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Thursday, July 5, 2012

Vireo mystery

I heard the Bell's Vireos making their most intense alarm calls, so investigated. I didn't find any predators, only this...


Although there are some cowbirds around, I don't think they broke the nest. I didn't see any snakes. I'm thinking perhaps all the rain and wind over the last few days weakened the nest and it fell apart, making the vireos think they were being attacked. (That's an intact vireo egg, not a cowbird's.) The white stuff inside the nest is just cocoon stuff they normally decorate their nests with, I believe.

Below is a Huisache tree beside the wildlife pond.


And my treasured Soapberry thicket along the arroyo. It should be happy.


Next is about five feet of water backed up by the diversion dam and no place to pump it so it's soaking into the ground. Center left is the big concrete pond full to the brim (9' of water).


And finally, here's a dragonfly I couldn't ID. It has since been confirmed to be a Pin-tailed Pondhawk, which is a new species to the oasis.



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