Zefir's Garden

Zefir.

My first dachshund named by my hubbie, Tony, after the little brown monkey in the Babar children stories. She was something. Full of beans and interested in all aspects of our life. Nosing her cold wet nose into my garden pots and projects. She taught me more than any teacher or book. A good friend of mine Stacy Green made a beautiful sign in her memory for her favorite place, our garden. 

Bluebird Meditation

Bluebirds symbolize happiness and inspire songs. When I hear their melancholic warble, a Portuguese word comes to mind...saudade:(so dodge ee) meaning a yearning for something that is lost, that you can't reach. Bluebirds know about loss, is that why their song is so haunting?

 In 1977, Lawrence Zeleny, Bluebird champion, had an article published in Time, 
"Song of Hope for the Bluebirds", spotlighting the crisis these birds were experiencing, 
when extremes in weather and manmade intrusions hit them hard. Bluebirds needed nest-boxes and the trails of hope were built. Andre Dion says eloquently in his book, "The Return of the Bluebird",
Let the tempest rage:its plaything rebelled; Bluebird would conquer."

Here at home in the Huachuca Mountains, Bluebirds sing and nest-boxes abound. All of us can take inspiration from these beautiful birds. We can get through life's challenges if we come together, work together and value all the beauty that surrounds us.

This is my meditation. My bluebird meditation...Walk upon the Mother, keep your hope, spirit, and courage of convictions beating in your heart. Shine your light, speak your truth. 

Saving the best for last, Emily Dickinson's poem:

"Hope is the thing of feathers

 that perches in the soul, 

And sings the tune without the words, 

And never stops -- at all.

And sweetest in the Gale-- is heard

And sore must be the storm,

That could abash the little Bird,

That kept so many warm.

I've heard it in the chillest land

And on the strangest sea

Yet, never, in Extremity,

It asked a crumb--of Me."

A crash in the forest!

What makes your heart beat faster? Hmmm...? For me, its hearing the shrill cries of the juvenile Cooper's Hawk, while the Red-tailed Hawk screeches overhead.

Yesterday, during a very still moment late afternoon, you know when it's so quiet all you can hear is the flow of blood in your ears? I heard this unusual crashing sound, one that had me running to the back door...!

Behind our vegetable garden, perched haphazardly up in an oak tree was a beautiful, juvenile, light-morph, Red-tailed Hawk, who moments before had just taken a dive on one of our Cooper's... Missed! (Photo credit by Bill Schmoker, 3/07, Colorado)

He let me get so close to him, he was that focused, calling constantly to a family member, who answered faintly from south of his position. He was definitely perturbed! A few moments later off he flew, while the adult Cooper (who had come from out of nowhere) circled above getting his word in edgewise for almost eating one of his offspring! My kind of drama!

A place to call Home

Over the years of nest box trail walking at our "Over the Rainbow" outpost in the Huachucas, looking inside those magic little houses never ceases to give me a thrill. What each family has to overcome to survive and thrive. Let's see, we had a record breaking heat wave followed by torrential monsoonal rains. And guess what? All of our bird families managed to feed their nestlings and fledge to larger horizons. Thankfully for me this year, there was no eyes squinting, carefully and cautiously opening the nest boxes to discover that one hadn't made it out. Whew! I haven't always been so lucky...

Currently we have two remaining stalwart Azure Bluebird couples hustling to get their little ones out and about before too long. Something to note, one of the couples chose a nest box in close proximity to a Cooper's hawk nest, where 3 Cooper's hawks have fledged. The Cooper's nest was assembled near our back porch a few years ago, which they always decided not to use. The Mexican Jays always managed to keep them away with their constant scoldings. This is the first year the hawk couple prevailed and with three young voices whistling and calling constantly to their parental units, I can tell you it has been fun. I didn't realize Cooper's were such yackers! And yes, I know, songbirds are their diet, but its all part of the web of life, one we have to respect. It is great to know that all feel welcome at our little mountain cottage and ranch...A place to call Home.

Always Becoming

Today was the day to see who of our feathered friends was still sitting on eggs in our nest boxes. Current counts are (2) Bluebird and (1) Elf Owl nesting pairs. Given we have cows with their young calves currently munching in the fields of summer grasses (Grazing prevents blazing!), I have cause to worry like an old Mother hen. One of our boxes took a tumble earlier this week with 5 newly-laid Buebird eggs turning to broken yolks, thanks to our bovine visitors. You see they like to use my poles as back-scratchers, which doesn't bode well for Bluebird parents. Luckily, this morning I found the persistent couple with 4 beautiful new eggs in another box!

