Nest Building Help

Robin & Cedar Waxwings at backyard birdbath

Poor little Robin lost his post while trying to get a drink of water.   

Cedar Waxwings

 We have a backyard full of majestic cedar waxwings today. Notice the perfect yellow marking on each bird's tail. Nature is a wonderful thing. :)  
 (Sorry for the blurriness.) 

 Notice their little top notches. Sometimes they are vertical then they rise.  

 Cedar Waxwing Sound - Click here

They all flew to the top of our deck umbrella before landing on the bird bath. 

Happy Valentine's Day

To all my Backyard Birder Friends around the World:

Click Here for Hummingbird songs

The GREAT Backyard Bird Count

It's that time of year for the Great Backyard Bird Count.

 February 13 - February 16, 2015. 
This is a great science project for You, Kids or Grand Kids.

 (Maybe extra school credit or show and tell)

For more information, go to

Audubon-Great Backyard Bird Count Information click here

Beautiful Day in Southern California

It's a BEAUTIFUL clear sunny day in SoCal OC. 
So clear, the Good Year Blimp decided to take a tour out here. 
Every bird you can imagine is out in our little wild bird habitat. Here are just a few.
Hope you all are having a great day!.

 Good Year Blimp enjoying the great views of the day.

Juvenile Cooper's Hawk, Cooper's Hawk Call click here...

Female - Western Bluebird, Western Bluebird Calls, click here

American Gold Finch - Male on left, Female on right.
 American gold finch sounds click here

Bewick's Wren  Click here for their sound

White Crowned Sparrow  Click here for their sound

Male- Western Bluebird (for sound click above on Female bluebird)

Mocking bird
Click here for Mocking Bird sounds

Spice Finch or Nutmeg Mannikin ( no sound sample)

Song Sparrow  Song Sparrow sounds click here

Mourning Dove  Mourning Dove Sounds click here

California Towhee Towhee sounds

Male- Dark eyed junco
Junco sounds click here

Southern Cal Eagles

13 Bald Eagles are tallied at area Lakes in Southern California 

Thirteen bald eagles were spotted during an organized count at sites across Southern California last weekend.

The U.S. Forest Services says bald eagles commonly migrate south to spend their winter vacations around the region's lakes.

More than 100 eagle-eyed volunteers and agency staff participated in the count at six lakes on Saturday.

Two adult and two juvenile eagles were seen at Lake Silverwood; two adults and one juvenile were observed at Big Bear Lake; and two adults were spotted at both Lake Hemet and Lake Arrowhead. Lake Perris and Lake Gregory had one adult apiece. 

(Tues., Jan 13, 2015, OC Register, News 7)

Assist in feeding birds. It helps!

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Nesting Box Camera

Researching outdoor mounted video cameras for this next nesting season.
Anyone with information about a good camera they could recommend, please email me at garden_gal101@sbcglobal.net 

Would like to get this on video:

Create a backyard habitat

You don't need a yard to create a backyard habitat. 
......You could hang a simple hummingbird feeder on a condo deck. If you are concerned about clean-up, buy some shell-free bird seed.
I guarantee, you will be entertained, it adds so much joy to your day.

Hear an Anna's Hummingbird Sing, Click Here

  Creating a backyard habitat? 
  Click here






Hummingbird nest with eggs compared to a quarter in size.

Male Bluebird looking for a 'hand-out'

Knock, knock, knock, peck, peck!   "More meal worms please."

Free App - Merlin Bird Identification

This is so exciting to me!  

Check out the Merlin bird identification app from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology.  You can use it to identify birds you see, answer simple questions such as when and where you saw the bird and what it looked like. Then, browse photos to find your match and even hear what it sounds like.   Learn more here:

Merlin Bird Identifier App

Visit your local Mountains

I visited the most amazing place today in our local San Bernardino National Forest. It was the Wildhaven Ranch - San Bernardino Mountains Wildlife Society. 

It's a place where you can see mountain wildlife up close and personal while getting  a great education about the animals and how they help our environment.

