Another Great Standoff

Mostly blue skies all day.

“Put down that camera and top off the jug, Paparazzo!”

The great jug standoff.

I thought this was a cute little Tit, but my Bird ID said it’s a Canyon Towhee.

“I see you don’t know your Tits from a Towhee! Stupid Paparazzo!”

“It’s like, Duh!”

Plum blossoms.

Honeybee on plum blossoms

One of many tree roots of all evil lying in wait to trip people running in the bosque was calling Brian’s name. “¿Dónde está Brian? ¡Ven y tropieza conmigo!”

Vacation Is For The Birds

Juncoku
Hops from branch to branch
Looking out for predators
There’s a Cooper’s hawk

Hawku
Perched on iron arch
It sees prey over yonder
Oops, prey flew away

Sparrowku
Like a ball of fluff
Imitating angry bird
Winter is so cold

Towheeku
On the river’s edge
Dining on Russian Olives
Big seed to swallow

Craneku
Oh, they want to fight
Bumping bird breasts, flapping wings
They showed each other

Cold Color

9ºF (-12.8ºC) at Dawn

Tommy Towhee puffed at 17ºF (-8.3ºC)

Crow and Clouds

Sunset at 17ºF (-8.3ºC) looking north on the levee

A bit of cold color through the trees looking west

Sliver moon at dusk

Wasp In Winter

Wasp? Did I hear you say Wasp in winter?

Tristan found this wasp with her wings tucked under her while we were setting up for Reyes. Tristan put the wasp in a container with some honey to see how long she will last. The wasp may be an old lady since she was found snuggled up by herself in one of our cushions on the deck.

Towhees toodling together in Dr. Huey.

Tabatha Towhee Gets Some Grub

Tabatha Towhee was scratching around in the leaves a few feet in front of me getting some grub at sunset.

She had a real beak full before she flew off. I presume she is feeding wee tiny towhees close by.

Owlets backlit with Sleepy and Mona Lisa back in the hole.

Copper and white iris

Mama Owl catching a catnap while waiting for Daddy Owl to bring dinner.

The rose that took over. It’s a free, free-range rose that is freely ranging over the arch and fence next to where I park my car.

North view last night

InCatation

Eye of Spunk.

Claws of owl.

“Mad Dog” from rear view of Robbin.

Not Even Sparrow looking coy.

Towhee mooning setting sun.

pTerodactyl basking in light of dusk.

Reflecting water Muskrat ponders.

Happy Valentine’s Day From The Birds

 The pTerodactyl posed perfectly in the Tangle Heart Tree for Valentine’s Day.

Miss Stripy Sparrow

Mama Owl

Sparky Sparrow

Daddy Owl snoozing at sunrise.

A congregation of cranes at dawn.

Tommee Towhee

Cranes celebrating the frosty sunrise.

The other side of Miss Stripy Sparrow.

A pTerodactyl takeoff.

A silly duck on takeoff.

“¡Hasta la huego you silly goose!”

As a thunderstorm blew in this evening lots of crows were flying all around us.

Top of The Tangle heart pTerodactyl Tommee Towhee morning To ya

“What’s that title? Alliteration on steroids?”

“Hey! Paparazzo! Incoming!”

“There’s the Tangle Heart Tree.”

“Here goes. Geronimo!”

Tree got in the way.

Nice landing. “Thanks!”

pTerodactyl on the Tangle Heart Tree.

Is that a branch or are you happy to see me?

“It’s a branch, Paparazzo. Get your mind out of the drainage ditch!”

“Oops! Don’t mind me. Just flying by.”

Tommee Towhee was hopping from branch to branch having Russian olives for breakfast.

A quarter moon with Swiss crater-style cheese, please. 25.4% waning crescent February 6, 2021.

Alpaca la Mañana Tuya

Dawn this morning

The morning started off mostly cloudy, and clouds blew around overhead all day long producing some interesting skies. In the late afternoon, we had dramatic pre-storm light. It’s overcast and raining this evening, so no moonshot tonight.

“¡Hola! Buenos Días. Me llamo Cara de Calavera (Skull Face).”

Blanca: “¿Qúe pasa? Cara de Calavera.” Cara de Calavera: “Hay un paparazzo en el dique.”

Blanca: “Oye paparazzo, ¿qué pasa?”  Me: “¡Disparándote con mi Bazooka!”

Wild morning sky

Susan Hunter identified this bird as a Song Sparrow. It was foraging on the river’s edge.

Pre-storm dramatic light on the cottonwoods.

Robin

Another Robin

And yet another Robin.

How many robins can you find in this tree?

Pre-storming

The many faces of Tommee Towhee.

The Lonesome Dove

Mama Owl and Daddy Owl trying to get some rest after a night of really hooting it up.

Towhee Troll

010o5883
Towhee Troll: “Who’s that clomping along my trail?” Paparazzo: “It’s only I, a mild mannered paparazzo!”

010o5885
Towhee Troll: “What’s the pass phrase PAPARAZZO?” Paparazzo: “Hmmm? Good question. How about ‘I’m a lot bigger than you’?”

010o5891
Towhee Troll” “@$&#*£∂©å¥ paparazzo! Close enough. Pass on by.” Paparazzo: “Thank you Mr. Towhee Troll.”