This is my maiden voyage with the new computer and putting together a blog with pictures. So far it hasn't helped my spelling, but it is really fast.
While I was trying to think of what to put into the blog, I was reminded of a time that my friend Nancy and I took a walk up Mount San Jacinto from the top of the Tram. Especially at this time of year it is such a nice hike. The weather is a good 30 degrees cooler, but still bright and sunny. You literally go from triple digit heat, (today is a cool 104), to low 80's or even the 70's. You go from hot sand under foot with an occasional cactus, to loamy dirt trails, in amongst the tall pine trees and that great Christmas smell. A nice retreat during the summer. Then we who live here can return to the desert floor and get into the pool, a nice day.
Well, Nancy and I ride the Tram to the top, then hike one of the popular trails around a large meadow, where we see Violet-Green Swallows, Blue Jays, and Crows. We are talking and looking, and just generally enjoying our time in the cool mountain air, when a small group of men find us and holding their map ahead of them, ask for directions. They have wandered farther than they had planned and were not sure of the trail they were on. Nancy and I try to be helpful and start to look at their map. It just so happened that a pair of Clark's Nutcrackers landed in a small gully nearby and I saw them. So, in mid-sentence I call out "Clark's Nutcrackers!" and rush off. Nancy takes just a second to explain, "We're birders..." and she is in hot pursuit. We put them in the binoculars and watch as they flash in and out of the scrub brush and fallen tree branches, then fly off. I look up to see four men staring blank faced.
Nancy helps them out and they quickly say their thanks, and wander off, with a couple glances our way. We saw them later near the top where you can look out over the entire valley and they pretended they didn't see us. Unfortunately, this isn't the first time this has happened to me, and probably won't be the last. But I am trying and getting better at controlling my outbursts.
For example, we are sitting with friends in the house the other day. They are nice people and the conversation was fun. However, outside I watch as an Oriole flashes past the back door, and my heart jumps. But, I didn't jump up and charge into the back yard like I wanted to. I sat and nodded and smiled, while I hoped the oriole would return when these people left. They are transient to our area, and we only see them a couple weeks at a time, so it is always fun to see them in their glory when they come to our hummingbird feeders or to fruit I put out for them. (They like oranges or grapefruits).
So, today while I was in the back yard starting up the barbecue, I heard a different bird call, and looked around. I saw my oriole sitting in my palm tree. I was able to see and photograph a Hooded Oriole, (Icterus cucullatus), as he sat long enough for me to start the barbecue, go inside and recover my camera, change lenses, then come out and take some photos. He was very cooperative. I will probably receive a bill later. :)
(This is my most cooperative oriole. He was visiting while I barbecued. Glad I didn't have chicken on the grill this day, could've been ugly.)
While barbecuing I saw three different species of doves at my feeders. So, while the camera was out, and I was waiting for the meat to cook, I took some photos to compare the three birds.
(These are two of the three species of dove that regularly come to visit our feeders. The one on the left is a Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura), they are the birds that make that mournful call you probably hear outside. The one on the left is a White-winged Dove (Zenaida asiatica). Notice the very white feathers on the front of the wings and more red legs.)
(This shows the White-winged Dove with a Eurasian Collared-Dove (Streptopelia decaocto). Notice the lighter color of the Eurasian Collared-Dove, and the black half-ring around it's neck, or collar. I like the red eyes.) So, You might be a bird nerd if you are talking to friends and... oh! look an oriole!
