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In the buckeye glade and nearby open meadows, I have watched adult Red-shouldered hawks hunting regularly this year. Daily they perch on` the trees in the woodland habitat looking for food. Then recently, I began to hear the high-pitched cry of juveniles calling and begging and it all became clear. The adult was busy feeding a family. As of late, this juvenile has left the nest. His high-pitched cries and calls pierce the air as he adjusts to life outside the nest. Surviving their first year is the tough part but if they do, Red-shouldered Hawks can live to be 15-19 years old.
Our resident crows have a new family member this summer. There is usually an adult nearby or on the tree with him at various times of the day. He usually walks away when I have my camera focused on him but this time he just gave me "the look."
one of the David Austin roses, Sally Holmes' delicate refinement hovers near perfection in the garden
When the olives ripen, the chestnut backed chickadee wastes no time in enjoying the bountiful harvest.
Down in the buckeye glade, this adult dark-eyed junco was staying in contact with its young with a steady, repetitive call
'Francesca' hybrid musk is such a prolific bloomer with the softest of apricot yellow and cream to her palette
Patagioenas fasciata
A small flock of bandtails showed up this spring. There were several adults and a prized juvenile. The normal clutch is one egg, or occasionally two, making the species' reproductive potential low. I had only seen them once before along the coast at the base of Mount Tamalpais where there is heavily forested open space.
Through the lens, I was astounded at how beautiful their coloring was: mauve to purplish pink, blue and gray feathers, a crescent shaped collar of white with an iridescent teal patch on the nape. That fleshy ring of red around the eye, egg-yolk yellow bill and feet accented the rich colors beautifully.
With our California drought in full swing, I thought they were probably most attracted to our berries and fountains which have gotten much more use from a larger variety of birds this summer. The band-tails will regularly perch in the buckeye tree for the longest time engaging in several aborted attempts before mustering enough courage to fly and actually land on the fountain ... their shy and wary reputation intact!
Band-tails are also known as wood pigeons or wild pigeons. They are part of the Columbidae family and are one native Californian that you will never see in a parking lot!
Late in the day, I heard a clumsy sounding wing flap and when I looked up at the pine tree this hawk was dropping to the ground onto its prey. He quickly flew up on the fence with his catch where he stayed a couple of minutes before taking off for a more private dining experience. The resident crows followed and harassed him in their constant effort to keep him out of their nesting area.