Friday was the last day of school and I have been birding every day since. But some of the best birds are in my own back yard. The birds are used to my blind and I am able to get close-ups of them from it. Here is a male Black-headed grosbeak. Ther are about 10 at my feeders.
One of the loudest and fun ones is the Bullock's oriole that loves suet.
One of my favorites is the Evening Grosbeak. We find them in the area year around, but I only see them in the spring and summer.
Here a Lazuli Bunting gets harassed by the House finch and Pine Siskins.
Yellow-headed blackbird continue courting in the cattails.
Western Kingbirds have joined the Eastern Kingbirds as they harasse the hawks and pick up hatching insects.
A great way to spend a holiday weekend in the Wilds of Idaho without buying too much high priced gas.
I was not alone even though no humans were close to me. Even though I did not see a bear, they had been to the berry patch within the last couple of days because they left "Rocky Mountain Granola Bars" everywhere. I think it was my occasional singing that kept them away - it usually keeps everybody away.
On the hike out, my cell phone rang - it was the principal of the school I teach at. He wanted a fishing and huckleberry report. I told him where he could find a cup or two of huckleberries, but he kept pressing as to where I was. Keeping good huckleberry patches secret are more important than keeping good fishing holes secret. But as we were talking four cow elk with three calves walked across the trail in front of me and I was only able to get this picture after they stopped in the heavy timber.
The berries are now cleaned, bagged and in the freezer wait to be used for whatever my wife and daughters want them for. Raspberry/huckleberry jam is a favorite.