More birds! I'll post the full list tomorrow as it is in the car. It's late and I don't want to head outside right now. The first bird posted here is the California Towhee. Though a bit of a plain bird, I like them. We don't have them at home, and Towhees are just fun birds. While not flashy, they have a pretty no-nonsense attitude about things.
The second bird was a treat for me. When Dave returned home last year, he had a photo of an Orange Crowned Warbler - with his crown showing! Very exciting as I'd never seen one. So I was pleased to see many. My first thought each time I'd see this bird is "what the heck is that?" I came to recognize that this thought was the clue that this was another Orange Crowned Warbler.
Perhaps the biggest surprise of the trip was a Harris's Hawk that flew in 10' above my head and landed in a tree in front of us. He was chasing a frantic Mallard (the Mallard escaped). I knew right away it was a Harris's, but I was confused. They are only found in very Southern AZ and a wee bit of Texas along the Mexican border. After rubbing my eyes in disbelief, I saw the bird had jessups on. He was someone's "pet". This guy had his bird (Maggie) at the Botanical Gardens to fly around (and chase ducks it seems). Crazy. More photos of Maggie in a bit.
The next bird posted is the Black Phoebe. They are everywhere, but I never tire of them. Adorable.
Dave got the next terrific photo of a Downey Woodpecker as he moved around in the tree enjoying the nectar of flowers. I'd never seen a Downey do this. But then again, our trees do not bloom like mad like the trees in SoCal do! Very cool - and a really nice photo. I believe this is a Coral Tree.
The next tree pictured is the Bottle Brush Tree. It was also a favorite of many birds. Pictured here is a young male Allen's Hummingbird. These hummers were all over. Feisty and beautiful.
This next hummingbird is also a young Allen's I think. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
The next bird we went to see was a Great Horned Owl. Steve knew where they were nesting. We headed over to this spot in the Botanical Gardens and found the nest. It was a bit disconcerting as we could see only one owlet and he was down and still. Finally we saw his eye blink. We searched for the parents (you know they were right there somewhere!). Finally we gave up and started to leave. Only then did I somehow see the other owlet! He was right there in a tree the whole time. He must have just fledged. Steve will be out at the Botanical Gardens tomorrow and report back. Hope the second one is fine too.
We heard a ruckus in a Coral Tree and sure enough there were several American Crows. The cool thing was that they too were drinking nectar from the flowers of this tree. Very neat!
The Bushtit also enjoyed the Bottle Brush trees. I don't really blame them. These are fast quiet little birds as they move around in the greenery. According to one guide, as they exit a tree, they do so in single file. That'd be cool to see!
Okay, he's not an exotic looking bird, but I really liked the next one photographed: The Pipit. I've never seen one before! They were all over the lawn at Harbor Park. Love their long toes and striking eyebrows.
Also at Harbor Park was this Chinese Goose. They are dear to me and remind me of sweet Stalker (RIP). He was such a loving goose. He's been gone several years now.
Everywhere we went, there was a multitude of American Coots! Mostly they were all over the golf course, but there were many (100s!) at Harbor Park. I think of them in terms of swampland (e.g, Brazos Bend State Park in Texas). Now I think of term in terms of golf courses! Funny. This photo is of a Coot's feet. How crazy are they?
Next up is a Great-Tailed Grackle (Female). Yeah, they are common, but I think they are still beautiful. And they put on quite an exuberant show. This young lady acted pretty disinterested in a LOT of male showcasing going on around her.
I close this entry with another California Towhee. this little guy is busy singing. Happy bird.
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