 Visit here:    Wildhaven Ranch - non profit 

Crow vs Raven Identification

Some of you were interested in knowing the difference between a crow and a raven. Here is an educational Cornell Lab ornithology video. We have remarkable animals and incredible things on our planet.

Even crows and ravens have remarkable beauty. 

Cornell Ornithology - Crow vs Raven Identification

Video


One more differentiating video to watch

Identify Female House Finch vs Pine Siskin

House Finch

House Finch - Adult Female

• Larger and stockier than Pine Siskin
• Thicker, conical bill
• No wing bars
• No yellow coloration on wings or tail

Pine Siskin Adult

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•  Pine Siskin - Adult
• Small, streaky finch
• Brown streaks darkest and most dense on breast
• Very slender, sharply-pointed bill
• Bright yellow on folded wings

Owl Web Cams - Starr Ranch Orange County, Ca.

   Click here>>>Barn Owl Web Cams


The owls are especially busy eating from dusk to dawn. The parents bring them rodents to eat. See nature at some of its best.

11/9/2014 Follow-up note, The owlettes have fledged their tree nesting cavity for some time now. There is occasional activity, but the little ones are gone.

California Drought - Water Wise Responsible

Conservation-

Water rationing is in the first stage alert for the Yorba Linda Water District Service Areas. 
In an effort to reserve water, I'm limiting the water intake to many of our backyard bird habitat yard plants. The plants are alive, however, it's looking somewhat brown and dry around here and not its best, but the plants are alive for the birds to have cover. Once the drought is over, (Did I hear this is the first couple years of a 12 year drought?) I'll increase the water a bit or plant back what doesn't make it. At this time, we'll keep only the bird bath full of water, a couple hummingbird feeders and some mealworms for the bluebirds.  These triple digit heat days aren't helping either.  UGH!  

Perhaps it's time to look at converting to a Xeriscape for the birds.  For us, I'm liking this idea more and more.

Follow-up to June 13th Post

I'm happy to report that all five eggs hatched that day from the June 13th post earlier this year. The five teenage birds are healthy and happy returning for mealworms and water now and then.

Another Great White Egret Visit

Egret looking for lizards in our front yard. In the picture post below, neighbors Jane and Janice have a a visitor also. I wonder if it's the same guy.  

                                    EGRET SOUND CLICK HERE

Great White Egret Visits Neighborhood

This Great White Egret seems to love the lizards in neighbors Jane and Janice's yards. They are such majestic creatures. 

                                      EGRET SOUND CLICK HERE

Backyard Habitat Award - 1st Place

............and so after 6 months of judging from the State, The California Garden Clubs, Inc. (CGCI) awarded our backyard the 1st place, Blue Ribbon Award for Backyard Habitat 2013. I entered in January 2014 thanks to GOOD FRIENDS Julie Horn, Pres./Del Norte Garden Club who was 'very' 'very' 'very' did I say 'very' persuasive for two years insisting I apply and Robbie Hill who is always so supportive with my nature craziness.

A second clutch of bluebird eggs now hatching

Many times the female bluebirds will lay a second clutch of eggs soon after her first batch has fledged.
Here is the second clutch now hatching. 6:30 p.m.

 

Successful Fledge

All the Baby Bluebirds fledged successfully this morning. I miss them but oh the trees are full of chatter. :) 

Baby Bluebird's - Season 2014

Bluebird eggs

Total bluebird eggs were 5.
More pictures coming soon.

Bluebird Eggs for another season, Spring 2014......

Mrs. Bluebird has been very busy the last five days. Her first egg was laid on April 22 and one egg each day to date April 26. Let's see if she lays a 6th tomorrow. It would be exceptional.

Beautiful Photography - Local Birds by Ashish R. of Yorba Linda

 Red Tailed Hawk - Yorba Linda

Red Shouldered Hawk - Yorba Linda 

 Audubon Warbler - Yorba Linda

 Black Phoebe Flycatcher - Yorba Linda

 Black Headed Grosbeak - Yorba Linda

 California Towhee - Yorba Linda

 Male House Finch feeding Female House Finch

 Female and Male House Finches

Hummingbird - Yorba Linda