Cool, but fun

It was a cool 32° early this morning but things were quite birdy, so I hung in there.... out there, whatever. Watched the Varied Thrush forage and pick grapes and for once it paused with the grape so I got a halfway decent photo, considering the cold camera and bad light.

Also got a photo of a White-throated Sparrow. I seldom get that species here, so this is my first photo of one.

And here is the big bad Northern Mockingbird that bedevils the thrush. 

Found a  Checkered-Skipper butterfly that my friend, Brian Banker, confirmed is a Desert Checkered-Skipper. In looking through records to see if I've recorded it here before, I can't find it listed, but I think it has been here before. At any rate, it's documented here now.

Below is a Christmasy looking bush, Fragrant Mimosa loaded with red seedpods.