Tag Archives: bird watching

Home Again

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A photo of Red and Mrs. that I selected for my first homework assignment for my workshop.

Vacation time has come to an end. Now I’m back home and I have to say, “There’s no place like home.” At the end of our vacation, we were both so looking forward to being in our home with our own creature comforts.

I have a ton of doctor’s appointments including seeing my orthopedic surgeon for one last look at my ankle. Three appointments at an imaging place for ankle, bone density and mammogram. Then there’s a colonoscopy plus a trip to the dentist to get my teeth cleaned. I’m trying to fit everything in before I fly to California to take care of my daughter post shoulder surgery. I postponed some of these appointments due to my emergency ankle surgery. That was enough for me to deal with.

When I return from taking care of my daughter, I’ll be bringing home Waffles the pug. My daughter won’t be able to take care of him for awhile. So, I’ll be taking care of Waffy for a month or so.

My first photography class is Thursday night via zoom. The class I took from January through May was all online. We had reading, assignments, etc. But I never interacted with anyone but the professor. This workshop has five students who have taken it for two to eight years. I’m the newbie. It will be nice to see what other people are working on and to get feedback from students and the professor.

The first assignment was to take a new photo, or select one you’ve previously taken and write about it. The prompt is: “I want you to consider and relate to us in class, why you took this particular photo. In other words, what was your motivation?”

That’s easy. It’s Red and the Mrs. Of course I was motivated to take their photo!

I’ve had some Red and Mrs. sightings since I’ve returned home. I’ve taken a few photos, but they stop by one at a time. I like the photo above for the photography class because they’re both in it and I can introduce my cardinal couple to the class. The photo also tells a story of Red taking off and Mrs. wanting to know where he was going and what time he’ll be back!

What do you like best about Fall and the end of Summer?

Shore Birds

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I was watching this Great Egret on the beach during one of my twice daily walks. FYI, all photos are from my iphone since I left my Nikon and telephoto lens at home.

What does it mean if you see an egret?

 In many cultures, people often consider seeing a white egret as a good omen. They symbolize prosperity and success.
https://behrphotoart.com/blogs/news/great-white-egret-symbolism#

I had to look this guy up. He’s a Long-Billed Curlew.

The Long-billed Curlew is North America’s largest shorebird and is a member of the sandpiper family, Scolopacidae. Although it is considered a wading shorebird, it is primarily ground-dwelling, using short-growth grassland prairies for survival. The genus, Numenius, is Greek and refers to the crescent-shaped bill. 
https://sanctuarysimon.org/dbtools/species-database/id/649/numenius/americanus/long-billed-curlew#

These guys are Sandpipers.

Sandpipers have long bodies and legs, and narrow wings. Most species have a narrow bill, but the form and length are variable. They are small to medium-sized birds, measuring 12 to 66 cm (4.7–26.0 in) in length. The bills are sensitive, allowing the birds to feel the mud and sand as they probe for food. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sandpiper

This gull was checking us out for snacks. They are very crafty and can get into bags of food the minute you walk away. Fortunately, we haven’t been taking snacks to the beach.

Seagulls are widely considered to be intelligent birds, exhibiting problem-solving skills, memory, and complex communication. They are known to learn from experience, adapt to different environments, and even pass on learned behaviors. 
https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/how-identify/identify-gulls

The shore birds are different than my desert bird buddies. What they have in common is they are all fun to watch. I doubt I’ll get a chance to make friends with shore birds the way I have Red and Mrs. I hope you enjoyed my short lesson on Shore Birds. I learned about them by writing this post!

Which Shore Bird do you like best out of these four species?

Do you have any of these birds where you live?

We ran into this flock during an evening walk. I’m thinking they are Plovers. Anyone know for sure?

When Birds Pant

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Saturday four Harris’s Hawks flew in and out of my backyard. I enjoyed getting their photos, but unfortunately never captured them taking off. They are so dramatic in flight, but I’m too slow with the camera.

I noticed they were panting! I’ve never see a bird pant before. You’ll notice on several of these pictures that their tongues are hanging out! Maybe they cool off just like dogs do through their tongues.

They are such majestic, beautiful birds. And no little birds were bothered during their recent visit.

Along with the top photo, this hawk was panting.

This guy looks like he’s posing for me!

Another panting hawk!

This was the last guy left in my yard. Then he flew on the neighbor’s chimney. Unfortunately, I missed the flight from our fence to the roof.

I had to look up if the Harris’s Hawks were actually panting — or if it was some other type of behavior. Here’s what I found:

Yes, Harris’s hawks do pant. Panting is a common avian behavior used to regulate body temperature, especially in hot weather or after exertion. Harris’s hawks, like other birds, rely on panting to cool down when they overheat, according to the National Audubon Society. 

