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MORE FIRSTS ON THE SECOND
At Minto-Brown, in the rain, this morning, the year’s first Great Egret, kingfisher and Hooded Mergansers. In our Salem garden: White-throated Sparrow, turkeys, Varied Thrush, Lesser Goldfinches.First...
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7-11
The chubby but energetic tree squirrels were all feasting on the “birdseed” late this morning. Sevben in the front garden. Four more in the bck to total 11. From Irwland comes the concept of...
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WHITE NIGHT AND COLD DAWN
It was 19 degrees F when I got out of bed at 7AM today. Outdoors the ground, grass, leaves, fence and pavement were all covered with pure white. By 730 it was precipitating, something between sleet...
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AI VS. SI?
This image is from a “smart” feeder cam belonging to my friend, Michael Lund. The camera tells him it is a Black-capped Chickadee. That’s the AI, trying to inform SI (Sapiens intelligence). Now I am...
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ON THICK ICE
Turkeys made their first post-snow return to our garden, gobbling up everything edible. But not gobbling vocally, silent, feathers fluffed for highest possible insulation value, wasting zero energy on...
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VISITORS WELCOME ON A COLD WINTER DAY
Neighbors who’ve been calling on Albert Ryckman and his wife at their home in Albany: That Anna’s is a female, the Lesser Goldfinch is a male.A JOURNAL OF OUR DAY IN SOUTH SALEM Jan. 16, 2024...
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MUDDO-BROWN PARK, SALEM
The water level is high and the sloughs overflowing at Minto-Brown Park. August grasslands now encompass several acres of floodwater, deep enough to suit Bufflehead which are diving ducks. Meanwhile...
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EIGHT WHO ATE
Most days I don’t see more than seven squirrels in the same area at one time. This morning there were eight in our back garden at once. All chasing and swallowing seeds as fast as possible and...
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CORVID CAFE
Crows and both local jay species were and in and out of our garden a lot today, even more than when the ground was snow-covered.We had a rich species mix today–waxwings, Varied Thrush, starling, both...
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EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
These bold, perceptive eyes were near Tom Carey’s home in Lake Oswego today. Meet Merlin the Magician, with hunting skills that only seem like magic. Little is visible that this bird doesn’t behold....
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RAIN DIDN’T WASH THE BIRDS AWAY
Our friend, Terry Dale, is a Los Angeles photographer. Here’s one of her favorite neighbors having a cactus snack: The diner is a mockingbird, naturally. Click on any image for full screen view. NEW...
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LOOK INTO THE GOLDEN EYE
SUNDAY UPDATE: Aroung 2pm the Common Goldeneye pair were still on the slough, no sighting of the Barrow’s loner. There was a very happy surprise at Minto-Brown Park this morning. Lexi got her usual...
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BUSHTWITS KNOW HOW TO WIN
Size matters, but so does group action. Our ancestors would never have survived at the waterhole if they had been organized and armed. Bushtits might never get to the suet if they didn’t gang up....
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SOME BEAUTY, SOME DUTY
BEAUTY FIRST GARDEN DUTY This is the season when it is the duty of ducks to pair off. Here at Capitol Lake: Click on first image to see pair of snoozing Lesser Scaup. MINTO-BROWN Amazon–the damage...
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TODAY’S LOOKERS
I’m looking at them; they’re looking at me, or just looking around. MALE FLICKER GAMBIA Photos provided by Albert Ryckman: Above: Gambian Starling; Hamerkop; Hooded Vulture trio; Lapwing; Lapwing;...
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SNOW BIRDS
As snow fell five adult male turkeys came into our garden to eat. Soon the flakes were covering their outer feathers, and they withdrew, likely beneath some protective conifers nearby. Arrival about...
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LOOK WHAT THE STORM BROUGHT IN
Mr. Redwing flew into our garden around 1030AM. Went to the seed cylinder, ate a little, then flew off. This was surprising, unforeseen, a record-breaker. There are no catttails nor any marsh within a...
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WEATHERING THE WEATHER
We don’t have ten feet of snow like Tahoe, nor baked cattle in the field like north Texas, but we have had a flurry of weather changes…snow, rain, wind and rain, graupel, more sun., leaden skies, rain...
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ONE TOM, NO TOM-TOM
This single tom has been the only turkey in our garden the past three days. When I respond with food he gobbles his gratitude, or perhaps it’s fooditude in his dialect of Turkish. Another recent...
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MOST ELEGANT
Click on any image for full-screen version. These were emailed to me by my friend, Larry Shushan, who lives in San Diego. I will never see an Elegant Tern in my garden here in Salem. These guys were...
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