The yard was all a flutter when this Harris Hawk landed in a tree yesterday. The quail and morning doves took off flying. One flew right into the window. At least it wasn’t the hawk. Last time that happened, it broke the window! I wrote about that HERE. FYI, there are better hawk photos in that post.
This is the downside to my Bird Buddy and putting seed on the ground for the quail.
This is also of the reasons why Olive the cat is never allowed outside. And I only let Waffles out on a short leash with me attached to the other end.
I’ve been hearing beautiful song birds and I thought it was the Cardinal. But I got a new visitor to the Bird Buddy:
It’s a Song Sparrow. Here’s what the App has to say about this bird:
Another thing I enjoy about the Bird Buddy App is you can listen to the birds’ songs and calls. I’m now able to identify birds by sound!
I’m looking forward to baby birds, especially quail. I’ve discovered one Mourning Dove nest in our backyard and I think I might have spotted a quail nest, too!
What are you looking forward to this Spring?
I love living vicariously through your bird, buddy! You get the cutest photos. This spring, I’m hoping to see baby bunnies again. Oh my goodness, those little balls of fur just pulled my heartstrings last year!
I’ve seen quite a few baby bunnies. We may be a few weeks ahead of you. Waffles goes crazy when he spots the bunnies.
The local hawks haven’t visited in some time, and I’m glad! I am inundated with Crowned (or Crested) Sparrows right now. They talk a lot but aren’t the singers like the Song Sparrow. I usually have flocks of those but they’ve disappeared so maybe nesting? I am so jazzed for the weather warming up. We are reaching the 80’s by the weekend and maybe I can finally put away the turtleneck sweaters!
Sounds wonderful! That was my first visit by a song sparrow. At least the first time captured in a photo. The hawks are fascinating to watch. A couple smaller birds gang up on them to scare them away.
I love all the flowers!!
Me too!
You should start selling tickets to the EA Arboretum. And poor Olive, not outside for her. Darned predators. Though, something tells me she’s doing quite fine, inside the cool air conditioning!
I do feel like I’m living in the Wild Kingdom. Olive seems happier as an inside cat than she did in Palm Springs being indoor/outdoor. I never knew that would be the case.
Whoa…that hawk has a look…I’d keep Waffles and Olive inside, too! 😉
Those hawks are predators. They even scare me! It was easier taking care of Waffle in Palm Springs where I could let him loose in the backyard. But we had wonderful mornings with the Waffles Wagon and playing at the park this visit.
Can you hear me laughing? See me smiling? I love the Waffles Wagon…he’ll be safe from the darn predators that way. Hugs, hugs! 🥰
I’m so glad you’re smiling and laughing! Yes, the Waffles Wagon a safe way to see the neighborhood. 😊
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You’re surrounded by beautiful nature Elizabeth. Lovely 🥰
Thanks. Yes, I really appreciate the beauty. Especially after an unusually cold and wet winter.
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Your songbird is adorable! I really enjoy watching the birds though, I have such mixed feelings about the birds of prey. They’re so majestic, but vicious. We have a great horned owl that lives in the tree outside my office window and yesterday he flew up carrying a small dog. It was horrifying! Good call keeping Waffles close.
I’m with you on the birds of prey. They are majestic and fascinating. But when I see them eating their kill in our tree….I cannot believe your saw an owl with a small dog! How horrible! Yes, Waffles is next to me on a leash whenever we go out. I also worry when he sniffs around bushes or goes under them, that there might be a snake!
I know it’s just the circle of life, but it’s still hard to watch. I’m hoping it was a young coyote rather than somebody’s beloved pet. There aren’t many venomous snakes, but I imagine there are some in your area since you’re next to open desert. I know Waffles doesn’t visit often, but they have training for dogs to train them not to investigate rattlesnakes, so that’s something you could look into if it would give you some peace of mind.
I hope it was a young coyote, too. I don’t think Waffles would learn anything. He chases Olive even after getting whacked in the face many times. His last visit we pulled a claw out of his face. I’ll try to stick to open ground with Waffles, where I can see what’s there. Thanks for the idea, though.
l like your app better than mine! I have to go on the Audobon app to learn the bird calls.
I love the song sparrow! They have such a beauttiful song.
Don’t they have a beautiful song? I thought it was the Cardinal, because they have a beautiful voice, too. What I like about Bird Buddy is they have updates, like now I can take photos from my phone. Before it was random on it’s own. They also upgraded to videos.
My yard was all a flutter the other day, too, blue jays squawking up a storm. I checked out the ruckus, and there was a hawk sitting on my lawn. When he flew away, I could see something in its talons, and the blue jays chased him. I’m guessing the hawk got one of theirs. 😔
Aren’t those hawks something? Majestic but scary. The one who broke my window had a quail in his talons, but the window smashing saved the quail!
Oh my goodness! I saw the link, but didn’t click it. Headed there now!
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How sweet to get a song sparrow!
I hope it hangs out in my yard for awhile. It has such a beautiful song.
Song birds, mourning doves, and quail — and a hawk. Wow, that’s a full bird house!! Beautiful and entertaining!
I’m enjoying all of them. The Mourning Doves have made a nest in a tree. This morning Waffles was barking from inside the screen door and a family of Javelina walked by!
We’ve had more hawks than usual this Spring. They are beautiful but kind of mean too.
Here’s my question: the Bird Buddy video is fun but how do you keep squirrels from eating all the seed or raccoons from stealing it? You may not have to deal with those critters, but we do and as much as I like seeing bird faces I hesitate to get one.
I have the bird buddy hanging on the fence with rope. The chipmunks and squirrels can’t reach it. I don’t think we have raccoons, at least I haven’t seen them. Our fence is metal poles about four inches apart, with metal across the bottom and top.
The nature surrounding you, Elizabeth, is fabulous. I love your photos, and that app sounds pretty cool. And yes, it’s probably a good idea to keep Olive inside and Waffles on a short leash. 🙂 Birds don’t phase our dog, Copper, but squirrels are another story! 😁
Waffles loves going to our neighborhood park, because there are baby bunnies on the grass. It’s all I can do to hold onto the leash!
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Love the Hawk and your new visitor too. You have a lot of wildlife visitors!!
I am so fascinated with all the wildlife. I lived downtown Palm Springs for 28 years before moving across the street from a nature’s preserve in Arizona. This is so new to me, even after a couple years.
Yes, very different from Palm Springs.
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