rollingplainst's Favorites

Photo 1:
Well Dang!
I'd been eagerly watching my owl box since an owl visited it for one day in mid October. Only squirrels had occupied it since. At dusk yesterday I got excited when I saw a face with white on it which would rule out a squirrel. Grabbed my camera, turned on the flash since it was so dark. Dang it, that is not an owl either. Has to be a pretty small possum to get in that opening.
Photo 2:
Taking The Slow Elevator Down
When the interloper saw me, it sank out of sight in slow motion, was hilarious to watch. I made all kinds of interesting and coaxing sounds but it refused to look out again. This morning no sign of it. Back to hoping that someday a screech owl couple will move in & raise babies.

Had such a tremendous time with fellow naturalists at Timberlake Field Station. https://www.inaturalist.org/journal/pfau_tarleton/52212-june-bioblitz-timberlake-field-station

Still working on LOTS of these ID's...

White Rock lake, near Winsted parking lot
Two Are Better Than One
Very young squirrel ran up a tree when it spotted me. I believe it was worried I would try to take its prize. Squirrel philosophy: why settle for one acorn when you can carry two?

Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

28 December 2020
Avondale Park
Denton, Denton County, Texas

CEDAR WAXWINGS 1 of 4

A large flock of Cedar Waxwings joined by numerous Pine Siskins spent the better part of an hour harvesting the fruit of Quihoui Privet (Ligustrum quihoui) by the side of Cooper Creek at Avondale Park. We were able to stand with our camera and observe hoping to take some decent shots. The Cedar Waxwing images are presented in four groups, 1 through 4. While they were busy harvesting the dark blue-purple fruit they were being harassed by a lone American Robin who was vocal throughout our observation of the event. It seemed to us that the Robin did not want them to eat the fruit, claiming it ALL for itself. Occasionally, the American Robin would stop and take a bite of the fruit as well but mostly it was engaged in trying to lay claim to the public orchard. The Robin would aggressively move to wherever its targeted Waxwing was perched and displace it. The Waxwings (ditto for the Siskins) would simply ignore the Robin and move nearby and take another perch, the fruit was plentiful enough. The Robin used two different and distinct short calls throughout the exercise. Other Robins did not join the lone one we observed. We did learn that Waxwings like to flip the individual fruit from the point of their bill slightly upwards and then open their mouths and catch it and swallow it whole. Siskins, on the other hand, tear into the fruit and eat it in bits and pieces. The Siskins’ habit led to their sporting bits of fruit on their bills and faces. To see the American Robin in question go to: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67244170

To see the Cedar Waxwing series in full go to:
1 of 4: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67244832
2 of 4: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67245080
3 of 4: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67245313
4 of 4: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67245508