Bad photo day!

I checked on the Costa's Hummingbird this morning before I left Alpine for the oasis. Snapped one bad photo just for documentation. Got to the oasis around 10:30. There my first priority was putting a new pad on the seed feeder. The old one had worn out and was falling off. In hindsight, I should probably have waited until bear prowling season is over.

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By the time I finished the pad and servicing feeders it was well into the afternoon. I snapped a few photos when I could, but nothing that pleased me. This Sage Thrasher shot would've been good if his bill hadn't been cut off on the profile views. Had I known it was a Sage Thrasher I would certainly have tried harder. As it was, I saw it perched a ways off, noticed white on the wing, couldn't see the bill length, and thought it was just a Lark Bunting. Didn't see what it was until I downloaded my photos. Too much multitasking.

I missed a chance for good photos of the Brown Thrasher because I tried to video his foraging behavior. He dug really deep. But I didn't catch it on video and missed the chance for good still shots in the process. 

I couldn't get a clear shot at the Townsend's Solitaire as hard as I tried. I'll spare you the results of that one. I guess all was not lost. I got a good shot of a Monarch. I didn't want one; I have hundreds, but couldn't resist the rare cooperativeness.

Tomorrow won't be any better. I'm already rundown and have to water and then go back to town.

There's a male Anna's Hummingbird in the courtyard but I doubt I'll have time to wait it out for a photo. Maybe my son can when he comes down this weekend.