with Christmas being the nicer day, at least in the weather department. There was even a little bit of sunshine! Of course that also meant there were more people out walking, so less in the way of birds although this Great Blue Heron didn't seem the least bit perturbed by people walking by.
both the bird and the sunshine cooperated to provide one of the better heron photos I've taken! There were quite a few swans out there, again sounding suspiciously like Tundra's but too far away to tell for sure. Not a lot of eagles, probably due to all the activity. There was a large flock of Golden-crowned Kinglets in one spot but that was about it.
as we headed home, spotted the pair of Eurasian Doves on our roof. There just seems to be the one pair around this winter although there are a bunch not that far away over in Kilby.
and even though this isn't a great photo, I do have to post it because having Anna's Hummingbirds around at Christmas is still a novelty. This is one of last years young, there is a female coming to our feeder as well as a couple of young. Haven't seen the male for a little while now but I'm sure he is around somewhere.
Today, Boxing Day, hasn't been quite so nice weather wise, although still dry....
hard to see but there is snow on the tops of all the surrounding mountains making it look a bit more like one expects it to look in winter.
these are just some of the Mallard ducks that were in the log bay as we approached. There were also a couple of female Hooded Merganser with them, but missed getting a picture. Lot's of ducks of all sorts out there, also swans, counted over 30 of them scattered about out on the water and confirmed....
that they are indeed Tundra Swans.
This shot shows quite clearly the yellow on the bill up close by the eye.
Probably, because the weather was so dull and cold we had the park to ourselves today and were the birds reveling in that! I don't think I have ever seen as many Song Sparrows, Fox Sparrows and Spotted Towhee at one time as I did today. They were everywhere!
at one spot there is a small Pacific Choke Cherry tree that still had a little bit of fruit on it and there was a steady stream of birds coming and picking what was left. Here a Spotted Towhee....
here, although it is hard to see, a Song Sparrow had a mouthful....all proof of the importance of leaving our native trees and shrubs to grow and flourish....something I've stressed over and over!
Of course I'd better end off with a
Bald Eagle....this one a juvenile....we seem to be getting into the time of year when you see more young ones than adults although there are still quite a few of both still around.
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