Looking in a nest box and seeing Bluebird eggs always inspires me.

Here's to Hope.

Happy Solstice!

Oceans Day

In 2008, the United Nations General Assembly decided that, as from 2009, 8 June would be designated by the United Nations as “World Oceans Day”.  Many countries have celebrated World Oceans Day following the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, which was held in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

    The oceans are essential to food security and the health and survival of all life, power our climate and are a critical part of the biosphere. The official designation of World Oceans Day is an opportunity to raise global awareness of the current challenges faced by the international community in connection with the oceans.

Nature's Music

Living close to nature reveals hidden secrets about yourself. Having as your nearest neighbors; barking Elf Owls, the melodic trilling of Bewick's Wrens and the constant scoldings from omnipotent Acorn Woodpeckers makes you more aware of how important it is to keep their "communities" intact as well as ours. They provide the music we need to survive...

How do you keep the music playing?

One of four nesting pairs of Elf owls this year... our nearest "neighbors"...!
Please watch Tony's video for more Elf Owl action ,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FHcXI7abj8o

Tom.

Meet Tom.

Our special, rescue, mini-doxie boy. At 4 years, he is all boy. A 9 lb, four-legged terror, ready to run down and ravage a 40 lb javelina. Not familiar with javelinas? Note photo below, javelinas (collared peccary) are cloven-hoofed mammals, similar to the wild boar with grizzled grayish or blackish bristly hair, pig-like snout (however, they are not wild pigs!), tusks (canines) found in southeastern Arizona, extreme southeastern/southwestern New Mexico, and central and southern Texas.  Traveling in small herds of 6 to 30, grunting softly while feeding, will give an alarm call of a barking cough and/or chattering teeth. They may charge and bite with those canines, which protrude about an inch from their jaws inflicting nasty puncture wounds. Please don't feed them or they will come in to close to your home or garden. With dachshunds being notorious overachievers, trouble will definitely start! Able to leap small buildings in a single bound, so to speak. 

Back to Tom...Look deep into those eyes and you see sweet, loving curiosity. Be one of our 3 other dogs with Tom in an alpha mood, desiring your undivided and you'll experience pain delivered swiftly by flashing pearly-white canines, ready to sever a part of your anatomy. Usually we can intercept these raucous, nerve-jarring happenings with a quick scoop, he's only 9 pounds, remember? My hubbie and I were late once and Beaber, 12 year old, male, standard doxie, new to our household, lost a tiny part of his lower ear. Welcome to the family!

This would not be any great surprise to other doxie owners given their feisty reputation. Tom is special, he was born without esophageal musculature resulting in an enlarged esophagus or megaesophagus.
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_megaesophagus.html
Translation: he needs gravity to get his food to his stomach. For you, that means feeding him vertically for every meal of his life and hoping it stays down once it gets there. Regurgitation happens often and with a constant risk of aspiration pneumonia. As a little guy, this can debilitate him quickly and with possible deadly serious consequences. Is it any wonder we think he is amazing having such a dynamic personality and forgive him his infrequent surly episodes? Maybe I would be the same way... "Outta my way, I'm small, but I'm mighty!"


That's my Tom.

Hello Old Friends!

Hello All!

Yes, we are still here with 22 nest boxes. Our trees seem more beautiful this time of year providing our extended avian family with a wonderful canopy. We have 4 pairs of nesting Elf Owls, an all time record with the owls surpassing the bluebirds and the flycatchers for the first time in 12 years. Life brings its series of challenges, but the birds always provide you with a reason to keep going. No matter what.

Enjoying our morning cup of the "elixir of the gods" (coffee!), we watched the Ladderback woodpecker family feeding on our homemade suet. Having learned the technique from their parents, they will know for themselves how to glean the nutritious snack. 

