Sunday, around the path again

On Sunday I went around the path again, before coming back to shower before heading back home.  It was a walk that really illustrated that this is the suburbs, on the edge of an area with a lot of wildlife.

First I found a downy, and while I was taking a look to ID it and get a picture, off-leash dog number one with an owner unable to control it came right over to me.  I did eventually find the downy again and got a picture.

Then I was walking down the path again, and saw the fox!  It was standing on the path looking at me, and as soon as I saw it, it went into the woods.  I went up to its entry point and looked around just in case it was hanging around but it was gone, gone, gone.  Or it was a better hider than I was a seeker!  :-)

Walking down the path again,  off-leash dog number two, also with an owner unable to control it, came right over to me.  I don't really understand this.  Are there no dangers to the dog here?  Does the dog not take off and chase things?  Are there no fighting dogs?  I mean, if the dog doesn't listen to you when it's 20 feet away and going over to a strange person, you have no shot at stopping it from crossing a road to chase a squirrel.  Oh well, I guess it's not my issue.

Anyway, continuing on, got to the pond and saw Einstein turtle again.  :-)

Walking around the little walkways I was just hanging out walking slow and this sound followed by three splashes happened *right* behind me.  Startling!  I think it was this frog.  I had no idea frogs could make that sound, it was high-pitched and short, like a startled girl.  Later when I looked for it again, I couldn't find it at all.

Found a kingbird, but sadly, off-leash dog number three, again with an owner unable to control it, came right over to me.  I tried to have a good attitude, until the owner told me that I probably shouldn't let the dog touch me, because it had just been swimming in the lake and was all gross.  Um, okay.  I'm glad I know how to make that happen.  Anyway, the kingbird was gone, looking for insects farther away from camera-happy dog-magnet chicks.  :-)

I did see this chipmunk, sadly they are so fast this was my best picture.  Like, by a lot.  :-)

Also saw a mouse go by, too quickly for a picture.

Coming back, I saw a bird way up in the top branch of a lone tree, and as I was trying to get a look, it took off for the forest.  It looked like an oriole except yellow instead of orange.  Had a solid black head.

Then finishing up the walk, this song sparrow kindly posed for me.  He was lovely!  :-)

Saturday's back yard adventure

Okay, adventure isn't the right word.  But we did see a chipmunk racing around a few times, and this lovely song sparrow.

The cardinals were back and loud, and then this brown thrasher showed up!  The picture is not great but I got a good look at it, and it definitely looked like a brown thrasher to me.  I hoped to see it again, but never did.  How great to have one in the yard!  :-)

Saturday at the Audubon Sanctuary

On Saturday we visited an Audubon sanctuary, figuring, hey, it's gotta be pretty good!  Our timing was not perfect, when we got started it was almost noon.  Right away I saw a bird that I was interested in, I didn't recognize it at all, and much later realized it was a starling in its winter plumage.  Yep, I'm definitely still a beginner!  :-)

Walking around their path I saw a black-capped chickadee, they are so cute!  This little one was hopping all around and calling, making sure I saw it, but not being still enough for nice pictures.  Cheeky little chickadee.

Then we saw some sort of thrush by the "stream".  There was only a little trickle of water really.  The thrush did pose for me, but this blasted camera wouldn't focus on it!  It thought the bird was something in the way of the dirt I really wanted a nice crisply focused picture of.  It was maddening!!!!  I really hate that about this camera, I have missed several wonderful opportunities that way.   I'm starting to think I might have to read the manual.

Anyway, continuing around to the "pond" it was really a beautiful setting.  Saw a big tadpole with feet, that was cool.  Saw a redbelly, briefly, the trees were so huge here the woodpeckers quickly become basically invisible.  Then, just as we were about to head further along the path, Jack asked what the tiny thing in the bush was.  I didn't really get a good look at it but had the vague idea it was a butterfly, when it took off - a hummingbird!  Jack's first sighting outside a zoo, and my first as a birder.  I saw them in CA when I was a teenager.  Anyway, we didn't get a good look at it because it basically flew straight away from us, but we were still thrilled.  :-)

Continuing around we saw our first (of about 4) deer, which Jack walked right by.  How the man can spot a hummingbird but miss a deer is beyond me.  :-)

Then the redbelly teased us, flying around in trees across the meadow from us, making sure it was too far away for pictures.

Around the meadow, managing to get a nice shot of one of the many types of butterflies we saw.  Maybe next summer I'll start trying to learn these, they really are gorgeous.

At the little picturesque pool I saw this chickadee, who was not quite as hoppy as the other one.  Or maybe it was the same one, and he had tired himself out!  Hard to tell.

Then this guy was flying around quickly, landing for ~almost~ enough time for a picture, and taking off again.  I settled in pointing the camera near a favorite spot and eventually got some pictures.  Looks like a wren of some sort?

