Al Larson Photography

Here’s another photo of a chipmunk. These guys keep interupting my breakfast begging to be photographed. I have my breakfast at the counter where I can view the bird feeders outside. It looks like this little fellow has his breakfast tucked away in his cheeks. I think he will find a place to stash the cheek-load then scurry back to the feeding area for another helping.  Chipmunks, squirrels and jays greedily scoop up birdseed into their cheeks or gullets then cache them for future consumption. This quickly depletes the food at the feeders The downside to this activity is that the birds that consume the seeds at the feeder are left hungry the rest of the day.

This is a view through my kitchen window. The light seemed just right so I just had to break out the camera and snap a picture. There are several species of chipmunk in Idaho. I think that this one is the Least Chipmunk. It seems as though I have more of these critters than birds coming to the bird feeding area. Sometimes there are at least a dozen of them in sight at one time.

These are apparently some species of yellowjacket. These insects do not have a wasp-like body so I call them yellowjackets. They have built their paper nest on a bluebird nest. The bluebird nestlings have long since abandoned their natal home so the insects did not interupt anything. During active bluebird nesting I generally don’t have a problem with stinging insects. However should a wasp, yellowjacket, bee or hornet occupy a box before a bird moves in the bird avoids the box. This is why it is always a good plan to check the box frequently at the beginning of the nesting season. I much prefer bluebirds over insects!

On the 18th 0f September I glanced out of the front room window and saw a flurry of birds about the nestbox in the yard. There were possibly six birds making a fuss over the box. I wasn’t fast enough to get it all on camera. I managed to capture this photo of a Western Bluebird and two Cassin’s Finch. There had been possibly 3 bluebids and 3 finch in the flock. I find it interesting that other species often seem interested in a bluebird’s activities around a nestbox.

Western Bluebirds nested in this box last June. The box has remained vacant since then. Often during fall migeration I’ve noticed bluebirds briefly checking out a nestbox. I’ve often wondered if these curious birds were the ones that nested there or were they a different group of birds checking out a future nest site for next Spring? They didn’t hang around long enough for me to study them. After a few brief moments the birds moved on. Whatever they were up to they surely made my day!