Never Too Many Dippers

Dino took this series of photos of one of our favorite avians, the Dipper, aka Water Ouzel.  He confirmed for me the other day that we do indeed have a pair.

And something special for your reading pleasure, The Water Ouzel by Harriet Monroe:

"Little brown surf-bather of the mountains!
Spirit of foam, lover of cataracts, shaking your wings in falling waters!
Have you no fear of the road and rush when nevada plunges -
Nevada, the shapely dancer, feeling her way with slim white fingers?
How dare you dash at Yosemite the mighty -
Tall, white limbed Yosemite, leaping down, down over the cliff?
Is it not enough to lean on the blue air of mountains?
Is it not enough to rest with your mate at timberline, in bushes that hug the rocks?
Must you fly through mad waters where the heaped-up granite brakes them?
Must you batter your wings in the torrent?
Must you plunge for life and death through the foam?"



Two Favorites

This post is about two of my favorite birds, and it also announces species number 90 for Dryad Ranch!  Last weekend on our walk, we saw a flock of birds that I was pretty sure were Cedar Waxwings, mostly based on their calls as they flew by.  I doubted myself for a day or two, and then Dino was able to confirm.  There is a spring he likes to visit with birding in mind, as it has had a good offering of ripe grapes.  Evidently the Waxwings found those fruits to their liking, because he spotted some and that gave us our 90.  I just love Waxwings, I think they are one of the most beautiful birds.

This image is in the public domain from the US Fish and Wildlife image library:

Today, after a neighbor dropped by, we headed out on another bird walk and saw favorite number two,  American Dipper.  This is a homegrown image: