Archives

Baby Beep-Beep~

Sep13

We have a community of roadrunners living inside our fences at The Holler.

They have become quite used to us, and shelter in our garages or patio when it rains.

This baby roadrunner showed no fear when I approached, but I didn’t press it by getting too close. I would like to stay his friend!

You can see he still has some baby down on his back.

Cheers to you from The Holler’s fearless baby beep-beep~

Note: For those with enquiring minds regarding the tricky controversy over ‘beep vs meep,’ wiki clarifies that although commonly quoted as “meep meep”, the current owner of all trademarks lists “beep, beep” as the roadrunner’s main sound. 😉

Flying By~

Aug30

This Red Shouldered Hawk has been sparring in Holler skies recently with the Red Tailed Hawks.

“California Sister” butterflies are understandably at home in The Holler.

“Firecracker Skimmer” dragonflies float lazily by.

Passion flowers are passionately,

prolific.

Pickerelweed flowers,

reach for the sky. (Thank you Eliza Waters for identifying this plant!)

Bottle brush thrive while spiders spin.

Cheers to you from all who seek the sky~

Bug Patrol~

Aug15

The Holler is quite buggy so it is most helpful for this little guy to catch both the spider and the spider’s catch all in the same web!

Rock Wrens are diligent feathered bug catchers.

They are always hunting and eating.

Rock Wrens are year round residents at The Holler and they are the only species in their genus, Salpinctes.

Rock Wrens are glorious songbirds whose music fills our days. Click to hear their vocalizations:

Cheers to you from The Holler’s hungry, musical and industrious wrens~

Final Flurry & Fotos~

Aug8

Of flying fairies.

It’s a bit tricky to take a photo and feed a hummer at the same time!

Most of The Holler Hummers are packing on calories now to prepare for migration.

Black Chinned Hummingbirds, like the one pictured above, travel to western Mexico or the Gulf.

Rufous Hummingbirds (above) have one of the largest migratory bird journeys in the world, flying up to 3,900 miles each year. Rufous populations are in decline due to habitat destruction and they are now designated a threatened species.

Some Anna’s hummingbirds stay year round at The Holler.

Responsibly maintained backyard bird feeders have helped vulnerable hummingbird species thrive.

They have brought dwindling population numbers up and expanded the territory of many species.

During migration, hummingbird hearts can beat over 1200 times per minute, their wings can flap 80 times per second, and they often fly alone.

Cheers to you from The Holler’s magical flying fairies~

Colibris del Holler II~

Aug1

Hovering in mid flight,

reaching speeds of 60 mph,

with a tongue that is longer than their body,

the only bird in the world that can fly backwards and upside down,

weighing about a tenth of an ounce,

and battling for turf and territory daily with their lethal spear beaks,

hummers are flying,

works of art,

with attitudes!

Cheers to you from The Holler Hummers~

Colibiris del Holler I~

Aug1

I thought it might be time to post some more Holler Hummers.

Hummingbirds in your backyard,

make everyday brighter.

They accompany me on my gardening rounds,

and buzz the camera when I am taking their photos.

If the feeder’s empty,

they swarm my office window until I get up and fill them!

They are quite persuasive,

for such wee tiny critters, weighing only .11 ounces!

Cheers to you from The Holler’s ever entertaining colibris~

Holler Orchids~

Jul18

Quiet beauty.

For difficult days.

Fragile.

Strong.

Like you,

and I.

Orchids grow,

in volcanic rock.

Beauty blooms from fire.

Cheers to you and keep on blooming~

Hunca Munca & Brothers~

Jul3

I was watering The Holler flowers,

daydreaming, not paying attention,

when out of the corner of my eye, I spied,

baby Hunca Munca and her three little brothers,

desperately climbing and clinging to the fountain grass.

I had inadvertently flooded their nest!

Needless to say, I gave watering a rest.

Cheers to you from all the living creatures at The Holler~

Note: For more about Hunca Munca see, “The Classic Tale of Two Bad Mice,” by Beatrix Potter.

Holler Hiking~

Jun20

and picnicking,

are perfect during a pandemic.

No one here but us turkeys.

Well there are lots and lots of coyotes skulking about….

and cacti blooming everywhere.

The pasture below The Holler is happy due to all the rain,

and this is our peaceful morning view.

Cheers to you, from all of us, hunkered down at The Holler, with hopes you are staying safe and well~