back at the ranch

Back at the ranch. No Rufous Hummingbirds around here although there are still some Ruby-throats (locals hanging out or passage birds coming through). A glorious morning that looked promising for migrants but few stopped by. There was a young Eastern Towhee and a young Cedar Waxwing -- similar to one seen at Morton yesterday -- and the now usual numbers of House Finches and Goldfinches. There is also a B-c Chickadee flock (not the Morton kind that will feed from your hand) and they have in tow an Eastern Phoebe, a couple of Am Redstarts and a plain jane Pine Warbler (an immature female with just a bare trace of wing bars and almost no other markings).

In the non-migratory world of flowers we have Sea Lavender in full bloom, Saltmarsh Aster emerging and starting to bloom amidst the Spartina patens, and that most beautiful of yellow flowers, the Evening Primrose which blooms at night and lasts only into the following morning.   

Eric Salzman