Burrowing Owl

The Burrowing Owls are found in grassland, prairies, farmland and airfields.  They favor areas of flat ground  with very short grass of just bare soil.  

 They eat mostly insects and small mammals.  Their diet varies with the season and locations.   They may eat frogs, toads, lizards and even snakes.
This little guy stood on one leg for some time.  With his head turning around.  he never did put that other leg down all the time DesertDale was taking photos of him.

They hunt mostly at dusk or at night.  They  is burrow in the ground , in bare soil or very short grass.  Burrows excavated by the owl may be up to 6-10 feet long, with nest at the end.  They sometime line their nest with cow manure.
In the west they may lay up to 10 eggs,  east     3 to 12 eggs.  The young may leave their nest in about 6 weeks. When a perdators get in their hole, they make sound like a rattlesnake.
Enjoy.  Kitfoxgal

Sandhill Crane

The two Sandhill Cranes  was taken at the Cibola NWR near Yuma by DesertDale.
They are found though out North America .   They reach their peak on the Great Plains at migratory time  at stop over points .

 Their habitat are on prairies, fields, mushes and on the tundras.  Such as marshes or bogs , in open grasslands or marshy tundras.

Their diet varies on what type of area they on in, such as insects, roots of aquatic plants.  They also eat rodents, snails, frogs, lizards, snakes, berries, seeds and even nestling birds.
They long distances, even cross the  Bering Straits in the spring and fall when heading for their nesting grounds in Siberia.   The Cranes in  Mississippi, Florida and Cuba do not migrate .

Enjoy the posting.  Kitfoxgal

Great-Tailed Grackle

 Our pet Grackle has left us.  She was at our site for about a week.  Then her mother came back  looking for her.  What a joy it was to have her here every  day.  She even left her markings on top of our pick-up,  I am sure they are on the top motorhome.   She would come looking for us when we were setting out doors.

There are 6 species of grackles.  The male are a glossy black.  Females are often much duller,  brownish all most.

They feed in open country, but often go into town at night.  They live in groves, thickets. farms, town and even in city parks.  They may be common around streams or ponds.

They eat insects, such as spiders, millipedes,snails, eggs, and nestlings of other birds. Plus seeds waste grains berries fruits and nuts.

Hope you enjoy this posting as much as we did enjoy Miss Grackle.

I am pleased that her mother came back looking for Miss Grackle.  Kitfoxgal

Birding On The Road: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

DesertDale take all these photos that are posted on this blog.

Hope you all enjoy the bog.



Birding On The Road: Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher: The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is a bird that is found in the east also but hard to see in high in leafy trees.  They are much more seen in th...

Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher

The Blue-Gray Gnatcatcher is a bird that is found in the east also but hard to see in high in leafy trees.  They are much more seen in the west.

They are blue-gray above , whitish below and with  white eye-ring.  Their white outer tail feathers.

Spring time and summer the males has a thin black eyebrow.
They are a very small woodland bird with a long tail.   They often dart out in a short, quick flight.to snap up in small insects.

DesertDale takes all the photos that are posted on this blog.  KItfoxgal

Dark Eyed Junco

The dark-eyed junco is the best-known species of the juncos.   It is a genus of small grayish American sparrows. This bird is common across much o North America .  In the summer they travel as far as  the Arctic. 

Enjoy the posting.  It has been a long since I posted the last  and things have changed on the posting.  So bare with me.  Kitfoxgal 

Gambel's Quail

Friday, October 10, 2014

Gambel's Quail

The Gambel's Quail is a desert quail.  They are common in the desert .  In the land where cactus and mesquite are fond.

They are all so seen on the edges of cities.  They travel in coveys most of the time, in pairs during nesting times.

In the spring , males perch high and give a loud descending  (waow) sound.

Enjoy the posting.  Kitfoxgal

Steller's Jay At Flagstaff

The Steller's Jay are very aggressive.  They visit campgrounds, picnic areas and feeding stations in the West looking for food.

 The Steller's Jay is very easy to ID.  They are dark blue, with a black-crested jay with variable white or blue markings on the head.  They are the only North American jays with crests.

They are found from Alaska to Nicaragua.  But they are more limited north   and clinal among the 8 subspecies north of Mexico.  The most distinctive subspecies is in North America.  They have a longer crest, paler back and white streaks on their forehead.

They were discovered on a  Alaskan island in 1741 by Georg Steller,

This "Little Guy" is eating on a block of feed for  quail.

Hope you enjoy the posting as much as DesertDale and Kitfoxgal did having them visit our campsite  every day ,near Flagstaff.

