New Alpine yard bird

The wind finally abated and migrants are making a mad dash north. This is the first Spotted Sandpiper I've seen in Alpine. I'm sure it's just resting before it continues on. There's no shore in our ponds where it could forage. In fact, most of the photos I got of it were with its eyes closed.

 Our garden is a joint effort. Here is my share of it, the tomatoes and green beans. I planted another row of beans but they're not up yet.

Here's a Western Kingbird. The Cassin's Kingbirds nest here but I don't think the Westerns do. So this one is probably moving through, foraging along the way. I know the range maps show them nesting in this area, but at our place I only see them during migration time. But I could be wrong.

My "Do Not Mow" wildflower patch along the road is starting to look good and attract butterflies. I think I have my husband broke from mowing it, but who knows!

Here's a nestling/fledgling Great-tailed Grackle. There's a lot of sqawking by the adult grackles in the vicinity.

And I discovered this lovely flower among the bluebonnets. It's a Meadow Salsify or Goatsbeard (Tragopogon dubius).