
(click/tap to enlarge)
Sometimes,

it takes,

patience,

to fully bloom.
Cheers to you from the late blooming Holler Bearded Iris~
Quite a curious Hooded Oriole mated pair (click/tap to enlarge).
They are avid people watchers,
and grape jelly eaters!
Orioles are migrating birds, and because it is cold in the winter at The Holler, our orioles head to warmer winter climes.
They spend spring and summer nesting at The Holler.
Female orioles are supremely talented weaver birds, and design intricate and beautiful hanging nests from palm strings. This female is loading up on string to weave her nests.
Cheers to you from the beautifully curious Holler Hooded Orioles~
Harris Hawks lift off from my glove,
soar straight up in the sky to fly,
and land precisely back with Jim.
Flying hawks is incredible.
Lethal precision hunters,
they are woe to birdies in the sky,
and critters fleeing on the ground.
They are savage beauties,
and magnificent creatures.
Cheers to you from the Harris Hawks~
This learned looking, Spectacled Owl (click/tap to enlarge),
looks like he’s none too impressed with us humans.
Wise old owl!
Spectacled Owls are native to Mexico, Central and South America, and the species is doing well.
I met him at his home, where he flies free, at Avian Behavior International in rural Southern California.
Cheers to you from the learned, and wisely unimpressed owl~
I have only seen Macaws flying free in Central and South America.
These Macaws fly free regularly over rural Southern California which is an incredible sight.
They often spend hours away, carry no trackers,
like to hang out on this dead tree,
and chose when they want to come home.
They are free as a bird!
They love people and are very curious about new ones,
as you can easily see in these photos.
Please forgive me for posting so many photos,
and breaking my 8 photo maximum rule,
but I can’t resist these guys,
and hope you can’t either.
Cheers to you from the happy Macaws at Avian Behavior International~
For more information see: https://avian-behavior.org/about-us/
Looks aren’t everything.
Acrobatic skills,
are more important.
The ability to debate is a also necessary ability.
It isn’t fair, but unfortunately is true,
looks often get you, more grape jelly!
Cheers to you from the handsome, skillful, and well fed Holler Orioles~
(Note- We are traveling now and will be out of the range of wifi for while. Stay safe & take good care).
Big Gulp Gull,
swallows his catch, Coeur d’Alene Idaho.
Bald Eagle,
and juvenile, catch grizzly salmon scraps, British Columbia Canada.
Saddle Bill Stork catches a cat,
Kruger National Park, South Africa.
Red Tailed Hawk,
loves rare water, Southern California.
A pair of Yellow Legs multiply in reflection, Salton Sea, California.
Greater Flamingos tango, Tagus Estuary Portugal.
Mated White Storks greet on their nest, Alsace France.
Cheers to you from your feathered friends~
Is it just me? Or does he look irritable to you?
Would you cross his pasture?
The timid California Quail,
seemed to like hanging around him.
Maybe she thinks no one will mess with her, when he’s around.
But the roadrunner stayed clearly on the other side of the fence.
He’d rather deal with a confusing human like me,
than a bunch of bull like him!
Cheers to you from California’s clever critters~