A Feast of Hummingbirds

Costa's Hummingbird (male) at feeder outside my kitchen window 9-30-08

Click on photos to enlarge for best view

I didn't want to fall in love with hummingbirds. After all, that's what everyone else does and I don't want to be like everyone else. I resisted as hard as I could, but I did put out feeders and these tiny feathered jewels showed up. They came in such an array of colors; so many varieties, so much energy, so much fighting, so much laughter, that I couldn't resist. I've fallen and I don't want to get up. I kind of like it here in the winter world of flying gems.

I am not a hummingbird expert by anyone's stretch of the imagination, but I've taken lots of photographs and I am trying to learn. I pour over bird guides and study field marks. When they didn't provide enough data, I borrowed Hummingbird guides from the library. I look and look and look. Some things I have figured out and others have left me totally confused. Females and immatures are especially difficult, but I am doing my best. So, enjoy the hummingbird feast. These are just a few of the beauties who have passed through my yard since August, when the little birds started showing up once again.

Anna's Hummingbird

Male Anna's in mesquite tree 10-13-08

Anna's are one of the two helmeted hummingbirds we have here in Arizona. That means their reflective feathers go up from the throat and over the head. This bright male has been hanging around since September. His gorget flashes rose-red in the sunlight.

Male Anna's Hummingbird 9-23-08

At about 4 inches in length, the Anna's is a chunky bird with a pot-bellied silhouette. It is common around neighborhood gardens in the southwest. I usually see them after it has warmed up for the day. They tend to chase away the more timid Costa's.

Anna's Hummingbird 9-23-08

Unlike the Costa's, the Anna's tends to hold it's tail still and in line with it's body when hovering. This guy is defending his territory and his tail is a little more cocked for a fight. Look at those ferocious feet!

Black-Chinned Hummingbird

Black-chinned hummingbird 8-31-08

The male black-chinned hummingbird has a mostly black chin with a thin slice of purple that flashes in the sunlight. The black wraps around its head to the green neck with no white stripe of any kind. A long slender hummingbird, it constantly pumps its tail while hovering. While Costa's do this also, the black-chin's tail is longer and the motion is more pronounced.

Black-chinned female 9-13-08

Archilochus alexandri is the western version of the Eastern Ruby-throat, though the Ruby-throat does not pump its tail in flight. Notice the flat headed appearance of this female with the long straight bill. The forehead is grayer than a Costa's and the neck slimmer. Notice that the tail extends well past the wingtips.

Black-chinned male 8-31-08

The male Black-chinned characteristically shows a white collar beneath his black chin separating it from the scaly gray vest it wears.

Black-chinned female at the feeder 8-31-08 The black-chins do not nest around here. These were just passing through on their way to their winter home in Mexico. They showed up mid-August and were gone by mid-September.

Broad-billed Hummingbird

Broad-billed hummingbird 8-30-08

The broad-billed hummingbird is strikingly beautiful to me with its broad red bill tipped in black, it long blue forked tail, iridescent green body and blue throat and crown.

Broad-billed hummingbird at the new feeder 8-31-08

Stokes Beginner's Guide to Hummingbirds says they breed in remote dry canyons below 6000'. I saw my first one in Sycamore Canyon last spring. This fall they have been much more numerous, but I do not know if they will stay the winter here. I have counted them numerous times on our IBA survey of Sabino Canyon where they do nest for the summer. I will find out if they hang around there for the winter this year as we continue our survey.

Immature Broad-billed 9-30-08

I was so excited to see the above hummingbird, hoping it was a white-eared hummingbird, which would have been a new record for Sycamore Canyon and a life bird for me, but after consulting my bird guides I learned it was an immature male. He is still pretty and a delight to look at. He stayed around for a day or two and them was gone.

This is a close-up of the same bird at a closer feeder. Notice the feathers just coming in on its throat and breast.

Just when I thought the broad-bills were gone, this pretty boy showed up on 10-7-08. In this light his head almost looks purple and his chest blue. Could it be a hybrid of some sort, or is it just the play of light on its feathers?

Female Broad-tailed Hummingbird

Female Broad-tailed hummingbird 8-30-08

So, I am going out on a limb here, tell me what you think. After consulting bird guides I have decided this is a female broad-tailed due to the slender body, the speckled throat, the long, straight bill, and the limited rufous/peach to the flanks and tail. The female broad-tailed and the female and immature Rufous are similarly colored but the Rufous has more extensive rufous in the body and tail. The Rufous also frequently has a orange throat patch but the female or immature broad-tail lacks this throat patch. Male broad-tails have a rose-colored gorget and their wings make a high-pitched whistle when they fly. I heard and saw some males but they did not hang around for long and I was not able to photograph one.

