Another dog hair nest and a moaning clicking Crow

While gardening this morning before noon I watched a Rufous
hummingbird buzz in twice for a quick drink at my window feeder.

2 European Starlings* (normally do not frequent my yard)
2 Crow (one Crow was making a moaning sound with a "click" in between
moans) perched in a tree.

I have two visiting Crows that in-frequently fly into and feed in my
yard. Usually, when I am spotted, they fly away. One Crow doesn't
mind that I am near, however, and perches in a tree to watch me ...
watch him. This Crow makes a strange sound, a clicking noise and
moans, unlike the other Crows that "caw". During the moan, he will
raise his head and then lower it. I watched him as he was fished
around in the yard debris for nesting material and flew off with a
beak full of Australian Shepard hair. (Maybe he swallowed it! Do Crows
get hair balls, too? It sounded like something was wrong.) Pine
Siskins are NOT the only birds to like dog hair for nesting material,
evidently. Still learning....

4 Pine Siskins
3 Oregon Juncos
1 Robin
2 Stellar Jay
4 Swallow* (straight ended tail feathers - not notched)


The majority of the Junco's seem to have moved on.....?

[*First yard appearance in 2010.]

Eagles dominate Crows infiltrate

For the past two sunny afternoons, an Eagle has been circling just above tree top level. Three Canada Geese flew over the tree tops yesterday evening at dusk in the direction of the pond. My normal bunch of 12-15 Juncos have been absent. Visits to the feeder are primarily from a pair of Pine Siskin and a pair of Red-Breasted Nuthatch and a Chestnut backed chickadee or two. I have heard Towhees and Stellar Jay in the back brush and have seen at least one of the pair of Varied Thrush. Junco's are largely absent at the feeders and have taken to flitting in the lower branches of evergreen trees. The Stellar Jay annoy my puppy as do the squirrels here in the green belt. Puppy would love to chase them away! I wonder if the absence of Junco's has anything to do with the increased number of crows in the area? Are the Junco's nesting now? Or have they moved? I have noticed quite a few more bugs in the afternoon.

We have had quite a bit of heli traffic in the past month, too. This week I noticed that a group of 6 or 7 crows perched in various tree top locations across approx. 2 acres, call to each other using three caws each and in turn each will respond with three caws. Once, a crow called six or seven caws in quick succession where all seven simultaneously flew away from the direction of an approaching helicopter. I believe that crows are very intelligent. Some say that they can even recognize human faces.

One night, just at dark, there was a bird that flew right by me. It was small in size with pointed wing tips. I wonder if it was a nighthawk.

Spotted Towhee and Steller's Jay

My suet, and bird feeders are taking a beating from the local Steller Jays. I did manage to sneak a peek at a Towhee yesterday. The Jays, I believe are chasing away other birds at my feeders. They have really dominated my feeders in the past few days.
I noticed a few ducks at the pond that looked like Canadian Geese.

eBird

Observation type: Casual Observation
Observation date: 7/9/09 Distance covered: N/A
Start time: 5:55 PM Area covered: 1.0 acre(s)
Duration: 1 hour(s) 0 minute(s) Elevation: N/A
Number of people in party: 1
Comments: This is the second day in a row that the Pileated woodpecker showed up and my first Anna’s hummbingbird for the summer.
Species

Are you submitting a complete checklist of the birds you saw/heard? No

1 Anna’s Hummingbird
1 Pileated Woodpecker
2 Steller’s Jay
4 American/Northwestern Crow
1 Black-capped Chickadee
1 Dark-eyed Junco (Oregon)

Two birds in two days

Saw four medium sized birds with smooth black heads, long neck, long tan/gold and black spotted wings, with a spot of purple/green iridescent feathers under its wings to the left and right of its black breast. Orange/yellow beak and legs. Most listers identified this bird as a European Starling, but the images found did not do the bird justice! One indicated a Brewers, which its form and profile fit, however, the colorings of the bird given on the Seattle Audobon site also did not justify this bird. European Starlings are considered a nuisance bird, but these four were quite well mannered…and very pretty. These photos indicated a spotted breast. My birds did not have spotted breasts - only long spots of tan/gold and black on wings.

Stellar’s Jay appeared again this morning on my feeder. Most photographs I’ve seen do not capture the very front view of Stellar’s Jay and miss the two vertical hash marks above the Jay’s beak.

Also spotted a red, nearly cardinal type bird with white tail spots on grey/black. Had a red breast and white at head/neck.

These two birds make 11 bird species seen.