San Diego County (1 Viewer)

Spent the weekend at our place out in the sticks of San Diego County. My son made a watering station/bird bath and I enjoyed sitting in a chair and doing some really relaxed and easy birding. It was so nice to be caressed by the warm breeze, breath in the oaks, sycamores, and all manner of resinous chaparral plants. I'm posting links to a couple of very short youtube videos of two California Thrashers. The first Thrasher took off and was immediately replaced by the second who came up to the bath from the other side. It seemed that they were avoiding being in the same place at the same time. Also posting a few photos of a Wrentit and Rufous-crowned Sparrow (I took the sparrow photos on a different day-they were better than the shots I got this weekend).
https://youtu.be/Z0zsetxwVE0
https://youtu.be/_3C1dB7nYPY

Sounds lovely, Sue. Looks it too.

halftwo said:

Sounds lovely, Sue. Looks it too.

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It is H. I really should just sell the place and be content at Leisure World, but I can't. I just love it out there. It's got a fairly unique habitat for Southern California, with two seasonal creeks lined with live oaks, sycamores, willows, elderberry and hillsides of manzanita. I've found some really good plants and animals and birds out there. I enjoy the quiet so much. The idea of creating a sanctuary often kept me afloat during the rough times of the circumnavigation. But..... There are so many projects to do just to get the house in good order after 15 years of being absent, and I feel too worn out too often these days to tackle it. Hoping things will get easier this year. I told you about Gene and his stage 4 cancer. He's had a rough past year, but he is now cancer free. He is still not able to do much, but we are focused on recovery.
When we first saw the out in the middle of nowhere place, it was green. Must have been spring or winter. Gene wanted to call it Fiddler's Green. After the first summer, we thought Blazing Saddles was more appropriate. We have had years of some high drama concerning that spot. Just a few: The woman we bought from didn't inform us her two German Shepherds killed coyotes (and other dogs) and didn't remove them on the time agreed. My lab was almost killed when I brought her out. A fire that devastated the whole canyon; half the houses burned down. Ours didn't, but all the out buildings with our things stored did. Neighbors who tried to claim quite a few of our acres, and now a new neighbor I call 'Mr. Tractor'. I thought I should call the place, The Cursed Plot. I now refer to it as Tar and Feathers and I am going to (possibly, maybe) attempt to make it a small sanctuary for wild things (including me).

Wow - you have had a time of things, Sue!

Glad your house survived the fire - they seem to be increasingly common in Ca.

Even more pleased to hear about Gene! Great stuff.
You both need & deserve the peace of that place.

We're settled in to our home now - and my new patch is proving great - with a pair of Hobbies - as you know my favourite bird. And Barn Owls!

halftwo said:

Wow - you have had a time of things, Sue!

Glad your house survived the fire - they seem to be increasingly common in Ca.

Even more pleased to hear about Gene! Great stuff.
You both need & deserve the peace of that place.

We're settled in to our home now - and my new patch is proving great - with a pair of Hobbies - as you know my favourite bird. And Barn Owls!

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I'm happy for you H. Does that mean BF gets the Hobby thread again?:-O Love Owls. My owl list is ridiculously small. I heard Moreporks at night in NZ and Scops in Turkey and Greece(? drawing a blank right now--good thing I'm settled in the old folks home), but never saw them. I have seen a Barn Owl on the property and hear the Great Horned owls in the trees along the creek. Two weeks ago when I was out there, I heard a Western Screech Owl in the pine outside my bedroom window. I didn't have a flashlight and all the kids were asleep so I couldn't ask where one might be. It either flew to the front to a eucalytptus tree, or there were two of them calling. I went out and tried to see something, but couldn't. It was right there!! It was so frustrating! It would have been a lifer too. The next day, my son got me a good flashlight and I had bins and camera ready to go, but, of course, the bird didn't show (or didn't call). I know it's there though! Someday I'll get it.

Re the Hobby thread: I only found the nest in July when the young were 2-3 weeks old. They were ringed a few days later and successfully fledged. Nearly ready for Africa now.

I've been trying to get a local Facebook page going - as when I was in Holmfirth there were 600+ members of the Wildlife Group.
So I started the Silkstone Wildlife Group but it is languishing with only a dozen or so members/readers after a few months.
There are some accounts of the Hobbies there including some photos.

When they return next year - and I've retired - I'll start another up here.