The Ash-throated Flycatcher is a welcome local breeder to Southern California each spring. The eight inch Flycatcher spends the cold winter months in coastal Mexico and Central America before its annual return to breed in the arid southwest. It nests primarily in tree cavities excavated in previous nesting seasons by enterprising woodpeckers. The mated pair [...]
Monthly Urban Forest bird survey. Overcast skies to sunny warming temps in high 60’s to 72 with light breezes gave a perfect opportunity for early summer birding and a chance to check out the carefully tended nest boxes strategically placed throughout the expansive terrain that had been quite successfully used by Western Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, [...]
Monthly Urban Forest bird survey. Overcast skies with mid/high 60’s temperatures and light breezes gave a perfect opportunity for late spring birding and a chance to check out the carefully tended nest boxes strategically placed throughout the expansive terrain that appeared to be in active, successful use by Western Bluebirds, Tree Swallows, and Northern House [...]
Springtime in the Western States heralds the welcome return of the sky-blue headed Lazuli Bunting and its bubbly springtime song. The Lazuli Bunting is named for a vibrant blue gemstone, lapis lazuli. During its breeding season, a male Lazuli Bunting has bright cerulean-blue head and back, white wing bars, a rusty breast, and white belly. [...]
Barn Swallows return! The diving and darting Barn Swallows overhead have returned to Orange County to breed after spending the winter in the tropics. Watch for their long streaming tail and rusty-orange breast and throat as they devour 60 insects per hour on the wing. The Barn Swallow is a long slender swallow with glittering [...]
