I haven’t been out much lately, a situation I hope to remedy this week. In the meantime, here are a few images from around home.
Many of the local songbirds are undergoing an extensive molt, leaving them looking very bedraggled. This Chestnut-backed Chickadee is a prime example.
We have had no measurable rain in the past month or so, so the birdbath has been a little more popular than usual.
It is unusual for me to see Chestnut-backs at my house during summer, as we don’t have the larger conifers that they prefer for nesting. This bird might just be a product of post-breeding dispersal, or might be ranging farther to find water.
I noticed an Anna’s Hummingbird checking out the cedar tree near the bird feeder. A closer look revealed this brown lump near the trunk.
The hummingbird was joined by chickadees, Red-breasted Nuthatches, Western Scrub-Jays, and a Swainson’s Thrush, all harassing this Western Screech-Owl throughout the day.
Perhaps ten feet from the bird feeder is not the best place for an owl to try to get any rest.
Ethical Birder 