Calliope Hummingbird

Calliope female or immature 8-30-08

The Calliope Hummingbird is the smallest hummingbird in North America. While the male has a very distinctive frayed looking red-colored gorget, the female and immature look alot like a female broad-tailed. Short billed and short tailed, this little hummer is very compact at 3.25 inches. The short tail is square and mostly black. The wingtips just barely reach the tail.

I have found this bird to be wary and shy, only coming to the feeder in the early morning or late afternoon and usually to the less frequently visited side feeder where there is less competition.

While a male would be an easy call, I was not sure if I could really call this a Calliope, but the bird was so obviously smaller than any other hummingbird, and all the other characteristics fit. So, this is a new bird for Sycamore Canyon and a life bird for me.

Costa's Hummingbird

Costa's Hummingbird in Palo Verde tree 8-17-08

When this Costa's showed up I had no trouble identifying it with that long, flared, purple gorget. After last winter and spring I was quite familiar with this little hummer, which nests in this high desert and was the most common and sometimes the only hummingbird I saw here last year. I fed them through April and early May, then they were gone. I took my hummingbird feeders down after that, and only put them back up when these guys started visiting my yard in August.

Costa's Hummingbird male 9-30-08

Costa's Hummingbird female 9-30-08

The Costa's female can be a challenge to differentiate between it and the female black-chinned. Both are similarly colored and both pump their tails while hovering, but notice the short-necked and short tailed appearance to this little girl. Also, her forehead is more of a greenish tinge while the female black-chin's is flatter and grayer. Still, I sometimes have trouble when there are immatures and females about.

Rufous Hummingbird

Rufous Hummingbird female 9-7-08

While I have not seen a Rufous male hummingbird around here yet, I have frequently seen these female hanging about. Notice the orange throat patch and the extensive rufous in the body and tail. When the tail is spread the rufous extends to all the bird's retices, or tail feathers. The female broad-tail only has rufous at the base of her outermost tail feathers if my bird guides are correct.

Rufous female 9-3-08

She doesn't seem to hang around for long but I have seen them more than once. Each time I am drawn to the rufous coloration in the body and tail. I usually see it in the house as I walk by the windows. Then, I grab my binoculars and sometimes my camera, but this bird is also shy and wary and not quite so easy to photograph.

Rufous female 10-13-08

The bird guides say this hummer is short and stocky with rufous flanks, a medium length straight bill and a central spot of orange-red on the throat.

These hummingbirds truly are a feast for the eyes and I hope you have enjoyed watching them with me!

An unknown female hummingbird flares her tail at a male broad-billed hummingbird 8-31-08.

Photographer's note: All of today's photography is by Kathie, taken with the Nikon D80 and the 70 to 300mm lens set in sports mode. All photographs are copyrighted 2008 by Kathiesbirds. Please do not use without my permission.

Autumn Birds in Sycamore Canyon

Sweet faced Gila Woodpecker in mesquite tree by Kathie Adams Brown 10-7-08

click on photos to enlarge for best view

Autumn must truly be upon us after this weekend’s record breaking low temperatures. This morning the official record at Tucson International Airport was 39 degrees Fahrenheit. The old record for this day is 43 degrees F. Still we slept with the windows open and the brisk air flowing through. Of course it reminded me of waking up in New England on a brisk autumn morning but it lacked the rustling of maple leaves and the damp smell of the forest. Still, I’ll take what I can get.

Anna's Hummingbird male by Kathie Adams Brown 10-13-08

The cold air makes the hummingbirds especially hungry. I refill the almost empty feeders and watch as these flying warriors vie for this liquid nourishment. They are not the only ones who seek it out as I am just as likely to find a Gila woodpecker or two dangling from a branch above and slurping up their sweet reward. My bird populations are changing daily. Hummingbird species have moved in and moved on. This year I am getting more Anna’s, along with last year’s Costa’s, but a rufous female or immature male is hanging around also and I see it every now and again.

Rock Wren by Kathie Adams Brown 10-13-08

I have been hearing the Rock Wrens for a few weeks now but this afternoon is the first time I have seen one in my yard. I watch as it searches about along the block wall looking for and finding insects to eat. I fear for the pesticides my neighbors have sprayed. I hope the little bird is not eating poisoned food. I have noticed a decline in the number of insects around my house, though I have refused to use pesticides myself.

