Weekend Mornings

I confess - I do enjoy getting up early in the summer.

Weekend mornings are mostly absent of 'people-produced noise' - cars, power-tools, airplanes.

\

Lately the light has been soft and diffused - a gentle harbinger of Autumn.

After the first hour or so outside, the cats settle down.

Together we watch the birds...

...and deer.

Lots of changes in the Bird World.  The Band-tailed Pigeons have left.  The Evening Grosbeaks left on Thursday.  I continue to hear and see a group of 4-6 Purple Martins - most unusual for this area.  The Barn Swallows are still hanging out too - performing acrobatic 'flybys' for us.  The Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers are back - I hear their distinct high pitched 'peep' as they fly about.  They haven't yet returned to the suet feeder.  And no sign of the Sapsuckers since their babies have fledged. There are still lots of Blackheaded Grosbeaks around as well as the Gold Finches. The Mourning Doves are back in full force now that the Pigeons are gone.  The Jays are numerous, and Chickadees and Juncos have returned to using the feeders once again.

The Quail families are omnipresent.  Friday night we saw a family with 20, yes 20 babies! 

This sweet little bird has become a 'regular'.  He is a ground feeder, and always alone.  I wonder what he is.  Somehow with Nature, there's always more to learn!