Jul 052014
 

This Desert Fan Palm is in our front yard and is 25 years old.  When I started birding in 2008 I decided to stop trimming the tree to attract some more bird activity.

I was inspired by an article I read in the paper.  Some tree trimmers had disrupted a raptor nest in a palm tree and replaced the vegetation with a laundry basket.  The makeshift nest worked and the nestlings fledged.

Desert Fan Palm

Desert Fan Palm

It didn’t take long before tree trimming companies started leaving advertising note at the door.  We decided to put a sign on the tree to say no thanks.

Bird Sanctuary

Bird Sanctuary

The sign worked, no more flyers.

We have a flat roofed home which is only 15′ from the tree.  I have sat up there a few times and got some nice shots.

Northern Mockingbird

Northern Mockingbird

A male Northern Flicker

Northern Flicker male

Northern Flicker male

A male Great-tailed Grackle

Great-tailed Grackle male

Great-tailed Grackle male

A female Gila Woodpecker

Gila Woodpecker female

Gila Woodpecker female

Sad to say, the most popular visitor is a European Starling

European Starling

European Starling

The fruit falls to the ground and enjoyed by Gamble’s Quail.

Gambel's Quail male

Gambel’s Quail male

A male House Finch

House Finch male

House Finch male

A female House Finch

House Finch female

House Finch female

Very happy with this shot of a Cooper’s Hawk

Cooper's Hawk juvenile

Cooper’s Hawk juvenile

 On the 17th of February I was playing with the dog at 5 AM (before a bird outing) when I heard what sounded like a bad wheel bearing.

I looked up and silhouetted in the flood lights were two Barn Owls.  A month later, the owls are still in residence.

owl urate on the tree trunk

owl urate on the tree trunk

I am also collecting owl pellets.  Obviously nerdy, owl pellets are fun to dissect.

Barn Owl pellets

Barn Owl pellets

 Taking the pellets apart are a lot of fun.  We have had an explosion of gophers in the neighborhood, which I assume attracted the owls.

Barn Owl pellets

Barn Owl pellets

It really amazed me that the lower jaw contains a full length tooth.

Barn Owl pellet

Barn Owl pellet

All of this activity has obviously excited me on the hope of screaming owlets.  Then I found this at the base of the tree.

Barn Owl eggs

Barn Owl eggs

 I had a feeling that it was due to an unstable nest.  Then I found a third egg and the base of some old palm fronds, a nest collapse.

Barn Owl nest collapse

Barn Owl nest collapse

The night before this Harris’s Hawk visit I was shooting some Western Kingbirds after sundown and didn’t reset the camera.

This beautiful bird was shot at ISO 2000.

Harris's Hawk

Harris’s Hawk

 The tree is ripe with fruit and lots of action.  Caught this bug eating Say’s Phoebe.

Say's Phoebe

Say’s Phoebe

I had hopes of attracting these, first time seeing Cedar Waxwings!

Cedar Waxwing

Cedar Waxwing

Cactus Wren have nested in this tree.

Cactus Wren

Cactus Wren

I put up an owl box in hopes of welcoming a the family whose nest failed.

Barn Owl nest box

Barn Owl nest box

Sadly, bees decided to move in.

bee hive

bee hive

The Barn Owls have been back for a number of weeks.  I finally got photographic evidence.  Taken into the sunrise at 6 AM.

Barn Owl

Barn Owl

And finally, a decent picture of the mom (I think).

BAOW

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