Last Friday, which involved both dental surgery and the latest chapter in my continuing legal nightmare, it occurred to me that maybe continuing to go to the office every day is not something that I am willing to do. On Sunday I watched these little Gambel’s Quail chicks take the leap across the gap of my garden gate, and I realized that this morning I too need to make a leap of faith and return to work.
Get Ready
Get Set
Go!
Made It!
The Quail Parade Continues
Filed under Corrales birds, New Mexico birds
I had dental surgery this Friday. It was something that I have needed to do for quite some time, and I finally did it. I was still feeling pretty shaky yesterday, but I decided to walk around the garden with a camera to see if I could find some birds to photograph.
As usual, the quail were using my garden wall as a highway.
Gambel's Quail adult and chicks
Gambel's Quail chicks
There were plenty of Black-chinned Hummingbirds at the feeders.
Female Black-chinned Hummingbird
A Greater Roadrunner made a brief appearance on the garden wall as well.
Greater Roadrunner behind Russian Sage
Greater Roadrunner poses for the camera
It’s always fun to watch the birds in my garden!
Filed under Corrales birds, New Mexico birds
Yesterday I was looking through the photos that I took several weeks ago on a birding outing with Bosque Bill to Bandelier National Monument. I found several photos of a male Black-headed Grosbeak that I had previously overlooked. These are such handsome birds!
Male Black-headed Grosbeak
Male Black-headed Grosbeak in the underbrush
Male Black-headed Grosbeak, another view
Male Black-headed Grosbeak finds something to eat
Male Black-headed Grosbeak close-up
Filed under New Mexico birds
Last weekend Bosque Bill and I drove to the Sandia Mountains in another attempt to see the elusive Three-toed Woodpecker. Our previous attempt had yielded a rainy walk, a few wet warblers, some soggy squirrels, lots of hummingbirds but no Three-toed Woodpeckers.
We drove to the parking lot at the Ellis trailhead. Bosque Bill spotted the Three-toed Woodpecker near the parking lot before I could even get my camera out of the car. The light was far from ideal for photos, but I was able to get some photos that clearly show the identifying marks of this elusive woodpecker.
Three-toed Woodpecker
These woodpeckers flake bark rather than excavating wood, which results in large patches of flaked bark on trees.
Three-toed Woodpecker flaking bark from a fir tree
Three-toed Woodpecker
After taking many photos of the woodpecker we walked up the trail to Kiwanis Cabin. The Sandias, particularly Kiwanis Meadow, were covered in wildflowers. It was a beautiful walk. The views across Albuquerque from Kiwanis Cabin are spectacular!
We had a successful day as we saw not only the Three-toed Woodpecker but also towhees, warblers, flycatchers, hummingbirds, nuthatches, ravens and other birds. It began to rain just as we were finishing our lovely post-birding picnic. It was a wonderful birding day.
Filed under New Mexico birds
Several weeks ago Bosque Bill and I went birding at Bandelier National Monument in the Jemez Mountains to explore the ruins and look for birds. As we were eating a lovely picnic lunch by a stream, we noticed that we were not the only ones enjoying lunch.
Ash-throated Flycatcher spies something tasty
A successful catch!
Delicious!
Another tasty morsel!
Another successful catch.
A fine picnic indeed!
Bandelier National Monument is a fascinating place. The ruins are amazing, the hiking is lovely and the wildlife is abundant. It is one of my favorite day trips.
Filed under New Mexico birds
Photo Feathers
