Today was the first day Steve and I had the chance to participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count together (I counted birds on Friday while he slaved at the office). In a little over two hours, we tallied 234 birds, including 94 sandhill cranes (which we spotted in the air about one-quarter mile up, and which are just beginning their northern migration) and our neighborhood red-shouldered hawk. We also spied a pair of bushtits in a tree next to the trail, and as we stopped to watch, realized they were building a nest. Steve got some nice shots, the best represented here.
According to Western Birds’ Nests, a Peterson Field Guide, bushtits sometimes leave the nest after it's completed (occasionally up to 30 days) before returning to lay eggs.
We hope to get out again tomorrow for a repeat performance, and before the rain hits on Tuesday.
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