Birds

A few pictures of birds.

Hummingbirds

This little lady is a tough guy in hummingbird terms. You can see it in her eye. She has been perched on the shrub all morning, and whenever another hummingbird approaches the feeder, she springs into action and chases the interloper away. Also, every now and then, she flies down for a swig of the hummingbird kool-aid.

Finally got a shot of one of these little buggers while flying (while she was flying, that is). Shutter speed was set to 1/1000th of a second, but there is still some motion blur on the wings. This gal is about the size of my thumb.

Interesting coloration on this one. Male Anna's Hummingbird, I think.

Neither rain nor sleet nor snow nor any combination of the above shall keep this little Anna's Hummingbird from her designated diner.

Male Rufous Hummingbird approaching the landing pad.

Female Rufous Hummingbird hovering.

Hovering, checking out the feeder before approaching closer.

Ask not for whom the hummer sticks out his tongue, he sticks it out for thee.

California Quails

Christmas Day.

Fidgeter on the Roof.

Water off a quail's back.

Juncos

The Oregon Junco. One of the more common birds in our backyard.

Another view.

Supposed to be Spring! What's this all about?

Chickadee

He may look like a minature orca (non-pc sobriquet: killer whale) but seals and sea lions are not his game. Here he sits in a little maple tree.

And again.

Towhee

Just flew in on the red-eye.

Finch

House Finches Scoping the buffet....

House Finches Munching away....

American Gold Finch

Sparrows

White Crowned Sparrow

Song Sparrow -- This guy parks himself on the rhododendron every day and sings his heart out. It is beautiful at 9:00 am, less so at 6:00 am.

Other

European Starling

Male Black-Headed Grosbeak

Female Black-Headed Grosbeak