were!!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcZGuk-PI/AAAAAAAAB_w/7FZQBoOE8UQ/s1600-h/IMG_0371.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcZGuk-PI/AAAAAAAAB_w/7FZQBoOE8UQ/s400/IMG_0371.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355585230757755122" border="0" /></a>Four Cedar Waxing nestlings well concealed on the branch! Parent had just fed them and left so they were lolling about in the heat. Waited for parent to come back and shot this video:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dzibCwqaCJCH11s2MvIT7TUY7IG0VwO1LbxN-vwnQbQ45ztU4OjHyAJRO759XIiXWpQlEcLdQHDSFbQG2xJww' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><br />Why are they so noisy when the parent has been so careful to conceal the nest? We take it for granted that baby birds make noise or that any baby makes noise, for that matter. Does the struggle to get the most food and leave the nest simply outweigh the possibility of being found and eaten? Anyone out there have information on that subject?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcYHTb1yI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/2TVNR64kXbs/s1600-h/IMG_0368.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_4EGRBcbYOYw/SlLcYHTb1yI/AAAAAAAAB_Y/2TVNR64kXbs/s400/IMG_0368.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5355585213732476706" border="0" /></a>Keep your ears open and maybe you'll find some babies, too!Laura W.http://www.blogger.com/profile/11701595535440501873noreply@blogger.com10