The Turkey vultures still circle overhead in the warmth of the day, and I am surprised to still see nighthawks moving through the area. Friday night as I came out to water my plants I looked off to the west and noticed first one, then more nighthawks flying south up over the big wash. I grabbed binoculars and camera and proceeded to count close to 75 birds in groups of 5, 10, or 15. It was just after sunset and I think I caught the tail end of a much larger migration of both Common and Lesser nighthawks. I can only assume they are migrating and I wonder if they use Sycamore Canyon and the Santa Rita Mountains as their map to their winter homes. Farewell for the winter my crepuscular friends. I will miss you this winter and look forward to your return in spring. For now I will welcome Rock Wrens and the winter sparrows that are gathering in the wash. I will learn to decipher your field marks yet and call you by name when I can.

Silhouette of a nighthawk by Kathie 10-10-08

Skywatch Friday: Swainson's Hawk Migration

Swainson's Hawks in Rio Rico, AZ 10-5-08 by photo by Gusto!

Nikon D80 70-300mm lens

Click on photo to enlarge for best view

In Autumn the Swainson's Hawks gather in huge flocks for fall migration. Though I have read about this, I have never witnessed it for myself until this past Sunday when we were in Rio Rico. As we came around a curve on Pendleton Drive we spotted this kettle of birds swirling in the sky. Gus pulled over and grabbed the camera while I grabbed my binoculars. As I watched amazed Gus snapped off over 350 photos. The birds were in the air, in the trees and on the ground. A few turkey vultures mingled with them, but I counted over 50 birds just on the ground and more than 50 in the air. It was truly an amazing sight!

Swainson's Hawk soars over tree tops in Rio Rico, AZ 10-5-08 by Gusto!

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Sunday in Rio Rico

On Sunday we took a drive to Rio Rico, which means "rich river" in Spanish. The Santa Cruz flows through Rio Rico dividing it into east and west halves. This "rich river' now flows with treated sewage effluent and it is not safe to wade in. However, the wildlife has found a rich habitat along its shores. We exit on Palo Parado Road and cross the river to Pendelton Dr. I feel so wild and western driving our vehicle, which we have affectionately named "Birdy" through the shallow water. Crossing here saves five or more miles in back-tracking. Beyond the river to the east the San Cayentano Mountains are framed by trees in this lush riparian area. This is also open range and fat cattle barely glanced at us as they contentedly chewed their cuds alongside the road.

We drive up the side of the San Cayentano Mountains to a place I call "Hawk Hill." High on the shoulders of these mountains, I never fail to see a hawk everytime I am here. We first came down on Labor Day, and a red-tailed hawk was perched atop a utility pole tearing some small rodent to shreds then. Today, a far more peaceful scene awaits me as I watch another red-tail circling overhead to the northwest with the Tumacacori mountains beyond.

These mountain slopes are covered with sparse grass, numerous weeds, and a few scrubby mesquite trees. With the lack of tall trees, the birds tend to use the utility poles and wires for lookout perches. Another bird species that frequents these mountains slopes is the Western Kingbird. While I have seen Western Kingbirds before, I have never seen them in such great numbers. Since I am new to this area, I do not know if this is just an autumn phenomenon, or a regular occurrence, but it is not unusual for me to see 8 to 10 Western Kingbirds together down here in Rio Rico.

As Gus and I walk about on the mountain slopes a few swallows swoop and dive around us. I watch amazed as these magnificent fliers flash past me. I see white rump patches and clean white breasts. I think of violet-green swallows but I don't know if this is within their range. Three of the swallows land on a nearby wire and start to preen themselves. In the overcast light they appear black and white and I am confused as to their identification, so I snap off a few photos and walk back to the car to consult my bird guides where I discover that this is, indeed, their range and only the violet-green swallows have the white patches that almost meet over their rumps and their clean white breast with the white coming up over the eyes. These little birds continue to preen for a long while before flying off again. When the sun finally came out form behind the clouds I could finally see a bit of the greenish color in their shoulders and wings.

I have noticed that the humidity is higher in Rio Rico than it is near Tucson. It seems there are more mosquitoes here also, as well as other insects. As I walk around on Hawk Hill I see a flash of motion out of the corner of my eye. I pause and turn to see this ginourmous spider spinning up its morning breakfast! The grasshopper is still alive and struggling. I walk carefully away, glad that I did not walk into the web myself. When I look back the grasshopper is gone and the web has a huge hole in it. Score one for the grasshopper.

