From the Dazzling to the Feisty - Backyard Glimpses

The change of seasons from Winter to Spring has arrived. Recent snowfalls with traces of the secretive mountain lion have melted away. They've been replaced with daffodils and plum tree blooms. I love the changing of the seasons especially when I get to observe what's going on outdoors!

Yesterday, we had a visit from a mighty tough hummingbird. The Rufous Hummingbird winters as far south as southern Mexico and breeds as far north as Southern Alaska. That's quite a journey for this brightly orange colored bird!

Our resident Anna's Hummers aren't the best hosts. They are notorious for guarding their nectar source whether from a flower patch or a sugar filled feeder.

I'm sure some of our resident birds like the Band-tailed Pigeon, Mountain Chickadee and Western Bluebird will be relieved when the "bird snatcher" travels north.

Word got out to this "Sharpie" that our backyard is a popular place for birds to congregate in the morning. He/she should be leaving soon as well.

Now for the feisty misnamed Jerusalem Cricket. If you live east of the Rockies, this is an unfamiliar insect. In fact, it may be unknown to those west of the Rockies as well since it burrows underground eating decaying material and an occasional insect. This nocturnal critter had a mighty battle with a Steller's Jay this week. The Jay must have thought it would be tasty but the cricket rolled onto its back and did a good job scaring it off with its flailing limbs and strong mandibles that look like fangs. Wow! That was a first for me!

Another recent visitor that we rarely see since it lives underground was the Pocket Gopher. He managed to snatch a few stalks of Lavender before disappearing underground. What a rascal! All of our plants have to be in "gopher" cages to prevent total destruction by these hungry backyard critters.

 Every day, we hear the calling Northern Flickers. This one picked the tallest snag to announce his presence.

The seasons are changing...birds will be departing while others will either be passing through on their way up north or arriving here for the Summer. It's an exciting time! Stay tuned....

Be sure to enjoy your own "patch" in the world! Neat things happen every day!

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Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

A Snowy Week

This past week, we finally had a decent snowfall of 4-6 inches in town and more in the high country.

It was beautiful while it lasted! The snow is disappearing quickly now that rain has arrived.

House Finches

Pine Siskin

Oregon Junco

Since we keep our bird feeders and water dish filled, our yard is a popular destination for the birds, squirrels and chipmunks on winter days.

Lots of movement in our yard has attracted the Red-shouldered Hawks once again. It's hard not to glue myself to the window when a hawk soars by and lands on a prominent boulder in the backyard. How often does that happen? Almost never! Interestingly, two hawks were in our yard for about 30 minutes. The male was intently scanning the yard for prey from his perch while the female was in the snag calling every few minutes. She seemed to be cheering him on.

After an unsuccessful hunt, he returned to the snag for another brief encounter before they both moved on to new hunting grounds. Nesting is definitely among their priorities!

The birds, chipmunks and squirrels in our yard survived another week of snow and hungry hawks.

Steller's Jay

By the way, if you hear a mob of Jays squawking, look in the vicinity of the ruckus. You may find a sleeping owl, snake or in our case, a hawk. They definitely are the neighborhood "watchdogs".

Happy Birding!

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Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

No Elephants, Please!

San Elijo lagoon is a great place to go birding in San Diego.

Northern Pintail

Green-winged Teal

I was thrilled to "capture" a few of these beautiful ducks on my most recent trip!

Not everyone comes here for the birds though. Annie's slot canyon trail is just beyond the lagoon.

Unusual blooming flowers and trees line the paths leading up to the canyon.

It is quite an experience to hike through a canyon which progressively gets narrower.

I was happy not to be carrying the stuff I usually take hiking and birding. I definitely would have had troubles maneuvering if I was loaded down. This is NO place for your pet elephant to visit!!!!

Some of our local friends are hesitant about visiting places like this because of dangerous rocks that could fall. Be Careful!

My day ended with this heart shaped cactus. 

Happy Valentine's Day!

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Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

Bird of the Week

To me, Sandhill Cranes are magnificent! When I lived on the east coast, I would see these birds only during migration high above our house. We were on the migratory path. I would hear them call and run outside, if I was home, to see hundreds of them fly overhead.

Now, I have discovered a wintering home for these birds in the fields next to the Salton Sea. They are here for a few months in the winter until they depart for their breeding grounds.

This weekend, we saw about 300 of these red-crowned birds foraging in a nearby field. There is always a couple of sentries keeping watch while the others are busily eating. They trust their lookout to alert them to danger.

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Photos and content by Robin Roberts

A Day of Winter

What a great sight! We woke up to a thin blanket of snow covering everything!

When the sun is shining bright, it doesn't take long before the snow melts away. I took advantage of the beautiful morning to explore.

Manzanita,  a predominant chaparral bush in our mountains, is becoming one of my favorites. Although its berries are small, it provides food for a variety of animals. The blooms attract resident and migrating hummingbirds in the Spring.

I love the deep red smooth bark that appears after a rainfall.

Just last week, an early blooming Manzanita was full of butterflies - Boisduval's Blue, Bramble Hairstreak and a tiny moth the size of my pink fingernail - Annaphila

This has been our driest Winter since arriving here. Hopefully, Spring will postpone its arrival. We need the snow!

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Photos and content by Robin Roberts.

Plummeting Notes and Fearsome Shrieks

Boulders of varying sizes and shapes are a familiar sight in parts of Southern California. They cover our mountain hillsides and are prominent on our mountain peaks. 

They create canyon walls in the desert below. Although Joshua Tree National Park is known for its namesake trees, the stacks of boulders are just as famous especially among the rock climbers.

So you are probably wondering what do stacks of boulders and rock piles have to do with plummeting notes?

 The Canyon Wren, of course!The cute little birds with slightly down curved beaks and flattened heads live among the boulders in remote places - high in the rocky mountains and deep in the desert. The plummeting notes of their musical song are quite memorable once you hear them.

This Summer, I saw these tough little birds while serving in the Fire Lookout tower on Tahquitz Peak at 8,846 feet.

We have also seen them in Joshua Tree and the remote Smuggler's Canyon in Anza-Borrego desert.

Normally, the only way I've been able to see this grand little bird that makes its nest in crevices and feasts on spiders and insects is to take a trek up the mountain or down to the desert. It is not a familiar sight at backyard feeders. It doesn't go to bird feeders and it is theorized that it doesn't need to drink water. It probably gets most of its hydration from the insects it devours. It is one of the least studied birds because of where it lives.

This week, we were awoken before sunrise each morning with a cascade of musical notes outside our window. Fantastic! It got me out of bed each time I heard it! Our yard is full of small boulders. Enough of them exist so that we have a warning sign outside of our house.

I was totally surprised when a Canyon Wren flew right through the gap under the shingles of the porch roof. I guess it looked like a familiar place to find food. Very smart bird, indeed! We have plenty of spiders on that little porch for the wren to devour. Please eat up! (Listen carefully and you will hear the Canyon Wren.)

This past week, the days have also been filled with fearsome shrieks. Circling overhead, the hawk with translucent wing patches and a striped tail has been attracting a lot of unwanted attention from a flock of six Common Ravens.

Today was different. Our lone Red-shouldered Hawk was joined by another. After a brief romantic interlude on the snag behind our house, they returned to the skies with the Ravens in close pursuit. They are doing their best to scare them off. Perhaps, they will ignore the Ravens and nest nearby.

An adventure is probably occurring in your backyard today. You just need to open your eyes and ears and discover it! Enjoy!

Click on photos to enlarge.

Photos and content by Robin Roberts.