Brid Ramblings - Sparrows

White-crowned Sparrows are having a successful nesting season in the Central Courtyard of The Lodge here at Dallas Retirement Village. This photo shows a mama feeding her new juvenile. This photo was taken on Saturday the 23rd in front of resident Liz McClues's patio, who has thoughtfully put out a ground level seed feeder. Th juvenile makes demands to have the seed placed right in its mouth. Meanwhile the father in a nearby tree proudly sings out his familiar song. Liz is thrilled to have what she calls a "whole family".
 

Bird Ramblings - Bluebirds

 Western Bluebirds are busy feeding babies! This location is at the Community Garden here at Dallas Retirement Village where a nesting box is located in a corner of the chain link fence. This is the mother bird, ready with an insect in her beak to fly up to the nesting box. You have to watch closely to catch the parents doing this feeding because they are in and out of the box so quickly. This photo was taken on Tuesday, May 12th.

UPDATE: During lunch at the Red House Bistro on May 19th, I noticed House Sparrows around the Bluebird's nesting box. I was immediately concerned because I know from experience that House Sparrows, given the opportunity, will kill baby Bluebirds. I went to check the nest and was pleased to find the nest empty, indicating that the juvenile Bluebirds have fledged, meaning that they have left the nest. I took the nest box down to prevent the House Sparrows from nesting.

Bird Ramblings - Starlings

Last Thursday morning when Jeanette and I were looking for birds in Dallas Retirement Village we were surprised to hear a California Quail call out.  This is an unusual species to hear in this urban setting.  We did not see it, so we walked on. Next, we heard a Robin. Again, we could not find it. Next, we spotted this European Starling, and we knew right away we had been fooled. European Starlings are non-native birds, and thrive in urban settings, in fact we have them nesting in The Lodge eaves here at DRV. They are known to mimic the call or song of up to a dozen different species. Be cautious when you hear a bird you cannot see and be on the look-out for a nearby Starling. 
 

Wedding Anniversary

Yesterday, May 9th, was our 33rd Wedding Anniversary! We celebrated by returning to Silver Falls State Park where we were married. The ceremony took place in this meadow, which is now known as Smith Creek Village. Quite a flood of memories for us. The weekend that we were married, our families spent the night in the cabins, the ceremony was held the next morning in this meadow before we left in our Toyota for our honeymoon, a bicycle camping tour of the Columbia River Gorge.

Silver Falls State Park has held many memories for us. I first visited this park for a plumber's picnic when I was 5 or 6 years old. Jeanette attended Girl Scout Camp at Smith Creek and later worked as a camp counselor. We have returned over the years here to hike many of the trails, photograph the flowers, ride mountain bikes, and camp in various RVs.

On this day we parked at the South Falls parking lot and started right away making a bird list. We wandered through the area checking out the gift shop and attended a bird demonstration of hawks and raptors.  After lunch in the Lodge, we drove up Smith Creek.

We have had an amazing life together. More than we could have possibly dreamed of, and one that we continue to be grateful for.      
 

Bird Ramblings - Swallows

 This is a closeup of a Violet-green Swallow that I took on Sunday May 3rd. You can see how this swallow gets its name if you notice the violet patch on the butt, and the green coloration on the back. This photo was taken here in Dallas at the Mark O. Hatfield Park at the intersection of SE Birch and Stump Streets, just across the street from the Dallas Seventh-day Adventist Church. I recommend this small park for bird watching. There are a number of benches conveniently located that make a good place to sit and listen and watch for birds.  

Bird Ramblings - Mallards

Last Saturday, April 25th, we took advantage of the nice weather and went for a bird walk at Dallas City Park. My best photo for the morning was this pair of Mallards on the other side of Rickreall Creek. I might be reading too much into this photo, but it looked to me like the male is standing guard as the female looks for a nesting location. It's a wonderful opportunity for the residents of Dallas Retirement Village to have such an amazing park so close-by and so full of the wonders of nature.
 

Bird Rambling - Hummingbirds

Anna's Hummingbirds continue to star in the center stage of bird watching in The Lodge Central Courtyard of the Dallas Retirement Village. This week's news is that we have success with a new baby bird. For many days we could only see a tiny bill sticking up out of the nest. But in this photo taken last Friday the 17th, we have a little better look. Notice the short beak and the yellow at the base, both indicators of a juvenile. So far, it's been impossible to catch a glimpse of the mother feeding it, but because it continues to grow, I'm sure that she sneaks in unseen. 

(Editorial Update: Because of the lag in time between writing and publication, I can now report the baby bird has successfully fledged and has been seen in various locations in the Courtyard for several days now.)