There you have it. Harris’s Hawks do pant when they get hot. We’ve had temperatures hovering around 110 degrees. Yes, I’d be panting too if I was out of our AC.

Have you heard of birds panting before?

What other animals do you suppose pant when they’re hot?

The Ordinary Guys

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While I’m resting and recovering from a bout of COVID-25, I discovered writing isn’t that easy. My head feels stuffy and thick. I’m doing better sitting inside the casita photographing my bird buddies. Instead of focusing on my cardinal couple Red and Mrs., I felt it was time for the ordinary guys to have their day in the sun.

The photo above is a House Finch munching on a sunflower seed. (Please feel free to correct my bird identification.) I like the wings of a dove behind him.

Papa quail and a teen in front of a Barrel Cactus.

The baby quails are growing into awkward looking teens.

A House Finch on top of a Barrel Cactus.

House Finch on Beavertail Cactus statue.

I liked the angle of the finch and a different cactus.

We have an abundance of White-Winged Doves. Here’s one in a tree.

One not so ordinary guy:

Last but not least, our resident Roadrunner, getting ready make his move.

Do you have a favorite bird photo? If so, which one?

What exciting plans do you have for the weekend?

Little birds and a big bird

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Baby quail out my window.

Two babies!

I’m watching birds early in the morning while sitting outside writing my morning pages. Then I pick up my camera while sitting at a table inside. I’ve seen three separate families of quail. They are small families with the largest having four babies, then another with two and the final family has mom, dad and one baby.

House finch on a young saguaro.

A Harris Hawk stopped by and the little birds flew away.

Mrs. arrived for a snack. A House Finch tried to intimidate her, but she stood her ground.

I hope you enjoyed my photos that I took over the weekend. Happy Father’s Day to everyone and have a great week!

What do you have planned for this week?

The babies are here!

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Gambel Quail babies that is. Monday afternoon, I had my first sighting of baby quail for 2025. There were four babies with one mother and two dads. I wonder where the other mother is? Maybe she’s at the nest with more eggs or fledglings? Four babies is a small brood. I have read that adult quail sometimes co-parent babies with others.

I found a nest last year in a planter with 20 eggs, which made me believe there was more than one mother. Unfortunately, that nest was abandoned because it was next to our garage. The adult quail flew away whenever we drove in or out of the garage. They built the nest while we were out of town.

Fun Quail Facts:

Mating Habits

Gambel’s quails are monogamous birds, meaning that they form pair bonds with a single mate for the duration of the breeding season.

The breeding season typically lasts from March to June, with mating occurring in the early spring. During this time, males engage in courtship displays to attract females.

These displays include a variety of behaviors, such as puffing up their feathers, bobbing their heads, and emitting a distinctive call.

The males may also engage in “tidbitting,” where the male offers foraged food to the female.

Once a female has chosen a mate, the pair will remain together for the duration of the breeding season.

They will engage in preening behavior to reinforce their bond and may engage in duets, where they call back and forth to each other.

The female will then begin to prepare a nest for the eggs, while the male will defend their territory and provide food for both himself and his mate.

Nesting Habits

Gambel’s quails build their nests on the ground, typically in dense brush or vegetation.

The nest is a shallow depression lined with grasses and other plant material and is often hidden from view to protect it from predators.

Gambel’s Quail Nesting Stats
Eggs10 – 14
Incubation21 days
Nestling PhaseFollow Adults after Hatching
Broods1 most common / sometimes 2

Females typically lay between 10 and 14 eggs, which are incubated for approximately 21 days.

During this time, both the male and female will take turns incubating the eggs and protecting the nest from predators.

After the eggs hatch, the chicks begin following the adults, who will continue to brood the chicks.

https://www.wild-bird-watching.com/gambel’s-quail-habits.html

Here’s a video of the babies with a parent:

What signs of Spring are you enjoying in your neighborhood?

Red and the Mrs.

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I was thrilled to catch the lovebirds, Red and Mrs., spending time with each other yesterday morning. They appear quite cozy together, but I have a tough time trying to get their photo. I can take their photos separately, but even though they are spending more and more time together, as soon as I raise the camera they fly off out of sight.

Yesterday, my settings made the photo too dark. I have a habit of picking up my camera first thing in the morning, without noticing how I left the settings the day before. But with a little lightening and brightening, the photo looked better.

Now that Spring is in the air, I hope to see some little Reds along with baby quail. On the Next Door app for my area, people are posting videos of baby quail already. They are so adorable the way they follow in a line behind mom and dad.

I’ve noticed quail always come in pairs and like Cardinals, they mate for life. I wonder how common that is in bird land?

Two photos of Red and Mrs. — not together — but not far apart:

What do you notice in your area that tells you Spring is in the air?