Hawks, a Hutton's Vireo, and Other Birds

Yesterday I looked for birds in my backyard and at the Vista Courthouse parking lot.

In my backyard, I saw a pair of mourning doves and a pair of California towhees.  The towhees were picking up sticks; possibly getting ready for spring.  Below are a photo of the doves and a photo of one of the towhees.

Mourning Doves

California Towhee

The Vista Courthouse parking lot is actually a very good place to look for birds when nobody is there.  There is a field next to it, so many birds of prey can be seen flying over.  The parking lot also has many small trees scattered through it and larger trees around the edge where warblers, woodpeckers, and other small birds can be found.

First is not a bird but a little California ground squirrel.

Below is a red-shouldered hawk.

Red-Shouldered Hawk

Below is a Cooper's hawk.  They hunt for birds by diving quickly at them in a surprise attack.

Cooper's Hawk

Below is a bushtit hanging upside-down.

Bushtit

Below is a Hutton's vireo.  They are found all year round on the far west coast and parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Central Mexico.  They are common, but can be hard to find because they are very small and you have to look in just the right place.  There were three of them in the parking lot among other little birds.  It was very hard to photograph because it kept moving around.

Hutton's Vireo