Cooper's Hawk, Mockingbird, Fluffy and Buddy, Kali, Golden-crowned Sparrow, Quail and RedTailed Haw
Jay was on the lookout for a Cooper's Hawk, as we approached the elementary school's playing field area. The hawk was perched in the eastern most evergreen tree, in a familiar location. I did a video from the sidewalk, next to the playing field. Jay crossed the street and was able to get a better view of the hawk and did a video. We didn't think any birds were going to come for the live mealworms, at the northern site. Just as we were about to leave, Speedy, the Western Mockingbird, quietly showed up. Jay put down a couple of live mealworms for him. He flew down and took one of the mealworms. I have not seen him take two mealworms at a time, like the Blue Jays do. He flew off and while I was doing a video of the Sparrows enjoying the non-live mealworms, Speedy showed up again, and took the second mealworm. I wasn't prepared for his return, and only managed to get a fleeting look of him, as he arrived and quickly departed. Fluffy was waiting for us at her area. Jay put down her treats and she made short order of them, as Jay headed over to put down her food. Once she finished the treats, she trotted over to join Jay. Buddy showed up, after Fluffy joined Jay. When Jay finished with Fluffy, he put down three live mealworms for Buddy. Buddy collected all three and off he flew, most likely to feed at least one to his mate. Kali was resting on the Lutheran Church's shed roof, on the western end of their back parking lot. Once she realized her breakfast had arrived, she came off the shed roof, to the fence, then down to the ground. She made her way over, sometimes trotting and sometimes slowly walking. All that matters is that she came over to eat the food. At the back area of Alviso Adobe Park, we were looking for the Quail, at the church next door, and I spotted a Golden-crowned Sparrow, enjoying blossoms on the church's Rosemary bush. Another songbird showed up and it too was interested in the Rosemary bush. While we were watching the birds at the picnic table, it had the female California Quail and her juvenile male offspring, eating the birdseed. An alarm for the birds sounded, and everyone scattered to the safety of the bushes near the table, except for the juvenile California Quail. He literally flatted down on the table and didn't move. I figured he would get up and dash off in a moment, but he didn't. He remained in the non-moving position for a good 10 minutes or more. I did a very short video of him when he finally stood up, just before he flew over the the church next door. I also got some awesome up close photos. Today's Thumbnail Photo Is The Juvenile California Quail, Once He Felt It Was Safe To Move. Fluffy was waiting for us at her area on our return trip. More treats went down and while she worked on them, I checked to see how she did with her breakfast. She had a clean plate! At the northern site, a Blue Jay arrived, just before we left. Jay put down a couple mealworms, which he quickly took and flew to the fence. Jay put a few more mealworms down and he didn't hesitate to return to get those too. We had just left the northern Blue Jay site when Jay stopped and looked northeast at the hillside, beyond The Last Word Ranch. There was a RedTailed Hawk, perched on a distant tree. Jay did a video of the hawk. Jay decided to cross Evans Road and find a closer location to do a second video of the RedTailed Hawk, before we continued on our way back home.
Jay was on the lookout for a Cooper's Hawk, as we approached the elementary school's playing field area. The hawk was perched in the eastern most evergreen tree, in a familiar location. I did a video from the sidewalk, next to the playing field. Jay crossed the street and was able to get a better view of the hawk and did a video. We didn't think any birds were going to come for the live mealworms, at the northern site. Just as we were about to leave, Speedy, the Western Mockingbird, quietly showed up. Jay put down a couple of live mealworms for him. He flew down and took one of the mealworms. I have not seen him take two mealworms at a time, like the Blue Jays do. He flew off and while I was doing a video of the Sparrows enjoying the non-live mealworms, Speedy showed up again, and took the second mealworm. I wasn't prepared for his return, and only managed to get a fleeting look of him, as he arrived and quickly departed. Fluffy was waiting for us at her area. Jay put down her treats and she made short order of them, as Jay headed over to put down her food. Once she finished the treats, she trotted over to join Jay. Buddy showed up, after Fluffy joined Jay. When Jay finished with Fluffy, he put down three live mealworms for Buddy. Buddy collected all three and off he flew, most likely to feed at least one to his mate. Kali was resting on the Lutheran Church's shed roof, on the western end of their back parking lot. Once she realized her breakfast had arrived, she came off the shed roof, to the fence, then down to the ground. She made her way over, sometimes trotting and sometimes slowly walking. All that matters is that she came over to eat the food. At the back area of Alviso Adobe Park, we were looking for the Quail, at the church next door, and I spotted a Golden-crowned Sparrow, enjoying blossoms on the church's Rosemary bush. Another songbird showed up and it too was interested in the Rosemary bush. While we were watching the birds at the picnic table, it had the female California Quail and her juvenile male offspring, eating the birdseed. An alarm for the birds sounded, and everyone scattered to the safety of the bushes near the table, except for the juvenile California Quail. He literally flatted down on the table and didn't move. I figured he would get up and dash off in a moment, but he didn't. He remained in the non-moving position for a good 10 minutes or more. I did a very short video of him when he finally stood up, just before he flew over the the church next door. I also got some awesome up close photos. Today's Thumbnail Photo Is The Juvenile California Quail, Once He Felt It Was Safe To Move. Fluffy was waiting for us at her area on our return trip. More treats went down and while she worked on them, I checked to see how she did with her breakfast. She had a clean plate! At the northern site, a Blue Jay arrived, just before we left. Jay put down a couple mealworms, which he quickly took and flew to the fence. Jay put a few more mealworms down and he didn't hesitate to return to get those too. We had just left the northern Blue Jay site when Jay stopped and looked northeast at the hillside, beyond The Last Word Ranch. There was a RedTailed Hawk, perched on a distant tree. Jay did a video of the hawk. Jay decided to cross Evans Road and find a closer location to do a second video of the RedTailed Hawk, before we continued on our way back home.