Horned lizard on the slopes of the San Cayentano Mountains 10-5-08 by Kathie Adams Brown

Not long afterwards I discover this little guy crawling about in the weeds near my feet. He is not much bigger than the grasshopper that just escaped from the spider. He is lucky he didn't get stepped on. Let's hope he stays away from that web!

I glance up at the peaks of the San Cayentano mountains. I feel drawn to these peaks for some reason. I feel good here in their shadow. I like their shape and the play of light and shadow on these gray-green slopes. But there is something else that draws me, a connection that I can't explain.




We head farther up the mountain and I discover this brilliant orange butterfly on some wildflowers. I am amazed by its coloration for it is black and orange above, but when it closes its wings the strikingly beautiful orange and white body and under-wings are revealed. Nature is full of delightful surprises and hidden secrets, like treasures, waiting to be discovered.



As we head down the mountain I see a large gathering of some raptor-like birds circling over the agricultural fields of Rio Rico. I ask Gus to stop the car so I can identify what I am looking at. We are on a side road with little to no traffic, so I jump out and stand in the middle of the road gazing skyward with my binoculars. However, a man is working outside in his yard right near where I am standing. He starts to walk towards me with a questioning look on his face. I hastily jump back in the car and we continue down the hill to Pendleton Dr. Here the road follows the valley floor and as we round the bend the swirling flock is revealed before us. Gus takes advantage of a dirt road and pulls off to park. I jump from the car with my bins in hand and call to him to grab the camera. As I focus in I search for field marks to identify what I am looking at. The light colored body, dark hood, and dark flight feathers make me think that I am seeing Swainson's hawks. I have read about them gathering in massive flocks during the fall migration period but I have never seen this behavior for myself. Now, standing here on a dirt road in Rio Rico I watch dumbfounded as masses of raptors circle overhead. Then, I notice the dark shapes on the ground in the thick alfalfa. There, walking about like chickens, are more hawks! As we draw near the fence line the birds nervously take to the air. Some continue to circle, but many come to roost on the ground once again, or in the nearby trees that line the far side of the field. Gus snaps away while I search the flock for any aberrant birds. While I do see a few turkey vultures and I hear a distant raven, the majority of birds are Swainson's hawks, adults and juveniles, dark and light morphs. I estimated the flock to be 110 strong. I am underestimating, I am sure, for I counted 50 birds on the ground, and at least as many in the air.

Adult Swainson's hawk in Rio Rico 10-5-08 photo by Gus

Coming at you! Photo by Gus

Swainson's hawks dropping from the sky over Rio Rico 10-5-08 by Gus

Adult Swainson's Hawk in Rio Rico, AZ 10-5-08 photo by Gus

Juvenile Swainson's hawk in Rio Rico, AZ 10-5-08 photo by Gus

All the while we are watching hawks this little vermilion flycathcer is watching us from the trees that edge the field on our side. We finally tear ourselves away from the scene and head on down the road. A little more than a mile south I spot a gray shape on top of a dead snag. Once again Gus stops the car and backs up for me to see, but this is a busy road with lots of traffic. He pulls off onto the grassy shoulder and I jump out of the car.

Gray Hawk in Rio Rico on Pendleton Rd. 10-5-08 Photo by Kathie

This Gray Hawk watches me warily as I slip a bit closer and snap off a few shots. I am so excited but I don't want to disturb the bird. I also have my sunglasses on, so it isn't until I get home that I realize with frustration the photos are not as clear as I hoped. Still, we had a great time in the outdoors. We saw so many new things today, and I have discovered what I am sure many others already know, that Rio Rico is a very birdy place!

Come back tomorrow to see Gus' best photo posted here for Skywatch Friday!

Breakfast With the Birds

Curved-billed thrasher 10-6-08 by Kathiesbirds

I roll over in bed this morning cuddling the thick comforter up under my chin. A cool autumn breeze waltzes through my open window playfully reminding me of this weekend's temperature drop. How refreshing this breath of cool air feels after the dry heat of summer and the muggy heat of Monsoon. Just last night I pulled my comforter out from the closet and smoothed it over the bed. Now I snuggle deeper into the blankets wanting to savor every minute of this experience. A glance at the clock reminds me that I had promised my friend, Sherri I would join her for tea on the patio at her house this morning. So, I throw back the covers and roll out of bed.