I think it was a pair, this doesn't look like the same bird to me.

Back to the porch, sent Jack for bug spray, sprayed up, and we went back to the pool.  This time we spotted the hummingbird at the same time, and it flew around for a while before disappearing.  It was wonderful!  :-)  I had no chance at pictures though.  And I didn't see any brilliant colors really, it just looked like a teeny brownish bird flying in a manner not explained by normal bird physics.  Jack left soon after that, I explored a bit more.  Another chickadee, and a robin sitting on her nest, then back to the porch.

As we were leaving, we passed some feeders that I hadn't found, and this gorgeous goldfinch was taking full advantage.    Thanks Audubon sanctuary, hope to be back sometime!

Friday evening around the path

After arriving, it didn't take too long for me to notice all the wildlife in the back yard and send Jack to get my binocs for me.  A pair of cardinals wanting attention, a song sparrow or two, and a groundhog(!) all were hanging out in the back yard.  Once I had them, I was quickly talked into taking the path around, so off I went!  :-)

The first bird of note was this white-breasted nuthatch, a first for me.  So pretty!  Later there were a pair of them by a feeder, they were pretty shy and snuck up on the feeder slowly.  A quick raid and they were on their way!

At the pond there were a bunch of swallows flying around showing off, being way too fast.  There were 2 kinds and one was quite a bit larger, so maybe those were purple martins?  The others had a light-ish looking underside.  Yep, that's all I got.  :-)  Couldn't get pictures, couldn't even get a decent look at the binocs.  This is clearly too advanced a bird for me, but I'll keep trying anyway!

There were also several doves around, hanging out in the trees with the robins.  Not a lot of sparrows, and the ones I saw were mostly song sparrows.  Weird how many house sparrows I see in the city, and I think I only saw maybe 5 here including all the times I went out.

At the pond this turtle was showing off its apparently recent trim job.  What is up with this guy?  I have never seen a turtle so..... overgrown, and yet so....... precisely groomed.  We called him Einstein Turtle.

It was really a nice start to the weekend.  :-)

The pond after dark

Tonight Dima came to get the lamp - yay!!!  :-)  So happy it's on its way.  After we loaded it up, it was so nice, we decided to take a lap around the pond.  It was about 10.

Wow, it sounds so different at night!  All kinds of insects everywhere.  And several times rustling of larger animals in the bushes.  I think once it was a person, once a raccoon........ sometimes it's best not to look too closely.

We saw a black crowned night heron in one of its favorite spots across from us, it really stood out in the lighting. We didn't find the other one, although we did find a rock that we briefly thought might have been the other one.

There were lots of ducks floating out there, I guess sleeping, although I thought they would get together to sleep. They seemed pretty content.  There were several hanging out on the rocks, we didn't get too close, they looked like we would disturb them.

Then we saw a shooting star!  Yes, it was.  No, it was not an airplane.  No, it did not blink like airplane lights.  No, it was not a helicopter.  No, it was not a blimp.  It was definitely a shooting star!  Well, I mean, not an actual star shooting across the sky, actually a meteorite.  Or whatever the correct term is.  It was awesome, and bright, and we both saw it!

That was about it, there was one homeless guy sleeping on a bench, one couple wanting private time, a few folks walking around, but it was really mostly empty of people.

I should have brought bug spray.

It was wonderful!  :-)

Twice around the pond

Between the podiatrist (the toenail, or rather lack thereof, is doing well) and laundry I managed to get an hour or so in at the park.  Yay!  :-)  I just hung out at the pond, did a couple of laps basically.  And I'll just report the sad news first - I still have not seen the wood duck.  I'm starting to think I just can't pick him out of the mallard crowd, but I think he would stand out.  I mean, even the Gadwall stood out that time, I have to believe it would catch my eye somehow.  Maybe he's just shy to be seen in such a state, but doesn't he know I love him?  I want to see all of him, not just his winter finery.  Oh well, maybe in time.........

Starting around the pond I didn't see much of note.  The most exciting thing was a female cardinal.  I was really quite happy about that because I thought the song I was hearing sounded like a cardinal, so maybe a couple of the sounds are sinking in.  I'm still not studying them though.

First went over to the waterfall, then made my way back to the entry and towards the bridge.  I was hoping to see that redstart again, but she wasn't there.  I did see someone interesting though, I thought it might be a kingbird of some sort.  It was too fast for me - I hung out for a while hoping it would come back, then headed over to the bridge.

After crossing the bridge and sitting on the rocks, I started to make my way back, and spotted one of the black crowned night herons.  I am definitely not tired of these guys, they are so cool!

