5/14 For the second day in a row (and about three months of occasional visits) a mountain lion called from the edge of our property. I fear that we are getting too accustomed to it. Last evening my wife and I hurried outside at dusk hoping to catch a glimpse. Only when I was 50 feet from the house did I realize that I didn’t even have a stick or anything to hide behind should the cat take exception to my presence. Having the animal here is a mixed blessing, wonderful to have so near but dangerous to kids and pets.
This morning I cruised the live oaks at the edge of the slope just 20 feet from the back of our house. The trees were thick with warblers and others – lots of Townsend’s, Wilson’s, black-throated grays and at least one yellow warbler, lazuli bunting, western tanager, black-headed grosbeaks, Hutton’s vireos, purple finches, American robins and a silent but active empid (suspect Hammond’s), a flock of evening grosbeaks passed noisily overhead as did an occasional pine siskin.
Speaking of Black-headed grosbeak…how in the world can he expend so much energy on song? He sings at the top of his lungs starting before sunrise and is usually the last bird singing at dusk? He is on the move constantly, seemingly trying to improve his acoustics as he tries out a perch in every tall tree within 100 yards. Here is one of the males that uses our feeders.
This morning I cruised the live oaks at the edge of the slope just 20 feet from the back of our house. The trees were thick with warblers and others – lots of Townsend’s, Wilson’s, black-throated grays and at least one yellow warbler, lazuli bunting, western tanager, black-headed grosbeaks, Hutton’s vireos, purple finches, American robins and a silent but active empid (suspect Hammond’s), a flock of evening grosbeaks passed noisily overhead as did an occasional pine siskin.
Speaking of Black-headed grosbeak…how in the world can he expend so much energy on song? He sings at the top of his lungs starting before sunrise and is usually the last bird singing at dusk? He is on the move constantly, seemingly trying to improve his acoustics as he tries out a perch in every tall tree within 100 yards. Here is one of the males that uses our feeders.
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