Further Bees and Birds

I am stitching away on an Amy Bruecken design called "Bee Good or Bee Quiet".  I am going to stitch it to just say "Bee Good".  

Sunday my sister and I were lucky enough to see a pair of California Quail and their sixteen, yes sixteen babies!

So far this is the only photo I've managed to take of a baby California Quail. The parents, rightly so, are extremely shy and skittish while the chicks are small. 

I find this to be an extremely confusing and bewildering year with my Tree Swallows and Violet-green Swallows.  I think the Tree Swallow house fledged and so have three Violet-green Swallow houses.  What is odd, is most years fledging is a real production and I am able to watch the parents encourage their babies to fly for the first time - it takes hours and lots of 'chatting'.  This year I did not see anyone, though I do think the above photo is of a newly fledged Violet-green youngster. 

And I have seen the Tree Swallows come back to their house.  As have three pairs of the Violet-green Swallows.  Perhaps they have considering having a second brood of young.  Stay tuned, and I'll keep watching.

My sunflower chips are very popular with the Purple Finches and the American Goldfinches.

After bragging about the return of the Evening Grosbeaks, I did not see any birds on Sunday.

Thankfully, the Cedar Waxwings continue to visit in the evening.

I did see a young Song Sparrow.

And my Willow Flycatcher continues to keep me company.

I think this has to be a young male Flicker - he is shorter and stockier than the other males.

I do have female Flickers around as well.

And on Father's Day weekend I got to watch this adult male Hairy Woodpecker feeding his young son, while another newly fledged male looked on.

A father's work is never done!