Finding nature where you can

After moving to the city, it became very important to find nature where I could. Fortunately, we moved near a lot that has been difficult for developers to sell because it has a little stream which drains the hill above it.  You can't see the water in the photo but you can see the little green plants still growing even in the snow.

I walk here often but because I usually have my dog with me, I stay on the road to avoid the burrs lurking in the grass.

But today, I decided I needed to get out on my own even though the snow was pretty deep. It was so much fun, I felt like a kid again.


Even the weeds were beautiful

I stopped long enough to notice there was still food left for the birds

and heard the cheerful singing of a little brown bird. It wasn't a sparrow and of course it wouldn't come close enough for a photo but I'd seen this little bird before by the lake.  It flicks it's tail like a wren, and every time I've spotted one, it has been near water.

After reading about the American Waterthrush, I thought I'd identified it but it shouldn't be here through the winter. 

Mind you neither should Red-Winged Blackbirds but one is still visiting our feeder.
This fellow has been staying through the winter for about three years.  I always wonder why some of them don't leave.

Well, that was it for my walk, it was short and not very exotic but very much appreciated.

California Quail

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and I wish you all a 2011 full of health, love, joy, peace and even in these difficult times - prosperity

I have been ill with a cold/flu thing that has been really hard to shake so I've been absent from visiting blogs and from posting but I will be reading between naps.

The closest I've been to any nature in a long while has been my own backyard but it doesn't have as many exciting birds as some of your yards do. I'm continually amazed at the number of bird and animal photos captured that way. I've seen more wildlife from people blogging in urban areas than I ever saw all the years I lived in the country.


These California Quail are sweet little birds that were introduced here to help eliminate bugs in the orchards. I'm sure the first ones were not too happy with all the snow but somehow they've survived and even flourished in this area.

They are such friendly birds that you often have to wait for them to move when driving or walking. Although they can fly, they usually choose to run instead.

For years, I never saw them in the winter and have often wondered where they went but then one day, I purchased a bag of bird feed with a large amounts of ground corn in it and I don't know how they found out but not even 2 hours later a whole flock arrived.

I am so pleased that in spite of the local cats, coyotes, hawks and owls, they are so numerous. California Quail are one of the nicest surprises I discovered in this area.
Well forgive me if there are mistakes I keep reading this over and over to edit it and am not absorbing anything so I'm just going to post it.

California Quail by countrymousestudio

California Quail Mug by countrymousestudio