Birdland Ranch Suet:

2 cups cornmeal and uncooked oatmeal

1 cup peanut butter

2 cups lard/shortening or 1 cup leftover bacon grease or used cooking oil (you can use a combo of them all)

clean, cooked, crushed eggshells (Bake cleaned out eggshells in the oven, while baking something else and when you can smell them a bit they are done! Crush them with your rolling pin or in a small food processor)

Additional ingredients you can add:

stale bread (place bread in a plastic bag and then crush with your rolling pin )

dried raisins

cookie/cracker crumbs;avoid salty crackers

popcorn, no kernels

bird seed

Mix all the above in a big bowl until the consistency of really thick peanut butter. You may need to add additional oatmeal/cornmeal and/or shortening/grease to mixture to gain the proper consistency. It needs to not stick to your fingers, but feel somewhat dry. Once your happy with the "feel" of it, smush down the mixture into any plastic storage bowl, keeping in mind the width of your suet feeder, usually about an inch or so. Freeze. When you can't push your finger through suet (rock hard in other words), it is ready!

Take outside to your feeder, tap the container against a handy rock and it should slip cleanly out. Place in your feeder and watch your "neighbors"!

We keep this in our suet pretty much year round. Everyone eats it (had a visiting Black bear one Spring that took the whole feeder down!)and it makes you feel good that you are helping them out. Please know that they don't rely on it, it is merely  helpful, like putting out snacks for your friends when they visit you, during weird weather, freaky cold snaps and the like. Remember consistency is the key.

New Era Begins!

In case you all were wondering if I was ever going to update my blog site, the answer is Yes!

Has it really been since July of 2007? Well, let's not dwell on the past. I began a new career path. My new path is as a veterinary technician or as I like to be called, animal nurse. Being on the front lines, so to speak, at our ranch, we have witnessed many wildlife emergencies over the years. It became apparent to me that I wanted to do more than just shuttle them off to hopefully more competent hands. I wanted to be the hands!

So with one semester left to complete, I am on my way to being a national and state certified animal nurse. The work is challenging and very rewarding. My day work will be working at an area companion animal hospital (if all goes as planned!) with weekends devoted to wildlife conservation, education,research, rescue, and rehabilitation at our ranch. How does one accomplish this? Planning and great volunteers! My husband and I are in the process of establishing our organization with all the initial infrastructure set up by Spring 2010. Challenging, rewarding adventures ahead!

Our website is going through an early, early Spring "molt" here, so keep watching! Full speed ahead!

Nest Box Check - July 19, 2007

We have three nest boxes with Eastern Bluebird clutches remaining out of our 21 box trail.

• Box #1 - 5 eggs
• Box #4 - 4 recently hatched bluebirds with one egg remaining.
• Box #7 - 5 eggs
• Box #9 - nest box found down on the ground with roof destroyed, all 5 eggs gone. All the evidence indicates bear predation.
  

We are winding down cavity nest box trail activity here, but the onset of the monsoon rains are catalyzing our grassland bird species. One of my favorites are the Montezuma quail who can be heard singing to each other every morning, evening and before each storm. The quail are a species of concern due to loss of habitat to overgrazing and excessive hunting. One of our ongoing ranch projects has been reseeding the areas around two wildlife water ponds we established in 2001. The ground was so severely overgrazed during the years it was a working cattle ranch that each summer rainy season we battle to re-establish vegetation for our grassland birds. We have decided to try a technique used to seed steep eroded areas along highways. Straw mixed with seed are rolled into 25ft long sections, which are staked into the ground. This keeps the seed where you want it, not running off the hillside with the first really strong storm. Later this Fall, we plan on submitting a grant proposal for these "seed rolls" of native grass seed and mulch.

MoMs - Day 1

MoMs (Molt Over Migration Stopover Ecology Project) began this morning with Peter Pyle (co-author and field director) and 5 enthusiastic and experienced bird conservationists assisting with setting up mist nets and banding birds. Arriving mid-morning, Tony and I approached the main station set up for weighing, banding and noting feather molt, etc. of the birds to hear that all was going well. "20 birds", Peter exclaimed, "We had only expected 6 or 7!" For all of you just tuning in, please refer to my post on July 1 for a summary of the project. In short, this study is aimed at finding out what a molting migrating bird requires for habitat (food, shelter, etc.) in order to ensure he/she arrives at their winter home base healthy to start the cycle of migration and reproduction for next season. Molt demands a great deal of energy second only to reproduction. Since very little has been documented about these habitat requirements, we are thrilled to be helping in the process of discovering what's needed. A 3 to 4 person team will return to the ranch for a total of 12 or 13 more times to band and document their findings. Please stay tuned!

