Pecking Order

Song - Blue Jay Imitating Red Shoulder Hawk Call

The crows have been taking over our little neighborhood for the last few months.....and I don't like it!

On Sunday there must of been about 25 of them flying overhead and landing in our trees. Just at the point of peak noise, a hawk flew low across our patio and deck and headed straight toward them! He did it about four times and we figured that he was just trying to retake his favorite lookout tree near the creek.

He/She has a nest in the Oak trees above our driveway.  When we went to get in the car later that evening, Mr. B noticed an adolescent hawk dead on the driveway beneath the nest.  That must of been what the attack was all about.

I don't really like the hawks because they kill my songbirds and doves but they are majestic birds and have amazing life energy.

The other day I heard a hawk in the bushes while I was out watering the garden and as he hopped onto the deck railing I noticed that he wasn't a hawk at all but a Steller Jay!  I had heard that they sometimes mimic other birds but I don't remember hearing one before.  It was spot on! If you listened to the "song" above you will see what I mean.

On Saturday we had a little Green Heron on the dead trees near the creek. Those dead trees sure do attract a lot of birds! Luckily Mr. B & I were reading on the back deck and spotted him.

 He paused long enough for me to run inside to get my camera and tripod. He was looking up and down the length of the creek.

He observed the moon for awhile........

Then flew off for other adventures.......

We have had a couple of Spotted Towhee's in our side lawn area and although I have not had the opportunity to photograph them yet, they look a lot like this grosbeak above.

When I do get a good photo I will share it with you. 

 Meanwhile, right over our front door I have been noticing a lot of debris and assumed it was our gardener who blows the front porch weekly. But several days ago when we come in or out of the house, we have noticed a bird flying away from the area and looking up......there is a little nest on a two-inch piece of molding above the door. 

Hi little Mama Bird - just what made you pick that spot? 

She is welcome to it for a few weeks.  I have now posted notes inside and out to use other doors if possible.

 Just this morning as I was filling my bird feeders I spotted a Snowy Egret down in the creek looking for something to eat.....

He wasn't too sure about me hanging out and snapping photos of him so he slowly.....

....gracefully....walked further down the creek where he could eat in private!

"Something opens our wings.  

Something makes boredom and hurt disappear.  

Someone fills the cup in front of us. 

We taste only sacredness."  

--Rumi

Under the Boardwalk

Song - Stars & Stripes Forever by the U.S. Marine Band

For the Fourth of July we headed down to Santa Cruz for a few days but it didn't look like the above picture......

It looked more like this! PACKED!

Luckily we were a few miles away in the Redwood Forest.

Painting, reading, walking and relaxing.  It was incredible weather and we ate dinner on the deck every night.

We brought our guard dog Mika with us!

There was a parade down our little lane that began with the new fire truck blowing its siren.

Followed by the old fire truck blowing its rickety old siren.

Followed by kids young and old.

 

People decorated their cars, trucks, golf carts, bikes, strollers, skateboards and shoes.  Anything that moved.  Mr. B and I just parked our lawn chairs in front of our cabin and ate our lunch while waving to the parade going by.

Heckle and Jeckle were in the tree nearby, cheering on the crowd! Every morning we would wake to them making a weird clacking sound. Apparently it is the noise of dominate females.  They sounded just like the bushmen tribe in "The Gods Must be Crazy".

 

Later in the day we took a drive to Lighthouse Point to watch the surfers but there were few waves and even fewer surfers. 

People were enjoying their Fourth out on the water.

And on the wild rides at the Boardwalk.  We got caught in a major traffic jam so I was able to take plenty of photos from the car.

How often do you think they inspect those bolts????





"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family 
picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flied die from happiness.  You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism." -- Erma Bombeck

In Flight

Song - Fly Like an Eagle by the Steve Miller Band

Titmouse

Right after I took the photo in my last post (of Baby Huey - the extra large baby Mourning Dove) my beloved camera died.  Just stopped working - suddenly.  I had two full batteries and I tried them both but she was a goner. 

Female House Finch

I was devastated and felt lost.  It's like going somewhere without a purse or cell phone.  You know you will survive but it's a little unsettling.

Crow

So last week I knew I would have to take it to our local camera store to be repaired - it took me three days to adjust to the idea of being without a camera for awhile.  The man at the store was very helpful and quoted me repair prices and length of time I would be "camera less". 


SIX WEEKS! 

Chickadee

But right now I can hear you saying "But Jeanette, how did you get all of these photo's that you are inserting in your blog?" Well......

American Goldfinch

......the helpful camera man told me that for just a few dollars more than the cost of the repair, I could get a whole new camera body that all of my old lenses would fit on. 

Yes!  They were having a SALE!

Green Hummingbird that is imitating an Oak leaf

Be still my heart!  You mean I could walk out of this store with a new working camera? 


What a concept! 



A store that sells cameras!!!

A Hawk that was chased up into this tree by that little Hummingbird!

Now I have to tell you that part of me felt guilty, as my old camera was only four and a half years old.  And it feels very un-ecological of me to not repair my ailing camera but then I would of had an outdated camera that still had a lot of worn parts.  Kind of like putting a new engine in a 1967 Volkswagen - there are still other parts of the car to be considered. 

Titmouse & House Finch

Weighing all of this information while holding a bright shiny new camera was a little like holding a new puppy.  Hard to put down (maybe just one more sniff of puppy breath).


I was a goner......

Forgive me world - I purchased the new camera!

You WHAT?

Yup, I did. 

I could hardly wait the three hours to charge the new batteries before I could start rapid firing my new partner in crime.


And I have to say, I am loving her!

THE END