Slacker's shots

black phoebe

For a guy who could have taught Maynard G. Krebs a few thinks about idling, let me tell you that I am pretty good at this "laying around" business.

It won't continue forever but there is a limit to what we can productively accomplish right now, so you might as well enjoy it if you can.

Here are a few shots that I took around the yard between raindrops the last couple of days.

It was cold and gray so I had to shoot rather slow so things didn't get too noisy.

My little potted barrel cactus had a nice big bloom.

female lesser goldfinch

The bird on the very top is a California Scrub Jay, Aphelocoma californica.  Now there is also a similar Woodhouse scrub jay that lives pretty close by but I am not sure if we ever find them here or not? Will consult my experts.

Here is the pretty male lesser gold finch, nicely composed amongst the wild grape.

We watched the mockingbird roost the scrub jay off the feeder yesterday.

Although relatively small, they might be the toughest bird in the barnyard.

They will even go after the hawks.

I will try to snap a shot of our resident mockingbird for you soon.

This guy is certainly one of our favorites, the California thrasher, with his beautiful long bill, on top of the wisteria.

The bill helps them forage for insects on the ground.

Make sure you click on the shots and they will magically enlarge.

This diminutive beauty to our right is a female Allen's Hummingbird. It was just about to pour outside.

Beth wrote me a note yesterday, said she was getting high from the incredible smell of our floral fence line.

A house finch. Such a common name for an uncommonly lovely bird.

I say that every time, don't I?

One of these days very soon, I am going to catch that wily hooded oriole with my old Nikon and share some pictures with you.