Al Larson Photography

Imagine my surprise this morning when I glanced out the kitchen window and saw this little guy. It was making itself at home near the area where I feed birds. It seemed to be interested in the nearby Steller’s Jay and juncos but never made a pass at any of them while I was watching. The white coat of the ermine is the winter dress for weasels. Weasels sometime raid my bluebird boxes during nesting season, kill and eat adult birds, nestlings and eggs. “All around the chicken coop the monkey chased the weasel.”

Here is a night photo, shot in my backyard. The spotlight highlights the bridge, oak tree and the ornamental windmill. No filters were used. The warm sepia hue is probably due to the incandescent  spotlight. If you look closely you will see animal tracks all through the new fallen snow. Several elk had been carousing around the yard a short time earlier.

I passed by this parking lot at Hillside road and Old Hwy. 55 and saw this flock of gulls. I just had to stop and get a picture, several in fact. I stitched 4 of them together for this panarama. My question is: How many birds are there?

This little Western Bluebird fledgling has been out of the nest less than a day. It is one of five that fledged on this day. The sixth one fledged the following morning. Out in the world for the first time and will not return to the nest again. The youngsters disperse closeby until they have practiced better flight. The parents keep track of the little ones as they leave the nest. This one found refuge near the base of a plum tree in the yard. They are still dependent on the parents for another 21-28 days. They may flock together in a family group and may join other families in their fall migration.

I never cease to be amazed when I see a bird approach their nest box. They never crash into the side of the box but gracefully land at the entrance. Sometimes they seemingly fly directly into the box with hardly a pause. Othertimes they grasp the edge of the entrance, hang by their feet and brace their bodies with their tails against the box. The best time to observe bird activities at the nest is after the eggs hatch and until the nestlings fledge. Once the bluebird nestlings fledge they take up residence elsewhere. However, should the parents decide on a second brood the fledglings may stay in the area. They have been known to sometimes assist their parents feed the new siblings. I’ve also seen them coaxing their younger brothers and sisters to come out at time of fledging.