This morning, after watering the garden and lawn, I sat on the patio. While sitting there I could hear several birds. This got me looking around to discover if I could find the sources. My first thought was to look around at our bird houses to see any activity and sure enough there was this little guy...
He is a Tree Swallow or Tachycineta bicolor. He has a shiny blue head and white throat. I sat and watched for a while (In truth I was trying to capture an action shot of him or his mate flitting in and out but no such luck). Later though a young juvenile stuck its head out too...
After this I looked out in the lawn and saw a few of these guys...
These are European Starlings or Sturnus vulgaris. At first they look black but their feathers have a very pretty green sheen to them. I think they are nesting in our front porch and they make a racket!
Eventually I made my way to the barn because there are almost always bird nests somewhere on the barn. I started searching and right smack in the top of the eves on the backside I found this:
I thought this was a Barn Swallow, but found out it is actually a Cliff Swallow or Petrochelidon pyrrhonota. Notice the white mark on the forehead. She was not too happy that I was standing right under her nest! She was shrieking at me for a bit, but eventually calmed down and I watched her and another switch in and out a few times... Only just barely got this action shot!
On the way back to the house, I heard some loud shrieking and two Western Scrub-Jays flew over me and onto the dog kennel.
Western Scrub-Jay or Aphelocoma californica.
Sometimes it's interesting to notice the wildlife around you, even if it is just a couple of birds! I am going to keep watching and if I actually manage a decent action capture, I will be sure to share.
By the way, I looked up some of these species on the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife website. I found it very helpful. Check it out: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/species/birds/
- Dan
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