The Phoebe, the Bluebirds, and the Doves

I still haven't seen or heard the hermit thrushes, and I think that they've gone.  It's sad.  they were very pretty birds, and the only ones that have ever stayed here.  Maybe they'll come back next year.

Today I did nothing special, but I have a few pictures to share (not nearly as many as yesterday).  Birds that I did not get a chance to photograph were two common ravens and two red-tailed hawks, all of which I saw at the same time.

Below is another black phoebe.  The phoebe has been hanging around the yard all day catching tons of insects.

Black Phoebe

Below is a western bluebird.  Bluebirdshave not always been found in my yard.  Maybe only about a year or two ago, they first appeared.  Since then, they've become almost permanent residents.  Some days I don't see any, but they're always back within a couple of days.  They're found in the southwest United States and Mexico, and often use birdhouses.  They're found wherever both trees and open ground can be found, where they eat bugs.  They're often at my school in the morning.  If you set out a feeder for them, they love mealworms.

Western Bluebird

Below are two Eurasian collared-doves.  As their name reveals, they are not native to California; they're from Eurasia.  They're common in both Eurasia and in the southern United States.  They were introduced to Florida and have spread very rapidly since then.  I remember the first time I saw one; it was in the Wild Animal Park (now renamed Safari Park).  That was also the year they first appeared in my neighborhood.  They have never left since then.  They are much larger than the native doves here, mourning doves, and are sometimes aggressive towards them.  Though they are pretty, they are not nice.

Eurasian Collared-Dove