Sherri recently bought herself some hummingbird feeders after visiting my house and watching all the hummingbirds fly about the yard. They captured her heart and she went out that day and bought feeders and nectar for herself. Now she wants me to come see for myself how many hummingbirds are visiting her yard. At home I am getting so many more varieties and numbers of hummingbirds than I did last year. I can only assume this is due to all the development and the presence of more and more landscaping with flowering plants and people putting out hummingbird feeders. Last year I predominately saw Costa's Hummingbirds. This year I have recorded at least 6 species. I am anxious to see who is showing up at Sherri's house!

I hear a rock wren's trill as soon as I walk up the driveway. Shortly after the tea is made and we are sitting outside in the golden light of the new day a curved-billed thrasher lands on the view fence that borders her yard. Sherri's house looks out over one of the undeveloped green areas where native vegetation flourishes along a desert wash. The gray-green of velvet mesquite is interspersed with the dark green of creosote bush. Desert hack berry abounds along with a variety of cacti, native grasses, wildflowers, and other trees and scrub. In this lush foliage of the Sonoran Desert the birds thrive. I focus on a little female Anna's out in the wash. I can barely get the camera to focus on her between the bars of the fencing. Then, a bedraggled rufous hummingbird flies over to one of her feeders to lap up some nectar before perching on the chicken wire stretched along the bottom of the fence to keep the rabbits out of the yard and the garden. You can just see the rufous-colored feathers developing along his head and back. On his throat a tiny orange gorget is growing, reflecting copper-colored light.

As we sit and drink our tea and nibble on the fresh danishes Sherri made the birds become more active in the warmth of the sun. Out in the wash I spot an orange-crowned warbler. It flies off before I can get a photo of it. The hummingbird feeders are constantly busy with tiny green thieves fighting for every drop. I see Costa's, Anna's, Rufous and to my surprise, a broad-tailed female with peachy sides and rufous at the base of her tail. I tell Sherri I have had broad-billed hummingbirds at my feeders this year, but they are all gone for now. She glances at the picture in Stoke's Beginner's Guide to Hummingbirds which I have brought along.

We hear a couple of Cactus Wrens squabbling in the wash. A pair of house finches jumps up on the fence and the female plops into the birdbath for her morning wash while the male stands guard above her. Then the house sparrows come to see if there are any morsels for them. Finding none, they move on. As Sherri shows me around her garden pointing out her favorite flowers I am appalled to see a pigeon land on her rooftop! It watches us warily from the height of her 2 story rooftop, then flies off. Where are all the Cooper's hawks when you need them!

We've had a wonderfully birdy morning. As the light and shadow plays across the desert, so, too, does the temperature. The bright sunlight warms you up, then a cool autumn breeze cools you down. It is late morning as I prepare to leave and Sherri walks me out the front door. I have my birding hat on my head, my binoculars on my chest, and my camera slung over my shoulder for the 3/4 of a mile walk home. As we round the corner of her garage I notice a dark and thick shape in the tree of her front yard. I quickly raise my binoculars to discover a mourning dove nest with the mother dove and two nestlings all crammed in together! I drop my bag, give my bins to Sherri, and raise my camera to capture this truly peaceful moment. I use to say capture "on film," but with all this digital technology, I suppose I shall have to say, "in pixels"! Well, what peaceful pixels they are today. And I thought nesting season was over!

Mother Mourning Dove and fledglings in nest 10-6-08 by Kathiesbirds

Click on photo to enlarge for the most peaceful view

Photographer's Note: All of today's photography is by Kathie Adams Brown with the Nikon D80 and the 70-300mm lens set in sports mode.

Project Feeder Watch 2008

Pyrrhuloxia and House Finches May 16, 2008 (photo by Kathie)

Press release from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:

Project FeederWatch Benefits Birds and People

Connection with nature promotes wellness

Ithaca, NY-­More than 100 studies have shown that getting closer to nature reduces stress and promotes a feeling of well-being in children and adults. So, filling feeders and counting the birds that visit may be just what the doctor ordered! For more than 20 years, that’s what participants in the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Project FeederWatch have been doing-­benefitting themselves and the birds.

"It is a great winter time activity for the whole family," says Alaska FeederWatcher Nancy Darnell. "If you have children, they will come to love watching the birds. All of this is fun and a chance to contribute to scientific studies, too!"

