Today we loaded up in the car to head down to Canemah. I was pulling out of the driveway and something caught my eye…
It was a bunny! I think probably a young one. I’m sure it came into my yard to drink from my bird feeders, but as it was nibbling on dandelions… I hope she stays!
Also fun around the house, the tree swallows the have nested at my house every year for at least five years, have finally produced audible babies. This is very late for them; in previous years the babies are getting ready to fledge around now. This batch is not even big enough to peak out yet. In fact, they are small enough that the parents have to completely inside the house to feed them.
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- Coming out.
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- Bomber style.
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- Nice tail.
Earlier this year I was sure that a pair of chickadees was nesting in this same house, and I was concerned the swallows wouldn’t nest. It appears that the two species somehow worked things out.
At Canemah
Once in Canemah, it was immediately obvious that lots of animals had young ones just venturing out into the world. We saw lots of ground squirrels and heard lots of young birds begging. This young sparrow was particularly photogenic.
Still, even though it’s high summer and most everything is brown and dry, I got a few pictures I really like.
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- A blossoming grass head.
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- The madrones are so “sunburned” this time of year.
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- Not sure what this is. Small and pretty though.
But my favorite picture of the day is this one.
Misumena vatia (Goldenrod Crab Spider): This spider is an ambush hunter, lying patiently in wait on flowers for an insect to come within striking range. Adult females may be overall yellow or white, with the ability to change back and forth. This species can conquer surprisingly large prey like bees and butterflies. (Identificaiton and description courtesy of http://www.spiders.us/species/filter/oregon/ )