nor by my active presence on the back deck, Sharpie is becoming a dependable daily visitor to the feeding stations. Good hunting.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).
Having enormous patience...
for the right opportunity and fast off the mark, this tiny hawk is quite tolerant of my presence nearby while it hunts around the house for unsuspecting prey. One of these days I’ll capture the actual strike on its target.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).
Click on image to embiggen.
Adding a bit more insulation...
to the winter nest as nighttime temperatures fall below freezing.
Female House Sparrow (Passer domesticus).
Meanwhile, another flashy little sparrow works the feeding station.
Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis).
In constant orbit around the house...
while patrolling the various feeding stations, this bird of prey knows where the Horn of Plenty occurs in Castle Valley.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).
Seemingly constantly hungover...
with its bloodshot red eyes, this large, striking sparrow is one of my favorites at the feeding station.
Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus).
Look who's lurking in the rabbitbrush...
with its head on a swivel, scanning for a free meal this afternoon. This is the second pass today at the fly through buffet.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).
Note the different sized pupils, or anisocoria, due to the difference in lighting.
The latest addition to the guest list...
at the feeding stations this season is the usually melodic Western Meadowlark, though not very vocal this time of year as they are in the spring. But always dressed smartly for dinner.
Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta).
A powerful symbol...
in mythology and folklore, this large and intelligent bird is checking out the feeding station this sunny afternoon. Quite the handsome bird.
Common Raven (Corvus corax).
Creepy: The nictitating membrane is a transparent or translucent third eyelid, caught in the closed position over the eye in this high-speed image.
Rabbitbrush seeds are on the menu...
for breakfast this frosty morning.
American Goldfinch (Spinus tristis).
In a blur of motion...
this young bird of prey failed to strike its intended target that fled into the saltbush. It’s using my feeding stations to hone its hunting skills and I’ve got my camera ready.
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus).
Supervising my early outdoor chores...
from high in a cottonwood tree.
Common Raven (Corvus corax).
Tiny bundles of hyperactive energy...
forage in the ponderosa pine forest, announcing their presence with high-pitched peeps. They’re very tiny and very charming birds.
Pygmy Nuthatch (Sitta pygmaea).
Sprinkler baths are the best...
and these Crossbills fully enjoy playing in the splashing water.
Red Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra), adult female on left, adult male on right.
Immature male Crossbill.
Immature female Crossbill.
Small aggregations of geese...
are forming on area wetland ponds, relaxing, bathing and preening in advance of their seasonal migration. It’s a trigger for my seasonal migration, too.
Canada Geese (Branta canadensis).
The matriarch of a small flock...
of Wild Turkeys maintains oversight of her brood as she relaxes and slowly explores the territory around the house.
Female Wild Turkey (Meleagris gallopavo).
A small but powerful woodpecker...
likes to glean insects on the ponderosa pines and is frequently observed visiting the bird bath, washing down its meal of wood-boring insects with a drink of water.
Male Hairy Woodpecker (Dryobates villosus).
This well-adapted beak...
allows this finch to effortlessly pry open conifer seed cones. These chatty and colorful birds are fairly common in the woodlands of eastern Washington.
Adult male Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra).
That’s quite the underbite.
The intensity of the iridescence...
of certain bird feathers is governed by the angle of incidence of refracted light as it passes through the micro-structure of the feather barbules. The richness of the glow changes quickly and results in a shimmering effect often seen in hummingbirds. Here’s one at rest at the sugar reservoir giving me the evil eye.
Female or juvenile Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri).
Getting the underside of the wings washed...
during an opportunistic bath in the sprinkler spray. It’s a poorly lit image but the behavior was fun to observe.
Soggy Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri).
A broad range of habitats...
is enjoyed by this hummingbird, from the high desert of Utah to the high country of Colorado, to the ponderosa pine forests of eastern Washington and beyond.
Black-chinned Hummingbird (Archilochus alexandri), either a female or immature male.