The 2008-09 season of Project FeederWatch gets underway November 8 and runs through April 3. Participants count the numbers and kinds of birds at their feeders each week and send the information to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Participants submitted more than 115,000 checklists during the 2007-08 FeederWatch season, documenting unusual bird sightings, winter movements, and shifting ranges-­a treasure-trove of information that scientists use to monitor the health of the birds and of the environment. “Being a FeederWatcher is easy and fun, and at the same time helps generate the world’s largest database on feeder-bird populations,” says project leader David Bonter. “We are grateful for the contributions our participants have made for the birds and are proud of the joy they say it brings to their busy lives. Since we started in 1987, more than 40,000 people have submitted observations, engaging with the wildlife beyond their windows.”

“Project FeederWatch opened up a whole new world for me,” says participant Cheri Ryan of Lockport, Kentucky. “It’s so interesting to watch the activities of the birds. I learn something new each time I participate.”

Scientists learn something new from the data each year, too, whether it’s about the movements of common backyard birds or unusual sightings of rarely-seen species. Highlights of the most recent season include the largest southward movement of Red-breasted Nuthatches in the history of the project­-part of an expected influx of northern birds that fly farther south when their food supplies run short. Other northern species showing up in record numbers included Common Repolls and Pine Siskins. Among the rare birds reported was a Streak-backed Oriole in Loveland, Colorado-­the state’s first report of this bird, native to Mexico. A December nor’easter deposited a Dovekie in Newton, Massachusetts, the first time this North Atlantic seabird has ever been reported to Project FeederWatch.

Long-term data show some species increasing in number, such as the Lesser Goldfinch in the Southwest. Other populations continue a downward trend, such as the Evening Grosbeak throughout their range. Once one of the most common species seen at feeders in the northern half of the continent, the grosbeaks are declining for unknown reasons.

Beyond the benefits to birds and science, however, is the benefit to participants. “Nature is not merely an amenity; it is critical to healthy human development and functioning,” says Nancy Wells, Cornell University assistant professor of design and environmental analysis. Her studies find that a view of nature through the window or access to the environment in any way improves a child’s cognitive functioning and reduces the negative effects of stress on the child’s psychological well-being. Wells also notes that when children spent time with nature early in life it carries over to their adult attitudes and behavior toward the environment.

Project FeederWatch welcomes participants of all ages and skill levels, from scout troops and retirees to classrooms and nature center visitors. To learn more and to sign up, visit http://www.feederwatch.org/ or call the Lab toll-free at (800) 843-2473. In return for the $15 fee ($12 for Lab members) participants receive the FeederWatcher’s Handbook, an identification poster of the most common feeder birds in their area, a calendar, complete instructions, and the FeederWatch annual report, Winter Bird Highlights.

Many FeederWatchers echo this comment from Mary Strasser of Wisconsin: “The greatest reward for me as a participant in Project FeederWatch these many years has been observing birds and behavior that I might have missed had I not been part of this project.”

Note: Photos are available at http://www.feederwatch.org/. To find local participants for stories, contact David Bonter at (607) 254-2457 or email dnb23@cornell.edu. Visit the “Explore Data” section of the web site to find the top 25 birds reported in your region, rare bird sightings, and bird summaries by state or province.

Media contact in Canada: Kerrie Wilcox, Bird Studies Canada, (519) 586-3531, kwilcox@bsc-eoc.org

The Cornell Lab of Ornithology is a membership institution dedicated to interpreting and conserving the earth’s biological diversity through research, education, and citizen science focused on birds. Visit the Lab’s web site at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ .

Skywatch Friday: Summer Skies

Tree Swallows at Raymond Bog, Hebron CT 7-10-08

Click on any photo to enlarge for best view

Hayfield in Wilton, ME 7-14-08

Kennebec Blue Norridgewock, ME 7-15-08

Tin Roof Madison, ME 7-15-08

Railroad Bridge over the Kennebec between Anson and Madison, ME 7-15-08

Monsoon Sunset in Sycamore Canyon near Tucson, AZ 7-21-08

As Autumn presses in on us I wanted to share some of my favorite summer skies that I never got to post. I hope you enjoyed this visual reminder before the snow starts to fly. Most of these photos are from my trip back east this summer, but I returned to beautiful desert sunsets created by the cloudy skies of the Monsoon which officially ended on September 30th. Perhaps next week I will have a desert version of an autumn sky to share. Happy Skywatching everyone!

Shark Kite flies over Hampton Beach, NH 7-13-08


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Photographer's Note: All of today's photography is by Kathie using the Nikon D80.