Nest Box Check - July 13, 85 degrees and cloudy

1. Female Eastern Bluebird on top of box with nest material. Male singing encouragement nearby.
   
2. Ash-throated Flycatcher in oak near nest box, but no new nest material present.
3. No new activity.
4. Mother Eastern Bluebird flushed from nest. 5 eggs present.
5. No new activity.
6. No new activity.
7. 5 Eastern Bluebird eggs present.
8. No new activity.
9. 5 Eastern Bluebird eggs present.
10. No new activity.
    

• Box #11-13 and 15 -21 no new activity.
• Box #14 has one Elf Owl nestling remaining to fledge in next day or so.

Mom, Dad and Monsoon Magic

Summer is always a time of surprises at Birdland Ranch in the high desert region of southeastern Arizona. This summer however, has already been a chart topper. All time high record heat, 6 black-tailed rattlesnakes in the first week and the arrival of my parents! My parents do indeed deserve special recognition for timing their trip to Birdland during the latter days of June. Most locals even flee to far off regions, if possible, to beat the heat. While those of us who stay and bake would like to deny them access upon their return to the county! So what does one do in this kind of heat? Everything relating to any outside physical activity is done as early in the day as possible, relying on reading your favorite books and other low perspiration projects for the midday hours. Oh, I forgot to mention we tough stock mountain desert folk don't rely on air conditioners. Cooling the house is accomplished by keeping all the windows and doors open at night and closing up at first light. By the time the sun has left us, we run to the house to open all the doors and windows and dance in the cool evening air and I mean dance!

But then it rains. With the arrival of the monsoon everything changes, the earth, scaled, feathered and furred join in with the two-leggeds to breathe in the sweet cool air and rejoice. Mom and Dad are witness to a brilliant Double Rainbow. Yes, it requires capitalization. So near and clear, you can actually see where it collides with Mother Earth. The pot of gold being the tears in my mother's eyes at the sight. The feathered clan decides its a good time to start another family, as their first offspring are happily investigating every nook and cranny of our house and garden. Scaled are also on the move looking for mates and taking in the sights. We hold these friends as dear as our avian neighbors and respect their comings and goings on our land. No, snakes do not come after you, they want to stay away from you. We are startled, yes, but when you come upon them, merely step back, call to your children and friends, visiting parents (!) and tell them of there whereabouts. Move to watch respectfully from a distance or inside with your pets. If this doesn't suit you or the situation requires more, call the fire department and they will relocate them quickly and safely a couple of hundred yards away. To watch a rattlesnake move through his or her habitat though is an amazing experience. They move so slowly and deliberately taking everything in, something I need to remind myself to do. You know, take time to smell the roses? Which brings me to what my mother and I planted at probably the absolute wrong time of year...roses! We rescued 7 pretty dehydrated climbers from the clutches of a corporate nursery wrangling with an overworked sales assistant for an additional price reduction. He gave it to us I think, just to get us out of his hair and the heat. At this writing, all are happy and healthy and on their way to clinging to my chain link fence.

Summer southeastern Arizona time and the living is easy in the land of extremes in beauty and biodiversity.

MoMs Project - July 1, 2007

On a lazy, hot Saturday afternoon, Tony and I met with Peter Pyle of the Institute of Bird Populations and Gabe David, biologist, to hear the outline of Pyle's proposal affectionately titled, 'MoMs'. No, this has nothing to do with my mom or anyone else's for that matter, but roughly translates into the Molt Migration Stopover Ecology Project. The thumbnail sketch of the project is several western North American species of birds leave their breeding grounds and migrate to the 'Mexican monsoon' region of the southwestern deserts to molt before embarking on their winter migration. Molting demands a tremendous amount of energy of the bird and virtually nothing is known of what happens to these birds during this critical time. Peter Pyle and David DeSante, principal investigators of the MoMs project, reason by identifying sites within this specific region of the country and conducting extensive bird surveys will lead to a better understanding of the ecology needs of these birds during molt-migration and development of improved management and conservation strategies.

