Autumn Mix

Cooler temps are setting in, and we have been blessed with much rain. The flowering plants think it's spring, and a few silly hummingbirds are still hangin' around. Enjoy this week's offering of an Autumn mix.

 The Chickadees are ever faithful at the office deck, especially arriving early for Wes's breakfast buffet.

 They rarely pause long enough to give me a look.

 And their near-cousin, the Black-crested Titmouse, Texas race (I love using that phrase) are always nearby.

 The Scrub Jays continue to visit the office deck, especially if they spy some peanuts.

 A special treat to have two Scrub Jays at once.

I knew there was something just a little different about this bird. This is a young Indigo Bunting, possibly even a male that doesn't have any of his blue on yet.

 Another rare sighting; this had to be a Ruby-crowned Kinglet, or a Hutton's Vireo, because of the configuration of the white around the eyes. I'm voting for Hutton's Vireo, because the Kinglet is so small.

 I know this sounds like a broken record, but probably my last shot of a hummingbird at the office for this season.

 A couple of female Lesser Goldfinches enjoying the water dish.

A young male House Finch, still sporting some pin-feathers.

 Saturday morning on the porch, and I'm greeted by a couple of pond birds; the Great Blue Heron was quietly watching from the water's edge, and a curious fellow, the Least Grebe, was a first time visitor who has stayed a while.

 Meanwhile, the Golden-fronted Woodpecker is dominating the platform feeder, even when confronted by this very aggressive White-wing Dove (like that Annette?)

 The Golden-fronted was all around the yard.

 The Red-winged Hawk came down to the pond's edge for a catch, and headed back up to his perch rather quickly. He has an amazing pattern in his wings.

 Give a Texas 'howdy!' to the Least Grebe. You won't i.d. him among ducks, he's more like a water fowl. He is happy to be solitary, suns with his tail to the sun, and doesn't fly when approached, but sinks under the water, sometimes with just his beak above the surface. I'm hoping he'll stay a while longer. Oh, and he's a diver, looking for fish or bugs.

 Happy little friend, the Eastern Phoebe, busy little fly-catcher.

And we'll close with one more shot of the young male Rufous hummingbird, still enjoying the Mexican Sage, and entertaining us with his glorious activity!