Vacation Mode

Getting the chance to spend relaxed time with friends and family is always a treat, getting to do so with busy bird feeders just outside the window is even better.


Minnesota has been putting its best wintry face forward, supplying a fresh coat of the white stuff on Christmas Eve morning, and bright clear skies the past couple of days to show it off.


The Black-capped Chickadees and White-breasted Nuthatches have been the most common feeder visitors, but even an American Tree Sparrow stopped by for a quick snack.


I hope that those that are able to do so are enjoying some extended relaxation this week, and if you are back to work just hold out for New Years!

Improving Temps and Targets

Today's lunch excursion was met with high hopes, a cleaned lens, cleared memory card, and many fewer layers. Of course after cleaning the sensor my camera was once again left in 'artsy' mode - aka black and white. Oh well, appreciate the contrast and highlights of the White-breasted Nuthatch!

I got my gear sorted out, and started getting a few captures of Chickadees against the clear blue sky, when I spotted something moving up high in the tree. Could you see it in the picture above?

Here is a tighter crop, a Brown Creeper! One of my better shots of these well camouflaged and always moving acrobats. While this one taught me something about looking for these trunk dwellers at the treetop level I was not surprised to see it hang inverted several times as it spiraled the branch it was on barber pole style. It was also so good as to give me one solid call to reinforce its distinct style as I watched it. All the better as I had heard several on the CBC, but had not gotten more than a passing look that time.

Of course Chickadees were everywhere, and this one happened to catch the light as well as any.

On the way back I followed some old Nordic ski tracks and was rewarded with a good flock of Juncos, most that I saw were Pink-sided, and some House Finches. They were returning to the trees I passed in the open space between visits to a local house with well stocked feeders.

Suburban D.C. Sligo Creek Parkway, Maryland

While in the D.C. area our home base was my friend's home in Montgomery County, Maryland. It was a fun area and reminded me a good deal of my Grandparents' neighborhood in Minneapolis. A real treat for me was that just down the hill was a wild park area preserved along a creek. Several mornings I was able to beat the sun up and watch the light progress down from the treetops. Often as I made my way down the steep drive to the park I would be accompanied by a pair of Northern Cardinals. Of course it was far too dark to get their pictures, but the fellow above on a power line at a road crossing had better lighting and will serve to remind me of the other early risers.


Because the light was best up high I made use of a few clear views to the tops of some dead snags and watched whatever was warming in the early morning rays. The Red-bellied's were again prominent, but they get to wait. Instead here was a White-Breasted Nuthatch showing what it means to be truly unaffected by vertigo.


These shots were all easily 40 feet up, and yet this individual preferred to spend most of the time looking straight down, rather than even poking at the bark along the way.



A sure fire way to jump start the day!

As the light worked its way lower I was able to get a good look at a pair of Catbirds as well.


As the time grew near for more activities in the area I would return to the house and wait on the deck for others to rise and come out. From there I had a great time watching the House Sparrows, Carolina Chickadees, Blue Jays and Robins in the trees. I even added this first timer to the list just by sitting and watching.


The Tufted Titmouse a bird who was much nicer to observe in person than my poor photographs relate. It is a cool mix of whites, greys, and black - with just a splash of rust color under the wings. A very pleasant surprise.

Fire and Fall Friends

Last things first. As I was returning to work from my lunch I looked up towards the Flatirons, trying to compose a shot that would show off the yellowing shrubs, when I saw this view:



I have seen one other fire in my life in forest land that was about the same size, I was in Junior High School, hiking to a lake high on the Grand Teton with a church group. Walking back down we saw a plume of smoke about that size and watched it grow as we descended. It became the giant fire that devastated a good portion of Yellowstone National Park. Needless to say I did a quick double take. I quickly noticed the shape of the fire though. Note how it has a wide base, fairly parallel to the flat ground. That is a good indication of a prescribed burn. In a normal fire without significant wind a fire will burn uphill. In that case I would expect a single low point, and an inverted funnel shape going upslope.
Even so, I checked the Boulder County OSMP closure page when I got back and confirmed that it had been planned for today and intentionally set.

Now for the birds, I took my time with these first two species and am as confident as I can be about the IDs, but if I am wrong please let me know. Above and below is an Orange-crowned Warbler. Unfortunately the branch was in the way, but oh well. Even without a clear look at the face profile the dark legs and presence of yellow under the bill seem to rule out a MacGillivray's Warbler.

Then, the ever challenging flycatcher species. I am thinking Willow Flycatcher after some back and forth.

The closer I look at Flycatchers the less certain I become, but this one seems to meet the Willow field marks, was hanging around in willows, and is in the same location where I have spotted Willow Flycatchers in the past. Seems like a compelling case to me, but if I have missed the obvious feel free to comment.

These two were both a part of a fairly large loose group of birds that I saw as I arrived, and then passed again as I returned up the trail and they moved south along the creek. The group included eight Black-capped Chickadees, one each of the Orange-crowned Warbler and Willow Flycatcher, and the White-breasted Nuthatch below that was just oozing personality and very intrigued by my "pishing".

Another great day to embrace the arrival of fall. I hope you all are doing the same!