Around the Paddock

 

White-crowned Sparrow Singing From a Dead Pokeberry Bush in the Bison Paddock

I stopped at the Bison Paddock to observe the continuing fracas between western bluebirds and tree swallows. Each species kept chasing the other off the two nearby nest boxes, sometimes carrying the chase through the air like jets in a dog-fight. I wonder at what point, if any, the issue will be settled. Would they try to destroy each others' eggs? Chicks? Would a few more nest boxes help?

Resident Allen's Hummingbird

Finding the Perfect Pokeberry Perch

The western bluebirds also used the old pokeberry "snag" sometimes. 

The wasp nest survived the weekend's fairly heavy rains.

A red-tailed hawk landed on a high eucalyptus branch to escape being mobbed by ravens. Surprisingly, the ravens stopped bothering the hawk once it landed. After the coast cleared, the hawk soon took to the air once again, this time without drawing unwanted attention.

Face Off

Guardian Tree Swallow

Guardian Western Bluebird

Built for Maneuverability

Atop her disputed nest box, a bluebird keeps an eye out for dive-bombing swallows.

As soon as the bluebird leaves, the swallows try to take possession.

The swallows visited the nest boxes more often, and even went inside once while I was watching. I didn't see any bluebirds go inside either of the disputed boxes today.

Cloud Mountain

Lots of by-the-wind sailors have been washing up on Ocean Beach.

All those blue blobs are by-the-wind sailors washing ashore.

By-the-wind Agitation Cycle

Red-tailed Hawks, Murphy Windmill

Castle in the Rain, Saturday View from Grandview Park

Jackie takes a nibble from a treat flown in by Shadow yesterday.

Jackie soon got up to feed the two bald eagle chicks.

While Jackie was eating after feeding the chicks, Shadow kindly took over the brooding duties....

But Jackie gently nudged Shadow off the nestlings, and Shadow flew away, presumably to continue hunting for his mate and chicks.

Yesterday Morning in the Yosemite High Country

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Caught in the Rain

 

Dark-eyed Junco Singing in the Rain, Golden Gate Park

Here in the city, you can almost always find a dry spot to wait out a passing rain squall, should you be so inclined. Today I took refuge a few times during my walk, starting with Lily Lake, which is where I was when the rain started. I found a dry spot beneath a large oak, and then under some even thicker tree foliage nearby where the ground was still dry as dust. 

Later I arrived at the UPS Store just in time to avoid a heavier squall (and drop off an Amazon return that I'd been trying to keep dry). A block or so away I picked up a couple of things at the Andronico's and waited for the rain to ease up before setting out on the hill climb toward home. 

After scaling the 15th Avenue steps I took another break from a heavier squall, finding an overhang in front of a residence, then finished my walk in a light drizzle that ended shortly after I got home. 

Back in December I took a picture of some weird trees on the edge of the McLaren Lodge meadow. It turned out to be a grove of bald cypress, a deciduous conifer native to the American southeast. I noticed they'd finally turned green a couple weeks ago and snapped a shot this morning.

It seemed kinda nice to wake up to rain this morning. I took my usual Friday walk through Parnassus Heights, Cole Valley and the Haight before entering Golden Gate Park at the Alvord Lake stalactite underpass. It didn't rain a drop until I reached Lily Lake, where I shot a little video from beneath a large oak tree.

* * *

Tam Hike

 

Big Bay Laurel on Old Mine Trail

It was dark and dripping wet at home. Even the streets were wet. A check of the Mt. Tam Cam showed a mixed bag of fog, high clouds, and blue sky. We dressed for a cold hike with likely heavy fog-drip in the forested sections and dew in the tall grass along the trails, only to get there and find a beautiful day for a hike. Not too hot, and definitely not too cold. And not wet at all.

Cobwebby Thistle

Mix of Fog, High Clouds, and Blue Sky

Fence Lizard Weather

One View

Another View

Sprawling Oak

It's not often I get to see a red-tailed hawk out in the open on Mt. Tam.

And this one didn't like being watched either.

We saw some large, furry gray squirrels this morning, but this guy was as big as them, but with reddish fur. It was moving too fast to get a good picture, and it eventually disappeared into a hollow tree. There were two of them in close proximity along the Matt Davis Trail, so maybe they were nesting in that tree.

This was the view from the Coastal Trail down toward Stinson Beach. Moments later the fog cleared away and we could see far out over a calm Pacific Ocean.

Band-tailed Pigeon in a Douglas Fir

We encountered a black-tailed jackrabbit on the trail, and it immediately turned around and took off. We saw it again later, and again it took off running despite being quite far away.

It ducked under a big coyote brush on the hillside but didn't find it to its liking. This hare was getting its daily exercise, for sure.

A controlled burn of some slash piles was happening along West Ridgecrest Boulevard. Smelled like a campfire, which was kind of nice.

The meadow at Rock Spring was loaded with purple vetch, something I don't believe I've ever seen there before.

There was a lot of buzzing of bumblebees among the flowers.

April is a good month to see sky lupine. We saw a lot of sprinkles of them, but no dense patches.

* * *

Bird Bath

 

 Bathing Allen's Hummingbird, Mallard Lake

I dropped in at the creek that flows into Mallard Lake this morning, hoping to catch the colorful Allen's hummingbirds bathing in it. For whatever reason, I've yet to see one of the local Anna's hummingbirds bathing in the same sunny spots. They seem to prefer a much more private area with lots of cover and shade.

On the way to the creek I saw this tiny Pacific wren jump into some ivy ground cover where it completely vanished, but I waited a minute or so until he came back out into the open.

Soggy Hummer Preening

Lapping it Up

Making a Splash

A hermit thrush dropped by to check me out, then dove into some deep cover next to the creek.

Sparkles

Dropping In For A Dip

Cobweb Forager

Tight Turn

Getting His Feet Wet

American Lady Resting On Poison Hemlock

Song Sparrow & Lichen

Raven Looking for Treats, Blue Heron Lake

Junior was hungry and tried to get the adult to feed him, but I don't think he ever succeeded. 

The ring-necked ducks are still around.

Both male and female. I wonder if they are going to be nesting here.

I sat on a bench for half an hour or so, and the two youngsters appeared to get increasingly hungry. I hoped a second adult would come back with lunch, but I gave up to go home and have lunch of my own.

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