Miserable, but good, start to the month….

What an absolutely horrible, wet day to start the month of June!  I had planned to venture over to the park, just to get a solid base for June activity but not in this weather – however, as it turns out, it was a very good day and I got plenty for today’s posting, right here at home…

We’ll start off with the water level report – yup!  it is coming up…

it is past the marker post and inching towards the first ‘mark’ on the post.  Traditionally we reach high water about the 2nd week of June….imagine it will be later this year with all this cool weather…

There were Cedar Waxwings down in by the boat launch – a pair nested in this area last year so perhaps are going to do so again…

There had to be at least a dozen Bullock’s Orioles down there today…above is a female…

and here is another female…the only male photo wasn’t worth posting!  There were also Barn Swallows swooping in and out of our gazebo as they like to nest in the rafters…

on the way home I spotted this American Robin sitting on a nest…

there she is – I walk past this particular shrub several times every day but today was the first day I spotted the nest…

Not far away another Robin parent was busy gathering food in the now pouring rain (it had let up for a minute)…

at home I was excited this morning to have a family of Black-capped Chickadees come to the feeder – this is one of the fledgling – unfortunately the other pictures didn’t turn out – it was so dark and wet at the time – hopefully they’ll be back.

also today I was surprised to see this Gold-crowned Sparrow – I don’t think I’ve ever seen a Gold-crowned Sparrow still around this time of the year – maybe they think it is still winter!! (photo taken through my double paned windows as it was POURING at the time)

Out back I thought I might have a Chestnut backed Chickadee family, but turns out it was mom and dad busy gathering food….obviously there is a nest around and the babies should show up soon.

In fact here is a list of the birds I’ve seen in my yard so far today:  White-crowned Sparrow; Black Capped Chickadee with fledglings; Black-headed Grosbeaks (lots); Brown Headed Cowbirds (lots); Band Tail Pigeons (I’m surprised they are still here); Rufous Hummingbirds; Steller’s Jays; American Goldfinch (lots); Dark-eyed Junco; Spotted Towhee; Red-Wing Blackbird (2 males); House Finch; Purple Finch; American Robins; Gold-crowned Sparrow; Chestnut backed Chickadees.