Migration ramping up

Every day I tally more species than the day before it seems. Today I counted 40 species. I expect that number to make it up to 60 sometime during migration. Here are a couple I got photos of today.

That House Wren was the biggest surprise of the day. I was looking through the camera lens and not using binoculars because so many birds were coming in to the drip and if I change between the binos and camera, it flushes the birds. So I totally thought I was photographing another Bewick's Wren until I looked at my photos and saw what it was. A nearby birder even said House Wren and I confidently replied, "no, Bewick's."

I was glad the Black & White Warbler reported yesterday was still around. I spent an inordinate amount of time trying to get a good photo of it. This was the best I got.

We were thrilled when a pair of Peregrines swooped around the big tank. Caught off guard, I did my best to photograph the action.

I feel pretty certain I'm going to have to concrete the water feature to keep javelinas from destroying it. Just don't know if I have it in me. At any rate, it'll likely have to wait until winter. And traffic is creating big holes coming up the big hill. After a good monsoon scours off the dirt we need to put in some more patches. I'll need help for both projects.

Through the years I've posted quite a few nighttime photos of Elf Owls inside cavities made by Ladder-backed Woodpeckers, but this is the first nighttime photo I've taken of a woodpecker in its hole.

This Ash-throated Flycatcher is having a good hair day!