Pheucticus melanocephalus
Tag: birds
Tachycineta thalassina
Like many people, I use the Merlin app to help train my ear to recognise bird calls. This morning the app alerted me to a bird I’d never even heard of, let alone seen: the violet-green swallow. Apparently this passerine is pretty common, with a wide range through all of the western North American continent. It’s a cavity nester, laying eggs in tree holes as well as cracks in cliffs. I hope I get to see one while they’re here for breeding season.
Melanerpes formicivorus
Is the woodpecker attracted to vertical cylinders, even if they are cold and smooth? If this had been a rectangular prism, would it have tried to drill? Why did it take so long to give up? Bird brain!
Update: Kit, in the comments, writes: “Many woodpeckers “drill” as a signal to others. In our area, the northern flickers often find something metallic to hammer on as a display. So maybe this acorn woodpecker isn’t after food, but is magnifying his voice.” Thank you, Kit!
preen and proper
Channel Islands Nature Journalers met at the botanic garden today, but it was unexpectedly closed. Not to be deterred, we spent a few hours observing the nature in the adjacent park. I was entertained by the contortions of a fastidious drake.
Haliaeetus leucocephalus
We have a pair of nesting bald eagles at the local lake, and I caught a glimpse of them the other day. Very exciting! They don’t have a webcam, but they do have a Facebook page.
Ardea alba
Things I learned on this hike—the Sepulveda Dam wall is 3 miles (5 km) long, and you can climb onto it. When the basin floods, fish are stranded on the trails. Egrets eat other birds!
more eggs
Astur cooperii
The hawk dropped down to the ground and poked a bit, then jumped back up on the fence, and then down on the other side of it. Eat a gopher, please!
Dryobates nuttallii
I see acorn woodpeckers all the time, but rarely spot a Nuttall’s.
Caloptes aurates
hashiworks 