by James Brush
Category: Nature
While wandering around Brushy Creek Lake Park in Cedar Park, I caught this northern mockingbird doing its display routine from the top of a tree.
They like to jump up and immediately dive back to the perch in between songs. They seem to do it repeatedly, which is convenient if you’re trying to photograph the whole thing.
Sunday was a nice day for backyard birding. The Carolina chickadees (above) came back with a vengeance. I hadn’t seen any since March, but since Sunday, they’ve been everywhere. I assume a bunch of babies must have just fledged nearby.
In addition to the chickadees, blue jays and grackles took turns on the hanging seed block. A house finch seemed to enjoy the safflower block that the squirrels find distasteful, and house sparrows dotted the ground looking for the small seeds that fall off the feeders.
Of course, we also had the usual flock of white-winged doves as well as one mourning dove that hangs with his white-winged allies.
Ignoring the food, a Carolina wren brought bits of fluff, twigs and even some Phoebe fur up to the nest box on the porch. The previous couple moved out after their babies left the nest so it’s nice to see someone moving in. As of today, there are two eggs in the nest.
Earlier in the day, I spotted a tufted titmouse, which was exciting because prior to him, I had only ever seen black-crested titmice in the yard. Incidentally, I hadn’t seen any titmice of any kind since March. I suppose they’re in cahoots with the chickadees.
And finally, just before we went in, a cardinal came by. I rarely see them in the yard, and when they do come around they always fly away just as I notice them. This guy actually stood still long enough for me to take his picture.
Each day around feeding time, the trees fill up with white-winged doves.
They’re harmless, of course, and easily frightened, but there’s still something eerie about being watched by wild animals…
Right outside the front door and 238,000 miles away, it stops me in my tracks every time.
Joey watches.
And plans.
[saveagrey]
It’s easy to forget the small things, the little details that make a place whole.
The other day I noticed the prickly pears were blooming on the trail near the house. I’ve never seen so many blooming around here so I assume it’s all the rain we’ve had the past few months.
I haven’t spent much time trying to photograph flowers so I figured I’d give it a go.
It was humid out – thick Texas spring air – and a bit overcast, but not unpleasant.
It will be summer in a few weeks. These spring days are going fast, but despite the heat, I look forward to another summer of hiking the local trails.
I love cactus flowers. They seem so transitory, blooming so quick that they’re easy to miss if you don’t make the time for them.
There’s a bee in that flower. I hope he finds his way back to his hive.
Along with White-winged Doves and Blue Jays, House Sparrows are the most common birds in our back yard.
I’ve been trying to get a good shot of one for a few weeks and so far this is the best one. The trick was moving the cake feeder that they like closer to the porch.
Some interesting facts about the House Sparrow via Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s All About Birds site:
- The House Sparrow was introduced into Brooklyn, New York, in 1851. By 1900 it had spread to the Rocky Mountains. Its spread throughout the West was aided by additional introductions in San Francisco, California, and Salt Lake City, Utah.
- The House Sparrow has been present in North America long enough for evolution to have influenced their morphology. Populations in the north are larger than those in the south, as is generally true for native species (a relationship known as Bergman’s Rule).
- Although not a water bird, the House Sparrow can swim if it needs to, such as to escape a predator. Sparrows caught in a trap over a water dish tried to escape by diving into the water and swimming underwater from one part of the trap to another.
- The House Sparrow is a frequent dust bather. It throws soil and dust over its body feathers, just as if it were bathing with water.
They have a rep for being a nuisance bird, taking over the nests of other birds, especially the Eastern Bluebird, which may be why nobody has moved into my bluebird box, although the sparrows don’t seem interested in it either.
This bird has flown along with its six offspring. I checked the box on Monday evening and saw a pile of small wrens looking up at me. When I got home on Tuesday, they had all left. I dumped out the nest and saw no dead ones and there weren’t any struggling in the yard, so I assume they all made it into the air.
I’m sorry I missed the flight lessons, but it’s good enough to know that the world is six wrens better today.
Hopefully, I wasn’t too late in cleaning out the box; I’d love it if they came back for a second round this year.
Be sure to check out I and the Bird #47 at Bell Tower Birding. My Three Bird Lunch post, which has a fairly decent shot of a scissor-tailed flycatcher is included in the carnival. It’s funny that the one time I had my camera at work is the only time I’ve seen one there.