Pyrrhuloxia, Phainopepla and other difficult birds :-)

Pyrrhuloxia

I know this is a terrible picture.....shot through a poor window in too much sunshine! But it is the first half way decent picture I have of the Pyrrhuloxia. This bird looks a lot like a female Cardinal to me, but there are definite differences....the beak is different and it is very grey, with a red crest and red across the face. Interesting and I hope I get a better picture before I leave here! The Cardinals here seem much slimmer and a little longer then the ones back home. The House Finches also appear to be longer and slimmer. Either the climate or the food here seems to have given them a different appearance.

Phainopepla

I keep trying for a closer picture of the Phainopepla, but they like to stay high in the top of the tree. If I had a photo program on my computer, I might be able to crop this! Rats. They are a long black bird with a ragged looking crest. They are suppose to have a red eye, but I haven't gotten that close yet. I think the second picture is the female....she is grey. Hard to tell at that distance! They eat berries and like the Mistletoe and Junipers and such and spread the seeds in their droppings.

Gambel's Quail male

Gambel's Quail females

I continue to be fascinated with the Gambel's Quail that run along my sister's low wall and drop down and scurry everywhere eating anything they can find! They are such a mix of patterns. Fat round grey body, with brown wing area streaked with white hash marks. Then the male has a light area on his chest and a dark band across the lower part of the chest. When he puffs up it is interesting looking. I saw 2 males bumping each other like Sumo wrestlers and then bowing to each other. Funny....very territorial, I guess. The lower belly is streaked with brown. The male's face is black ringed with white and then the brown cap with the little topknot feather! A strange bird, to say the least! The female has a plain head except for a smaller topknot. They are really funny to watch when they all panic and scurry off as fast as their little legs will take them. I took a video and then ruined it by forgetting to turn off the camera and panning the floor.

I'll have to hide this picture from my sister of the bunny on his tiptoes eating her plant that she is trying to protect from him.......shhhhhh....don't tell her!

I have several pictures from this morning of the Gila Woodpecker, the quail, and the bunny all foraging where I tossed a bunch of bird seed. The Gila was partial to the peanuts and I believe that is what is in his mouth here.You can see the Gila Woodpecker flying off the right side of this picture. Not a great picture, but I liked catching his flight.