Northern Harriers

The "Northern Harrier" is  long-winged, long-tailed hawk that hunts flying over open fields and marshes  looking for their meal.

They perche on the ground. They seldom are perch on tall poles or trees.

They were formerly call "Marsh Hawks".  They are a medium-sized raptors.

This map was copied from Goggle.

Northern Harriers breed in wide-open habitats ranging from Arctic tundra to prairie  ending up in open habitats.

Enjoy the post.  Kitfoxgal

Wild Turkey

Wild Turkey at Mesa Verde.
Benjamin Franklin would have preferred to have the "wild turkey"to be the national symbol of the Untied States.

The "wild turkey" usually get around by walking or running.  They roost  overnight in tall trees.
There are only 2 species, The North American or the Ocellated Turkey of Central America.

They live in the woods , mountains,forest or wooded swamps.  They eat in the morning or evenings.  The he usually lays 10 to 15 eggs.    It takes them several months to be fully growen.

DesertDale took these photos at Mesa Verde.  Kitfoxgal

American Robin

 The Robin is a very common bird.  They are known for their dark  back and brick-red breast.  Dark stripes on a white throat.  Their head and tail of the males are blackish.  The females are grayer.

The young robin has a speckled breast but has a rusty wash to it..

Four little ones chirping for their food from Mommy Robin. 

Robins at Midge's in Wyoming

 The American Robin is a very common bird.  There was many at our site in Centennial.  This Mommie Robin was out looking for food for her 3 babies.
DesertDale was able to take these, with a lot of patience, at our last site in Wyoming.

They are sometimes seen walking  erect    Young birds has a speckled breast, but the rusty wash identifies it.

This robin was spotted at the Organ Trail Ruts in June.
They are seen from Alaska, Canada to southern Mexico.
You can find them in the city, towns, farmland, forests, and winter berry-bearing tees.

What a thrill it was to see Mom Robin feeding her young.

Kitfoxgal

Rufous-Crowned Sparrow

 The Rufous-Crowned Sparrow was photo at Yellowstone.
They are in long-tailed skulker of rocky, bushy hillsides and canyons areas.  More often heard then seen.

They have a rusty crown, white eye-ring, heavy dark whisker marks.  Their twit are a short jumble of notes.  They are found in the south-west part of U.S.
Kitfoxgal

Dark-Eyed Junco (Oregon)

 The Dark-Eyed Junco  was called the Oregon Junco,  now are called the Dark-Eyed Junco.    They are widespread in the west.

 They rarely seen in the east.  The males has a solid black or slaty hood.  Chestnut back,  rusty sides.

The females are paler, with gray hood.Their nest is almost always on the ground.  There usully 3 to 5, rarly are there 6.  Bothe parents feed their young.  They do come to bird feeders.

Marsh Wrewn

 The Marsh Wren is one of those birds that is heard more then see. They are found in cattails, bulrushes of the very dense marshes.

 They sing in the open.  They pop up just to investigate odd noises.

Their nest is a globe-shaped mass attached to stems above the water.  The males defends the nesting area.  The males may have 2 or more mates.   The adult often puncture the eggs of other birds nesting near by.  The male also builds several incomplete nests in their territory, made by cattails , bulrushes or bushes in marsh, usually just above the water.  Both parents feed their young.

Red-Winged Blackbird

Sorry folks, been on vacation.

This Red-Winged Black Bird found his dinner.  The males are black , with bright red epaulets.  Most of the time the red is concealed and only the yellow will show.  The immature males are a sooty brown ,mottle, but with red shoulders.

This is a female Yellow-headed Blackbird.  They are smaller and browner: with the yellow in the throat and chest,

They are found from Canada to West Indies, Costa Rica.  They breed in marshes, brushy swamps, hay fields, also in cultivate land and a long edges of water.

Enjoy Kitfoxgal

Osprey

We are at one fine site for birding.  This is DesertDale on one of our outing for birding, here at Mason's Valley WMA.

 This Osprey has set their nest on a site that has been set up for nesting for the birds.  It is just a few yards from our base camp.  They build their use  bulky sticks to make their  nest atop of bare trees or poles, like this one.  The Osprey hovers above the water and plunges feet-first for his fish.

 They are found on all continents except Antarctica.  They are a very large bird.  They are the only raptor that  hover over the water for their pray.

They are found on rivers, lakes and on the coasts.

This Osprey is giving DesertDale the "Get out of my way" look.

Our "prize" photo of the Osprey was taken at "Fish Lake Valley WMA.  There are 3 ponds there.
One is a "Hot Springs", real nice.

Kitfoxgal