mccreedy 的最愛

Thrasher parent(s) in-between shuttling food to nest.

The third photo might show a bird withdrawing into the chamber so the other parent could enter the box. It took them awhile to learn to coordinate.

The thrasher baby(s) public debut came 11 days later:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177299669

Blue-eyed baby thrasher

This was the first and probably only day that the thrasher baby(s) appeared in the birdhouse hole to have a first look at the outside world. The baby(s) took awhile to learn that perching in the entryway meant no parent bird landing and thus no food. I believe I heard multiple babies in the box in prior days.

Bird photos are from April 16, but the empty nest photo is from April 18. The nest was started by a cactus wren around November, which was out-of-season:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177586510
The box is designed for kestrels.

A separate observation from 11 days prior shows parent(s) in-between shuttling food to the nest:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/177299186

Continuing bird first found on 10-9-20 between holes 6 and 8 in the mostly desert shrub habitat, but also on the grass of the golf course nearby a large saguaro with many arms. Viewed only from the desert washes and desert shrub habitat as the course you can't walk on the reseeded grass besides along the cart paths. Interior (Canascens subspecies) of Bell's Sparrow vs Sagebrush Sparrow is one of the toughest out there and one I'm not the best with either. Was confirmed as this species today after extensive research was done. This bird appears to have hardly any streaking on the back or very minimal visible.

Inferred mountain lion feeding. Mtn lion killed the deer with apparent puncture wounds from canines in the back of neck. Probably last night before the rains. Coyote tracks apparent in the area so likely that coyote found it in the morning and dragged it away and fed on it. Found 1 fetus outside of canyon. Probably ate one earlier and took the other.

I finally got a Wyliea! I wasn't expecting them to big this impressively big-- I'd been picturing a Machimus-sized thing. Several of these perching on sticks and branches at this site along the Bursum Rd 1.7 mi E of the bridge in Mogollon. There were also Proctacanthus, Machimus, and Laphria engelhardti out flying. And Tragidion (another Pepsis mimic!) The Wyliea were rather wary and strong fliers. Specimen in collection. TAM_1463

Tentative id based on the large amount of grey underbelly, distinct transition from brown to grey, the short tail with distinctly darker tip, and the overall size (subjective, I did not get a measurement). Habitat = open spruce forest about 300 meters below treeline.

It was -5 F. Shrew was crossing the road and had to do some searching to find a soft spot where it could get back under the snow. I wonder if its extremities are red due to increased blood circulation to keep from freezing. Normal subnivean temp should be around 28 F.