Bird Song Books & Bird Watching

The company behind the fabulous Bird Song books, becker & mayer!, read about my post about The Backyard Birdsong Guide: Western North America and the fix I made to the missing battery cover. Jessica generously sent over a copy with a cover in tact and the more detailed Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song. My family and I are loving it. Thank you, Jessica!

Photo by my oldest son.

With the arrival of the books, we've enjoyed a great wave of bird watching. As I was hanging up laundry, I noticed a California Thrasher. Typically, there are hard to spot because they hide under lower shrubs. I saw the usual cluster of mockingbirds, scrub jays and darting woodpeckers.

In the afternoon, a Turkey Vulture flew over head. I think the vulture was displaced from the fires. It's the first one near our house I've seen in seven years of living here.

At the Arroyo Seco, the kids and I saw a Western Bluebird and an energetic little yellow bird with distinct eye rings. I'm not sure what it was. Very bright yellow. Small. Curious. It perched on a tree above the boys and me while I listened to a local treasure hunter share about his hobby.

I'm hoping our luck holds out, and we'll spot a California Condor. Eric spotted one many years ago resting on a power line off of Calgrove in Santa Clarita.