More Summer Birds

When you look up in the sky in the morning or evening this month, you may have noticed many swifts flying around.  They are Vaux's Swifts, a summer bird in Oregon. 

 

As their name indicates, they are really a speedy bird.

 

 

Here he comes.  He/she is so fast that my camera lens can't focus well.

 

 

Today another summer friend just arrived here in my backyard.

 

"I am a Vesper Sparrow.  I just flown in all the way from Mexico. 

I have a white eye ring and white outer tail feathers."

 

 

"Also, I have pretty streaking front.  Don't mix me up

with an Oregon Junco as my Backyard owner did."

 

 

 

 

 

More Black-headed Grosbeak

The other day I found a birding tip in a seasonal magazine from Nature Conservancy. 

 

In it, there is an article called "the Birding Effect," a story about Tom Boucher, a birder/conservationist.  He recommends the best birding time to be overcast, no wind, and no rain.  Also he adds NO TALK.  Even a human voice at the level used inside the library reduces a bird sighting by more than 30%.  So I keep this important message in my mind.

 

A couple of weeks ago, a Black-headed Grosbeak came to my feeders several times during that day.  At the end of the day, unintentionally I scared him away with a loud shutter sound of my camera. 

After that, I longed to see more of them.  Finally my wish was answered:  another one stopped over.

"I think I've been here before.  I can find

a lot of black oil sunflower seeds here."

He comes to a feeder right underneath the patio roof, too. 

"Did you notice this? 

My eyelashes are rather cute."

" I've been here for a few days already. 

I'm fattening up before a trip to the north."

More Goldfinches

Rain, rain, rain.  And more rain is expected... over this Memorial Day weekend.   I hope campers in the mountains can stay warm if they decide to go there.

My yellow honeysuckle began to bloom in spite of the cold rain.

One viewer of my blog asked me where I took photos of the goldfinches earlier this month.  It was in my backyard in Northwestern Oregon.  According to my bird book, "Birds of Oregon," goldfinches live in Oregon all the year round, although some in flocks of 20 or so move around North America.

To invite goldfinches to your backyard, stock up your feeders with their favorites such as thistle seeds and black oil sunflower seeds.   They may show up at your place before you knew it.

Today was such a day for them to show up after cold rainy days.

"Female goldfinches love my bright summer color."

"I am his girl."

 

 

 

Potato Flowers

Rains and wind again.  For several days much below average temperatures....  Cold.  But my garden veggies are growing.  My potato plant now has flowers.

Between rain showers, the sun came out for a short time.

A white butterfly flew in to savor the flavor.

A female Anna's Hummer also made a brief visit while probably incubating her eggs somewhere.

"The fresh nectar from miniature petunia is delightful."

A Busy Mom with Kids

For birds, Spring is the busiest time of the year.  They have to migrate, build a nest, and raise the young.

European Starlings live around here all the year round without migration.  I don't know where their nest is.  but the other day one Starling mom brought her youngs here to feed with my hand-made suet.

"Mom, we are hungry.  More food, please."

"My mom told me to behave while she is gone.   

I hope she can find more food for me."

Wilson's Warbler - the first time photo

Yesterday I saw a Wilson's Warbler, a summer bird, under the pear trees.  Last year I could not take a good photo due to the dark bush under the trees.  This time I took a little better photo. 

"Hi, I like to look for bugs in the bush."

"Can you see my black cap?  I am a male

Wilson's Warbler.  My all-insect diet makes

me one of the top insect-eating birds in Oregon."

 

 

Goldfinches

Lately it has been wet.  The water loving iris is just as happy as can be.

 

 

 

American Goldfinches stop over once in a while.

His summer coat is now bright yellow.

 

A big mooch to a handsome guy.

 "Your thistle seeds are scrumptious."

 

 

Evening Grosbeak's Visit

The other day I saw a dragonfly.  A sign of summer.  This time, it was a red one perched on the wooden stick with the eyes rolling for a long time.

 

Another sign of summer is that I saw Evening Grosbeaks. 

On top of a sycamore tree, three Evening Grosbeaks were overlooking the town, wondering where a good feeding spot is.

 

"Hey sis, which garden

is loaded with our favorite seeds?"

In the evening, they came down to my backyard and one peeked its head from the wisteria vines.

" Pick-a-poo...  Do you have my seeds here?"

Then she flew in closer onto my new dwarf pear tree in the setting sun.

"We've got a very large bill for cracking seeds. 

I can take care of big seeds, insects, and fruit. If you have

a good selection of seeds, we'll fly over to your place."

Black-headed Grosbeak's Return

Early in the morning I was watching a couple of Goldfinches from the corner of my veggie garden.  Suddenly someone flew in.  Guess who...


It was a surprise visit by a summer bird. 

"I am a Black-headed Grosbeak.  I have

a black head,  orange neck and yellow

tummy.  I just returned from Mexico."

"Today I was so tired after a long trip

that I  was impatient and yelled at

the House Sparrow.  Sorry."

"But I am usually calm and

can look nice like an artwork."

Welcome back!  I am so happy to see you again.

Red-tailed Hawks

The summer weather has already arrived here.  Dogwood flowers are almost done. 

 

 

Rhododendrons are now in bloom:  red, light pink and purple pink.  Honey bees and bumble bees are busy collecting nectar.

And the cloudless sky was deep blue.  From one corner of the sky something dashed out into my view.  Aha, a big hawk with the visible red tail:  Red-tailed Hawk. 

Then I spotted another one flying right into it and together coming toward my way.

"I don't want you to catch me."

"Zoom!  Now I'm on my way.  I'm faster than you."

 

 

They went around in a big circle and disappeared into the distant sky.   A pleasant day was had by all.

Late Spring Scene at the Wetland

After several months, we returned to the wetland nearby.  By then the sun has dried up the muddy trail.  The construction of a garden area at one corner is almost finished. 

We saw a Canada Goose family with one month old goslings.

Tree Swallows have arrived from the south to spend summer in Oregon.

Brewer's Blackbird had a mouthful of bugs, ready to take home.

American Coots were swimming and eating along the shoreline.

Peaceful scenes filled the wetland.

Western Kingbird

At a rest area near Spokane, Washington (Eastern Washington), I found this new bird that I haven't seen in Western Oregon.  Through one of my bird books, I found this to be a Western Kingbird. 

 

"I have the ashy gray upperparts

tinged with olive on back;

my wings are dark colored."

 

 

"I'd rather be hiding, but not enough

leaves here.  Can you see my pretty

lemon yellow belly?"

In summer, they migrate to coastal Pacific Northwest, while in winter they reside in California.

Gulls at a Park

Even in Eastern Washington, far away from the ocean, we saw many seagulls. 

"Many of us live here at a park."

" We are called Ring-billed Gulls."

"See, we have a ring on the bill."

A Pretty Green Head

At a riverside park in Eastern Washington, we saw many Mallards, a duck with a bright metallic green head and neck(male).  This duck is abundant and widespread, often found on park ponds all over the country.


On that sunny day, some were fighting over food.

One was about to land.

 

 

Another was walking on the water.

But this one was swimming in a calm water.

"A good Mallard is supposed

to behave like this!"