Days Like This

Today was a beautiful day in our area of southwest Oregon. The sky was bright blue without a cloud in sight. It still is at nearly 7:00 pm. I love this weather. Spring has always been my season and I am vividly reminded of that fact when we approach Spring and begin to get some clear sky days and no rain. If you love rain I highly recommend southwest Oregon. Seriously. We actually get more annual rainfall than that of some of my family who live near Seattle, WA. 

Earlier this afternoon I was out in our backyard admiring the lovely contrast between the Plum tree leaves and the sky when I noticed something. I went and stood under one of the Plum trees to get a better look at one of the branches. I thought I might have spotted a Hummingbird nest but I wasn't quite sure because I didn't have my glasses on and it was a little high up.

So I decided to use my camera to zoom in and hopefully get a clear closeup before going back inside to get my glasses. I came back in and checked out the picture on my computer and it was a Hummingbird nest. We do have Hummingbirds year round here and I had been seeing two at the feeder recently zooming from the feeder to the trees and back. One dive bombed my head yesterday while quite possibly bickering at me for not refilling the feeder that had been empty for two days. I make my own sugar water for their feeder with 1/4 to 1/3 cup of refined/regular 'white' cane sugar melted into 1 cup of boiling water. I use 1/3 cup of sugar during the Winter when it's cold, otherwise I use 1/4 cup. I never add red dye because it is not needed and is not considered healthy for them. Hummingbirds drink nectar from plants with flowers of all colors. They happily go right to feeders with no bright colors. I cringe at the sight of bright red sugar water in feeders all across my town during the Summer. 

I went back outside just as a Hawk flew across our yard and landed on a neighboring rooftop. It was a striking male Red-shouldered Hawk. It was keeping its keen gaze upon several White Crowned Sparrows that were chirping and hopping around in the shrubs. Magnificent creature.

Here is a recent picture I took of our resident female Red-shouldered Hawk at the wild bird rehabilitation center where I devote my Mondays and other time when I can. With Birds of Prey the females are larger than the males, often by as much as 1/3 larger. She's a beauty isn't she? She will likely be laying a couple of eggs soon. She has been laying beautiful eggs for the last 3 years sometime after the Spring equinox. The first time it happened our director thought it was an Easter prank for a moment :-)

✿☮★ Wishing you blue skies, Hummingbird nests and Hawk sightings too. ★☮✿