Water Feature all photos by Larry Jordan
For the past few weeks I have been noticing new birds in my yard but I haven’t had time to really assess the situation. This holiday weekend, with fall migration underway, I was able to relax around the house and catch up with what is going on in the real world. The world of birds that is!
I hung out at home all weekend, working in the garden and relaxing on the porch overlooking the water feature we built several years ago (see photo above and click on any photo to see full sized image).
You will notice in the photo above that there is a Silver Dollar Eucalyptus tree which overhangs the pond. This seems to be a staging area for birds heading for the waterfall or pond to drink and/or bathe.
This male Anna’s Hummingbird (Calypte anna) has been defending this blooming tree and the waterfall as well, trying to keep all other hummers away.
The most exciting thing for me this weekend was adding several new birds to my yard list and seeing some first of the year birds as well. A bird I have never seen in my yard before, this male Black-throated Gray Warbler (Dendroica nigrescens) was the first of my surprises this weekend.
Then I spotted a Nashville Warbler (Vermivora ruficapilla), another new bird to my yard.
Another newbie to the yard, acting coy, showing itself briefly before ducking for cover, was the Warbling Vireo (Vireo gilvus). One of only three Vireo species found in Shasta County.
And the fourth new bird for my yard list (if I kept a yard list ;-)) would be this Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis).
Also hanging out in the Eucalyptus tree was a pair of Western Tanagers (Piranga ludoviciana) that looked like they had finished molting into their definitive basic plumage (normally occurring in August) following their breeding season.
Then there was the return of the Yellow Warbler (Dendroica petechia) which I had seen here before but not this conspicuously.
Two California Towhees (Melozone crissalis) also showed up at the pond this morning. I snapped a photo of this molting Towhee in the same Eucalyptus tree.
Needless to say, with all these new birds visiting, I didn’t get too much work done around the house but hey, what are holidays for?
I did put together a video of clips of some of these birds, as well as other local avifauna, at the waterfall and the pond from this weekend. They appear in the video in the following order: Anna’s Hummingbird, Red-breasted Nuthatch, White-breasted Nuthatch, American Goldfinch, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Acorn Woodpecker, Oak Titmouse, California Towhee (molting), Western Scrub-Jay (juvenile), and Nashville Warbler. Turn up your speakers and enjoy!
If you love birds and you enjoy bird photography, don’t miss The Bird D’pot and Wild Bird Wednesday!
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i think the yellow warbler is the only one of these i’ve seen here. what a great variety!
okay, including the video i’ve had goldfinches and house finches, too. 🙂
Incredible array of spotting these birds just over the weekend. You must live in the ‘right area’….around here, it’d take me weeks to find so many different species. They’re ALL beautiful Larry.
And, by the way, thanks for the input on id’ing the birds!!
Wonderful. shots. Your water feature is so beautiful and the birds really seem to love it. Love the video.
Great series, Larry. Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
Some really great birds. I really like the Nuthatch, and it’s stripey head. Very different to the European Nuthatch.
Awesome collection of yardbirds ,Larry. Your photos are beautiful.
Great photos and a really nice lot of birds around the yard.
I think all those birds are just trying to get a feel for what living in Australia must be like! And if they all paid me a visit I would be really happy!
Great set of pictures and thanks for the visit to WBW!
Stewart M
such a lovely series and each one a good as the other birdwise. I was intruiged too to see your eucalyptus plantings
I think that is the best way to spend the weekend…just hanging out in the backyard with my camera! What a wonderful array of birds you have.
The video is wonderful! I miss the ponds that I had in my New Mexico yard. In Florida there is already so much water around that a birdbath is not attractive to anything but mosquitoes!
That is a nice lot of birds to have around your garden. Beautiful photos.
What a terrific way to spend the weekend Larry!
I enjoyed the still shots but the video was excellent!
I could sit and listen to the water and the song of the birds for awhile. It was very soothing.
Your water feature is really lovely and how wonderful that it draws all these different birds to your backyard. I’m afraid I wouldn’t get any work done either with so much activity going on.
Lovely post Larry!
Thanks for coming by this week.
How fun to get such good birding in your own backyard — you have made it very bird-friendly obviously! Lovely pictures.