To date, species known to undergo 'molt migration' include: Bullock's Oriole, Lazuli Bunting, western populations of Warbling Vireo, and Western Tanager (Rohwer et al. 2004), while other species suspected of undergoing molt migration based on museum specimens, migration timing, and/or field work in Arizona include Olive-sided Flycatcher, Western Wood-Pewee, Willow Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Dusky Flycatcher, Gray Flycatcher, Pacific-slope Flycatcher, Cordilleran Flycatcher, Ash-throated Flycatcher, Western Kingbird, Bell’s Vireo, Gray Vireo, Plumbeous Vireo, Cassin's Vireo, Nashville Warbler, Virginia’s Warbler, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler, Hermit Warbler, Grace’s Warbler, MacGillivray’s Warbler, Wilson’s Warbler, Hepatic Tanager, Summer Tanager, Green-tailed Towhee, Chipping Sparrow, Clay-colored Sparrow, Brewer’s Sparrow, Black-chinned Sparrow, Lark Sparrow, Sage Sparrow, Lark Bunting, Grasshopper Sparrow, Dickcissel, Black-headed Grosbeak, Orchard Oriole, Hooded Oriole, and Lesser Goldfinch.

After hearing the gist of the project and refreshing our guests with cappuccino ice and green tea, we set out to show prospective field sites to Peter. He was pleased with a few and he'll pick out the spot in a few days as Gabe (primary biologist for MoMs) and crew will return in 2 weeks to set up mist nets to band the birds. We look forward to helping Peter and Gabe in every way possible to ensure the success of this project. Stay tuned for more project updates!

Cappuccino Ice

3 cups prepared strong coffee made at least partially with dark-roast espresso coffee
1 cup half-and-half
1 cup granulated sugar

1. Combine ingredients in a sauce pan and set over medium heat. Stir constantly until the mixture is about to boil and all the sugar is dissolved.
2. Cool to room temperature, pour into a shallow pan (an 8 inch square or round cake pan is ideal), and freeze.
3. The mixture will take 3 to 6 hours to freeze and because of its relatively low sugar content will be very solid. To serve, set in refrigerator for 30 minutes to temper the texture slightly.
1 quart, at least 6 portions

Nest Box Check - 95 degrees, thunder clouds, no wind

1. Elf owls fledged.
2. 4 partially feathered Ash-throated flycatchers.
3. Dusky flycatchers, 5 fledged.
4. Eastern bluebirds, 6 fledged.
5. Dusky-capped flycatcher, 4 fledged, 1 dead nestling.
6. Dusky-capped flycatcher, 5 fledged.
7. Eastern bluebird, 5 fledged. New nest, 3 inches in depth with one bluebird egg.
8. Ash-throated flycatcher, 2 dead nestlings, 3 fledged.
9. New bluebird nest material, 2 inches in depth.
10. Ash-throated flycatcher, 2 dead nestlings, 3 fledged.
11. No activity.
12. Dusky-capped flycatcher, 5 fledged.
13. 5 partially feathered Eastern bluebirds. Mother noted leaving nest box after feeding youngsters.
14. 2 partially feathered Elf owls. Mother looks up sleepy eyed not bothered.

Stations 15 - 21 no activity noted.

Dust Devils and Dive Bombing Bluebirds

After my close encounter with the avian bluebird kind (see #4), I was headed to my next station. Suddenly, without any warning, I heard a banging sound. The sound a hydraulic lift door makes on a truck when lowered to the ground quickly and not too delicately! Turning, I see a whirling dervish of dust, funnel shaped, moving fast and headed straight towards me. Jumping to one side and moving into the forest, the swirling dust devil cleared a path and hit the nest box I was about to check. Moving it considerably from side to side, the box withstood the shaking and the dust dancer continued on into the forest losing its oomph when it hit a few large oak trees. The box happened to be the empty bluebird nest (see # 9), or else I figure the nestlings may have experienced an ear and eyeful of dust. Never a dull moment on this nest box trail!

The curve-billed thrasher and ladder-backed woodpecker pairs have 2 fledglings, each seen learning foraging and flying techniques from their parents. The thrashers have a particular preoccupation with our Arizona gray squirrel pair. If they see the squirrels anywhere close to their prospective nest locations or seed and mealworm feeder sites ,it provokes a response of chasing and pecking at their hind quarters to shoo them away. Quite a comical sight to behold! The squirrels are never too upset or injured by all these antics, nor do they retaliate. In time they merely move on to a less hectic haven.

Nest-box Check: June 14, 2007

1. Elf owl resting peacefully on eggs.
2. 4 eggs, Ash-throated flycatcher pair noted foraging for insects.
3. 5 fully feathered young of Dusky-capped flycatcher.
4. 6 partially feathered young of Eastern bluebird. Mother flies directly at me in an angle of descent that forces me to duck!
   
