Wet and Cold

Last week it rained a lot.   Lately Townsend's Warbler comes everyday.   He is quick, but sometimes he stays for a little while letting me take photos👍🐦

"I am wet, but I like the suet here."

"I hope you had a happy Christmas😊."

"Thanks for the bird food😍. 

 I appreciate it when the weather gets cold."

The First Snow

 The first snow fell the other day here in town.

"I like snow."

"Thanks to the backyard owner, I can 

find food even on a snowy day."

"I don't like snow.   I am happy to see it gone!"

Everyday Visitor

The first winter storm in Oregon came and dumped enough snow.  The ski hill is now open.

Winter is the best time of the year to watch birds.   Except the evergreens, most of the trees are

now bare.  It is easy to see birds.

"I come here everyday."

"I come here everyday, too.  I like the suets and

 seeds.  Sometimes the hummingbirds

chase me, but it's ok for fun."

"We come here everyday of the year."

Beauty Berries for Snack

 In winter, the beauty berries are ripen.  The color is pretty, but the taste is on the sour side.

All the other berries are gone, so American Robins come and try to eat these in my backyard.

"These are a bit sour, but we still like them."

"The taste is ok.  After that I can take a 

quick bath here."

"I can nibble, too.  But I like the suet better."

Winter Scene at the Wetland

 Lately it rained often.   At the wetland, the flowers are gone, but Lesser Goldfinches still like to feed on the seeds.

"The seeds are wet, but they still taste good for me."

The winter time is the season for waterfowl.  A couple of Northern Shovelers arrived here.

"We always stay here during the cold months."

With a loud shrill, a Pileated Woodpecker appeared right in front of me so close that my camera could not focus in time.   

"I was so scared to see a human in front 

of me that I quickly climbed up the tree."

Oregon Junco with White Dots

Sometimes the nature does strange things.

In the past I saw an Oregon Junco with whitish dots.  Their genes are a little different.  Yesterday I saw one like that.

"Hi, I do not come here often. But please do 

not discriminate against me because of my looks."

"I am just like any Junco, but have some white dots 

over the dark part.  In fact, I do think I am quite pretty."

Foggy Morning

The fog was just lifting in town.  

But at the wetland it was still cold and foggy near the water.

 

A Belted Kingfisher:  "Hard to see a fish..."

The fog is slowly lifting as we walked around the reservoir.

Great Egret:  "I have a super vision.  Here I caught a fish."

Getting Close to Winter

 This fall I saw many Nutrias.   This time I encountered a family of three.

"I am a mom with two youngsters😍.  They are growing up fast."

Many Northern Pintails were floating in the water.

"We just returned from the north.  We spend the most of winter here.😊"

There are some Redwing Blackbirds still here.

"We stay here most of the year.  I like Oregon💝."

Ruby-crown Kinglet Return

Last week a winter bird appeared right in front of me  when I was watching birds out on the patio.

"Hi, I am back.  I am a Ruby-crowned Kinglet.  I am very small."

"I like the suet.  Can you see a bit of my ruby crown?"

"Do I look cute?"

Fall Returnees

The blueberry bushes are deep red in the backyard.  With the color in the background,  many birds are busy eating their favorite food here.

The suets are popular especially in the cold months.

"In the fall, I always find a suet here. Thanks a million."

The other day I saw many American Robins flying crisscross from one fir tree to another in the neighborhood.  They are back from the woods.  They like to hunt for worms on the wet lawn now that the berries are gone.

"You are right.  We are back."

Here comes a cute Chestnut-backed Chickadee who also returned from the woods.

"I am back, too.  I like your suet."

A Foggy Morning

This fall I noticed a plenty of Nuturia.  This foggy morning I saw a total of seven Nutria at one place.  A big family.

"This year we are a big family.   We hope 

we can find sufficient food here."

As we walked along the trail, I noticed a big bird appearing from the right in the sky.

"Be it foggy or not, I need to go out for hunting. 

 I still get hungry in the morning just like you."

Out on a wooden pole right in the middle of the swamp, a Red-tailed Hawk stayed motionless for an hour while we were there (except his head rotating on and off).

"I have the extreme patience before I get to hunt."

Red Leaves

The blueberry leaves are changing to red.

 

Against the blue sky, a large flock of Canada Goose were quacking loudly above the wetland.

There are more down on the ground.

"I found a good place to rest.  Too tiring to fly around."

The Fall Scene

 After a good rainfall, we returned to the wetland.  A familiar Red-tailed Hawk returned from the woods for the fall.  He perched on the wood pole for a long time to many photographers' content.

"Do you like this side?

"Or you may like this close?

Out on the reservoir, many Lesser Canada Geese were waking up from the morning slumber.

"Today is so warm that we are really rested.  We'll be 

here for a few days before taking off to the south."

Fall Rain

 Several days ago we had some measurable rain.   The ground was wet and so with the flowers.

More birds have returned to my backyard.

Oregon Juncos stay here most of the year and like the cold weather.   Only during the very hot months, they will retreat to the woods.  Now that the temperature has cooled, a several of them returned.

Oregon Junco, male:  "I like the fall weather.  It gets 

hot but it will be cold during the night."

Oregon Junco, female:  "I like the cool weather.  We are back."

The Backyard Friends

 I planted sunflowers late, so finally mine are in bloom.  Squirrels and birds have been waiting for the sunflower seeds.

The bushtits are back in a flock.  

"We are back to a backyard."

The Black-capped Chickadees are also back.

"Yeah, everyone is coming back here for winter."

The Wetland Living #2

More animals at the wetland: 

"I am a wild rabbit."

That day these branches were filled with female Redwing Blackbirds.  

"It's crowded here this morning.  Just sunbathing and cleaning."

The best of the show was Northern Harrier.   I saw it for the first time here.

"Watch my facial marking.  I am a Northern Harrier."

"I am off to the breakfast hunting.  Ta, ta..."

The Wetland Living

 At the wetland nearby, we see other animals together with birds.

"I am not a Grey Squirrel.  I am California Ground Squirrel living in Oregon."

"Who am I?  I am a Long-tailed Weasel.  I like to run and jump around."

Behind the trail, I saw an area where Great Egrets gather for a breakfast.  First I saw a dozen, and then more started to come in to say "Hi" to others.

"How are you doing?  A tasty fish there?"