Settling down...

Baby Barn Swallow

It was 67 degrees and sunny. I was greeted in the parking lot by some cute, crisply marked chipping sparrows - their caps bright, rufous red. They were foraging the grasses along with robin parents and babies and red-winged blackbirds.

In the lower gardens, I saw a couple of baby barn swallows perched on fencing looking on as their parents were preoccupied with a puddle under the water faucet. By the way, the garden contents are looking quite delicious - vegetables and flowers alike! Saw many of our regulars like the catbirds, song sparrows and cardinals and lots of families - an oriole dad and baby, and warbler dad and baby. I thought I caught a glimpse of a red-eyed vireo, but it was so brief I couldn't be certain.

Tired chippy!

The white fruited mulberry is a hot spot right now. From squirrels, to house sparrows, titmice, mourning doves, grosbeaks, song sparrows, catbirds, orioles, goldfinches and eastern kingbirds, it was quite attractive. As I stood watching, a tiny weasel appeared from the meadow and ran across the path. Then Mary Lou who had appeared saw it with something small in it's mouth! Instant replay of a few weeks ago - carrying babies from one location to another. Is this another family of short tailed weasels? Duane has even seen them in his driveway. Amazing how we've never seen them before and now three sightings in a couple of weeks!

The upper garden was fairly quiet. The noisiest faction being the house wrens. I saw this chipmunk

lying indolently on this fence beam. I wondered if it might be a young one because it looked totally exhausted. No self-respecting chipmunk would let me get this close!

Headed down to the soccer field where I could only hear a downy, red-bellied woodpecker and peewee. Did catch a glimpse of a yellow warbler and baby and also, strangely a female hummingbird.

Other than that, it was pretty quiet.