Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Even during the rainy winter in western Oregon, I can sometimes see a patch of blue.   It has been raining, and I am already longing for a clear sky.

This week Chestnut-backed Chickadees came back.  Knowing of being in the Black-capped Chickadees' territory, they move super fast to trying to get food here.

A bird watching tip in the winter months:  when the rain lightens up, many little birds seem to come all at once.   During that feeding frenzy, some new bird(s) tend to mingle and show up.   So watch diligently and closely. 

 

A Chestnut-backed Chickadee was no exception. 

 

 

Early Return of Ruby-crowned Kinglet!

Last winter I first saw the Ruby-crowned Kinglet in December.

Guess what?  I already saw one this morning.  A little bird was flicking its wings rapidly.   A moment later it dawned on me it must be a kinglet.  I managed to take a few shots.

When I enlarged it on the camera screen, I confirmed it was.

No mistake.  See, that huge eye! 

Eurasian Collared-Dove's Downcoat

Correction:

This dove has a black collar; therefore, it turned out to be "Eurasian Collared-Dove."  The Mourning dove has a pinkish collar and a little smaller and brownish.  I saw these two types of doves together after I wrote this blog.  

 

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In Fall, blueberry bushes are radiant with their bright red color.   The birdbath has the beautiful reflection only for the morning viewers.

 

 

When I first heard a Mourning Dove, I thought it was an Owl.  Later I learned it came from the dove.

Lately a couple of Eurasian Collared-Dove doves come over to eat the seeds in one of the feeders here. 

"Burr...  It's getting cold.  I need to get my down feathers out."

"Today I'm gonna venture across the lawn to check on the other side."

American Goldfinches with the Winter Plummage

As winter approaches, more birds come back to town looking for food.  One of them is an American Goldfinch. 

Two of them just flew in to perch on the wisteria branch with the last of the flowers.

 

 

 

He now has the winter appearance: the dark beak and the less bright yellow coat.

A New Bird : Western Meadowlark

One Fall morning, when I zoomed-in on two birds on a tall nearby tree.  I first thought they were a couple of American Robins.  Don't they look like Robins in the distance? 

But when I enlarged this photo on a computer screen, they turned out to be Western Meadowlarks.  They can be easily identified by a prominent black V-shaped necklace.   Males, females, and juveniles all look alike.

During summer they go to the cooler Eastern Oregon, whereas in winter they migrate back to the warmer Western Oregon.  They belong to the blackbird family and like to eat seeds or catch bugs by poking their long bill into holes in the ground or grass. 

Another Battle? - Red-tailed Hawk with a Crow

During the warm months, hawks are out of town, avoiding the heat probably migrating to Canada or even Alaska.  Come winter, I will see them fairly often flying around here and looking around for prey.  

Recently I saw one landing onto the top of a tall sycamore tree.  As soon as it saw me, it fled in a westerly direction.

 

 

 

 

As I turned around to see the opposite direction,   I saw another one on a fir tree!!

 

 

Then here comes a crow.   Whenever a hawk is around, a crow is near.

"Hi, big brother.  You do not belong here!!"

"Get out of here....  You are not allowed to feed on my little friends.  I am a protector of little birds."

A Flock of Canada Geese with a Stranger

Here in the Pacific Flyway Zone, a flock of Canada Geese flying southward is a common sight in the Fall sky. 

 

But this time when you look close at this flock, do you find something odd?

Someone different among them?

Someone with a light-colored head and feet!  Who? 

Judging from the wingspan, the head, and the feet, it must be a "Greater White-fronted Goose."  It is so unexpected, but so delightful to discover the Canada Geese are tolerant with one another's differences. 

Song Sparrow's Rare Visit

Song Sparrows usually hang around nature parks and do not come to my backyard.

Now that Fall is almost over here and it is difficult to find food in the field, the other morning one stopped over at my place.

" This backyard still has a birdbath out. "

 "Here's another bath under a wisteria tree.  I can halfway hide and take a quick bath.  Splash, splash...  Uum, feeling good."

"Are you looking at me?   I'm super busy right now before anyone else shows up for their bath here."

"Now I am a clean bird and ready to eat some seeds."

Spotted Towhee, Nice to See You Back.

For sometime, I have not seen a Spotted Towhee in my backyard.

The Towhee rarely comes out into the open area,  though I can hear it early in the morning.  On a dark, rainy day like today, it is ideal and safer to walk around.

"I feel safe around the corner right next to the fence."

"Sometimes I get nervous sitting on the blueberry bush."

House Sparrow:  "Boo, I scare you, Stranger!"
Spotted Towhee: "Wow, Uncle House Sparrow.  You've forgotten about me."

"Now, I am on a familiar branch to look over the backyard avoiding any more trouble."

Wow, Rain is Back!

This summer has been very dry in Oregon.  Many wildfires destroyed the land within the state.  No precipitation for a month till yesterday.   So everyone welcomed the benevolent rain.

Even Anna's Hummingbird seemed to rejoice in the rain. 

"I was getting so dried up with my wings and tails getting gummy with dust and dirt.  So delighted to see rain again."

"I'm gonna wash that bugs out of my head...."

"More rain water, please."

 

The weather forecast said we would have a heavy rain on Sunday night. 

Another Haiku and Northern Flicker

Another Haiku for Fall:

　　　柿くへば 鐘が鳴るなり 法隆寺
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

　　　　　While eating a persimmon,
　　　　　I hear the gongs
　　　　　From Horyuji Temple (in Nara).
                                                                    
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　- 正岡子規 (Shiki Masaoka) -



A persimmon tells me the arrival of Fall.   It is a common fruit in China, Korea, Japan, and other non-tropical Asian countries.   I like this flat type persimmon, crunchy and sweet.

 

 

 

Another returnee in my backyard is a Northern Flicker.  Today she was hiding behind the pine needles.

And in a horizontal motion she took off to another tree.

Northern Flickers like to eat the suet during the winter months.

A High Sky and a Scrub Jay

Whenever I see a high blue sky in the fall, I think of this saying:

                   天高く馬肥ゆる秋。

                               The autumn sky so high,
                                A harvest time
                                For a horse to grow strong.

                                                       - a Chinese proverb -
                                       
This saying was used to warn people of the Mongols on a horseback coming down to raid the fall harvest in China.    Later the Imperial China began to build the great walls to deter the atttacks.

 The beautiful autumn sky complements a Scrub Jay's looks.

 

The next moment it jumped to fly down to me.

 

 

Looking like a bullet, a Superbird...

It's my friend.

 

 

A Return of Oregon Junco

 

My new miniature roses are still blooming in my backyard.

 

 

Quite a few bees are still collecting nectar from the Anise Hyssop blossoms.

The Oregon Junco just returned from their retreat in the mountains.