Elf Owls, migration, birds, birders....

I arrived at the oasis yesterday morning to discover the large agave that the Elf Owls were nesting in, when I last left the oasis, was lying on the ground. The four or five wires I had used to stabilize it were snapped in two. In my panic, I didn't take a photo, but enlisted some birders there to help stand it back up.

So, naturally, I was eager for nightfall to see if the owls were still using the same hole. Just at dusk I saw a Ladder-backed Woodpecker emerge from that hole, so was really bummed. But, lo and behold, a short while later the female owl stuck her head out the hole and the male perched nearby. Both were squawking vociferously. The oasis has 3 nesting pair. And it's funny about the pair east of my cabin. The hole is in a utility pole that the electric company installed about 5 years ago. When they installed the poles, they assured me they were woodpecker proof. Remember how worried I was that the owls wouldn't have places to nest so I made them leave up several of the old poles. Laughs on us!

And these new poles are way taller than the old ones. They nested there last year too. The same birder that brought it to my attention this year had told me about it last year. I had never checked it out because I was sure he was mistaken! I would have liked photos of the owls poking their heads out but it was too dark and I didn't have anyone to hold my spotlight for me. One of these days!

The third nest is in an agave stalk up at the carport by the house. Woodpeckers made sure there were plenty of options to choose from. At least five Ladder-backed Woodpecker holes in the stalk. The owls chose the one a couple of feet about the roof just like they did at the oasis.

Today was an awesome migration day. So many birds that I couldn't possibly tally them all. The highlight was a Rufous-capped Warbler, which is a lifer for me. But, although five of us saw it, no one was able to get a photo, so that's a bummer. I blame myself because it was perched in the top of a dead mulberry tree above where my water drip tank is. I had just laid my camera down while I checked the water in the tank and had forgotten to pick it back up. I carried religiously all day except for that one moment. So I ran toward my camera and probably flushed the bird in the process.

So many spring migrants just pop in for a drink and are gone, anxious to get to their breeding grounds. I managed to count 55 species out of who knows how many that were there. Here are a few photos of some of them.

Plumbeous Vireo

Lazuli Bunting

Solitary Sandpiper