5. 5 fully feathered Dusky-capped flycatcher nestlings.
6. 5 fully feathered Dusky-capped flycatcher nestlings.
7. 5 partially feathered nestlings of Eastern bluebird.
8. 5 fully feathered young of Ash-throated flycatcher.
9. Flattened empty nest, all 5 Eastern bluebird nestlings fledged.
10. 5 fully feathered young of Ash-throated flycatcher.
11. Empty flattened nest, no activity.
12. 5 partially feathered young of Dusky-capped flycatcher.
13. 5 Eastern bluebird eggs.
14. Elf owl looks up bleary eyed from bottom of box. Eggs out of view.
15. Cornell nest cam. Acorn woodpecker not in sight or box.
16. No activity.
17. No activity.
18. No activity.
19. No activity.
20. No activity.
21. Bewick's wren nest empty. 3 fledged. To date the Bewick's Wren pair have successfully fledged 6 youngsters.

Western Screech Owl Debut

10:30am, 75 degrees, few small clouds with little wind

1. 2 eggs under a sleepy Elf Owl mother.
2. A new nest attempt by unknown Flycatcher. To be determined if Dusky-capped or Ash-throated.
3. 1 egg, 4 hatching downy young of Dusky-capped Flycatcher. Mother watching in nearby oak.
4. 4 eggs, 2 hatching downy young of the Eastern Bluebird. Mother watching from nearby oak.
5. 2 eggs, 3 downy hatching young of the Dusky-capped Flycatcher.
6. 5 eggs, no parents present of the Dusky-capped Flycatcher.
7. 1 egg, 4 hatching downy young of the finally noted nest activity of the I-stay-on-my-nest-no-matter-what female Eastern Bluebird.
8. 5 downy hatching young of the Ash-throated Flycatcher.
9. 5 partially feathered Eastern Bluebird nestlings sleeping peacefully. Father bluebird singing softly in nearby oak.
10. 1 egg, 4 downy hatching young of the Ash-throated Flycatcher. Mother noted flying after ciccada for the next meal offering.
11. No activity.
12. 5 eggs, mother Dusky-capped Flycatcher flushed from nest.
    
13. 5 eggs, female Eastern Bluebird flushed from nest.
14. 2 eggs showing from underneath wide awake and looking straight at you Elf Owl.
    
15. Cornell Lab nest cam. Acorn woodpecker on nearby food storage pole.
16. No activity of this year's new nest box station.
17. No activity of this year's new nest box station.
18. No activity of this year's new nest box location.
19. No activity of this year's new nest box location.
20. Removed 2 Eastern Bluebird eggs of failed nest attempt. Note # 13 as this is their new nest site.

As I was preparing to go to town at 1pm (Mountain Standard Time) the Curve-billed Thrasher was making what we know around the ranch as her snake and/or owl present call. Sure enough, I look up into the very large, old Gambel's Oak tree to the west of our back porch and there partially out of his/her cavity entrance is the Western Screech Owl. Every year that we have been monitoring our nest box trail we have enjoyed a family of Western Screech Owls in this tree. Present only for about 20 minutes today, while I loaded my car and not in the least bothered by my comings and goings. Of course, I was being dutifully quiet and respectful. This confirmed the location for the songs and calls I have been hearing for some time.

Mexican Jays were building a nest when last noted, but today a pair was feeding two fledglings. Mexican Jays of the same family group will share feeding and looking after the young. They are quite cooperative in fact, in so far as they will forego mate selection if there are already senior members of the family to mate and not enough territory or food for the other members. They do not want to have to move and find new habitat, so will wait their turn and work together. You will always hear their arrival much like a carful of your noisiest relatives, singing songs and honking the horn as they drive up. Mexican Jay songs sound like very squeaky, loud car brakes being repeatedly stomped on and off. The fledglings songs are the same, but held out on one long pitch with a very earnest quality to it. Always fun to watch and chuckle at their clumsy antics.

Bewick's wren pair has chosen a decorative, but functional (everything has to be around here and this one is fine, but not what I'd choose with all we have to offer) nest box on my front door! Why I haven't noted this in my last two blog posts is beyond me. Guess, I was concentrating on my 'official' nest stations. To catch you all up, there are three partially feathered young resting peacefully with parents heard calling in the fields surrounding the ranch.