Then I saw the kingbird again, and settled in to wait for a good photo op.  I didn't get great pictures, but I think this is an eastern kingbird.  I saw him flying a bunch and definitely saw the white on the tip of the tail.

Then found heron number two, under the bushes by his favorite hunting spot.

Continuing around slowly back towards the entry, an oriole flew over and into the tree just ahead of me!  It was pretty high up in the tree but was fairly cooperative photo-wise.

As I was leaving, I saw some turtles by the entry.  One was definitely chasing the other one around, and even went so far as to get it front of the other one and put both hands on her nose and flip them quickly.  It was hilarious!  I have never seen this, but have not spent any time watching turtles, so I have no idea.  Of course in my mind, it was a male chasing around a particularly cute female whispering sweet nothing in her ear.  :-)

I was so happy to get back into the park for a while, to see some old friends, and get a decent look at that kingbird.  A good day!  :-)

Another gorgeous summer day in the park! :-)

Today the weather was just absolutely beautiful again - not too hot, hot too humid, sunny, a bit of a breeze, gorgeous.  Jack and I decided to start at the pond, and see how much energy he had after that.  Maybe the zoo, maybe the lake, whatever.

We walked over to the 6th Ave entrance and walked around to the waterfall.  Lots of robins and grackles and sparrows there, that was about it.  On the way back, across the pond we saw a water thrush very briefly, and then a female redstart for quite some time.  She was moving really quickly, going after the insects, so the pictures were not great, but we got a really good look at her.  So nice to see her again!

Going over the bridge, this guy was in the tree right over the path.  I think it's a juvenile red-winged blackbird.  It was making some noise for us, to make sure we spotted it.  I haven't seen the adult male in a while,I wonder what he's up to.

We looked all over the pond for the wood duck, but didn't see him.  I hope I get to see him in his summer costume, but so far he's too shy to let me see him when he's not all decked out.  One of the ducks we saw paddling around looked injured, it was only paddling with one foot.  The other one it was holding close to its body and not moving.  I don't know if ducks sometimes do this when they are not injured, I guess it's possible.

Jack headed home and I headed up to the lake.  I went up to the fountain and around to the right by the boathouse, and out to the point by the little path.  I saw this blue jay who caught something big and juicy, and amazingly stayed still long enough for a picture.  Thanks buddy!

There were a couple of birds that looked little and interesting that might have been migrants coming back through, but they were too flighty for me.    Hahahaha, get it, flighty?  Aaaaaah, yeah, I crack myself up.

Anyway, I saw a redbelly there and was excited to see it, I haven't seen one in a while.  Sadly though the pictures came out crappy.

After that I went to the oven, where I sat for a while and had a wonderful time.  Didn't see anything of note, it was just wonderful sitting in the shade and drinking my DK and seeing nature.

From there, over towards the wooden bridge.  On the way, I saw this redbelly pair!  I wonder if this is the pair that was nesting here.  I think that flicker might have killed their chicks.  So sad.

Also across the stream on the rocks, this robin was....... well, I guess it was lounging.  I don't have any idea why it did this, it just spread its wings out somewhat and ..... basically just lay there for a few minutes.  I've never seen a bird do this before, the closest I've seen was the skimmer being a decoy that time.  After a few minutes the bird got up and I didn't notice any injuries.  But I didn't get a great look at it either.

I spotted a little interesting bird that turned out to be this black and white warbler, and also spotted some waxwings coming through the area.  I sat down on a rock to hopefully get some pictures.  The waxwings were way too fast for me, they didn't stick around at all, they were outta there!  The black and white warbler stayed for a while, it was moving quickly and working its way up and down that section of the stream.

Moving on toward the stone benchlet, I saw this mystery bird.  I don't know what it is, it looked like a warbler of some sort.

I wish I could have gotten better pictures!

There were two water thrushes there, working their way up the stream.  I got a pretty good look at them, but the pictures did not come out well.  Water thrushes have been a problem picture-wise!

I thought about going up to turtle pond, but I was getting kind of annoyed by the people everywhere.  And the castle and turtle pond would definitely be crowded, and I decided I'd be happier heading home.  Back over to the upper lobe, where this cardinal flirted with me for quite some time.  He was quite charming.

Until I found his nest with his chicks, and took pictures.  At that point he made a noise that I didn't know could come out of a cardinal!  It sounded like a blue jay, but louder and more strident.  Amazing!  I backed off a bit and tried to act all casual, and ended up seeing the whole family.  It was great!  I didn't show any tourists even though some of them looked curious.

Also at the upper lobe I saw two black-crowned night herons, this one in the tree - quite high up, I was surprised - and the other on the fallen tree, looking into the water quite intently.  I'm getting so spoiled seeing these so much this spring and summer!  Between the pair at the pond and the pair here, I'll be so over them by the time fall really rolls around.  :-)