Western Tanager Visiting The Garden

Western Tanager Visiting The Garden




Meet the Western Tanager! One of the more flashier birds who have visited us here in our part of the High Desert of Oregon.



Primarily a insect eater, this Western Tanager also likes the fruit, such as our raspberries! This Western Tanager is near our raspberries checking out the situation. Though one of the small ponds is right there as well, so perhaps this Western Tanager was thinking of getting a drink?

It can get rather hot here where we live, the ponds give all the birds a nice safe break from the heat!



The first time I seen the Western Tanager was up in the Mount Jefferson Wilderness area just singing it's little heart out way up in the trees. It is nice to see them here at the house!



When the Western Tanager shows up, you just can not mix them up with other birds and they are fun to watch! Even though this one was not in any way trusting of me, or the dogs. This tells me this Western Tanager bird was not around for very long, or seeing this was in July one of the wildfires made this Western Tanager come this way?

Typical birds who stay here any length of time do get used to the activities around here.



The colorful Western Tanager took flight and went to the fruit tree as you can see in the next two photographs.



Keep a eye out for the visitors to your home, never know what is going to show up!

Thank you for coming by and checking out this visitor to our home!

Swimming Frog In Oregon

Mrsroadrunner Photography | Swimming Frog In Oregon




Meet one of our frogs that more then likely was born and raised here on our small piece of property!





We bought the prefabricated ponds placing them within the natural ponds to save on water. Drought conditions and all, and well we wondered if such things as the frogs would still be able to live here in the natural and prefabricated ponds. No worries the frogs made the best of both worlds!



The frogs showed up here some years ago as they tend to do to any place that has a water source. I like the frogs so did not run them off or kill them. I watch the frogs as some folks watch their fish. Only thing that is different is, one should not name the frogs or get to attached. They are wild, coming and going as they see fit, not as we see fit.



We also do not bring the frogs here to the house, they came on their own. We placed the ponds in at first for the dogs to have a place to cool off in on the hot days here in the high desert. Then when we noticed creatures such as this species of frog moved in, we just left them be. The dogs still get in the water btw to cool themselves off! Frogs do not seam to care!



We found out many things were drawn to the water! Such things as butterflies, birds, toads, frogs, many kinds of bee's, slugs / snails (yuk), on and on find the water source refreshing. They , the wildlife have set up their own ecosystem here at our ponds. Dragonflies show up to eat the mosquito's in turn lay their eggs and mate here. The bee's (wasps, hornets), come to drink or get mud and take it to where ever they live. The birds show up and eat what they like etc.. I do remove the snakes who come, they tend to wipe out everything!! Throwing the balance off. We also have to keep peoples pets out of here. Cats, chickens, ducks are the main things we have had issues with. Of course being within the dogs kennel helps, however you would be amazed how slick people pets can be ha!



As you can see the prefabricated ponds we have, have not run off the frogs! This is one of many frogs we have here of all stages of development. It can get rather noisy here at night time and the reports I have gotten from neighbors is that they like the sounds.... Day time of course I dont even know if the neighbors hear the frogs? We sure do !



We estimated we have saved, well Guy is out right laughing about how much water we have saved by putting in these fabricated ponds! By the way our water bill has gone down as well! So for the what $100 a piece on these (?), we paid the two ponds have paid for themselves several times over! We had even found out we had a night time toad living here we never new we had! Who knows what else we have here at night time ?

Thank you for coming by and checking out this frog swimming!!

Red-breasted Nuthatch by Coralie

We had yet another visitor to the garden just the other day!

I do not believe I have seen this little one here before in Jefferson Count Oregon? We are a small town here and not exactly a spot to find such a bird. However we did have another species of woodpecker show up just the other day (other then the flicker) as well as a owl here too so this might be a good year for migration?

These nuthatches are quick!! Dang..... here one second BAM, there another second! This one was actually thirsty, so stopped by for a drink of water from one of our little ponds.

 

This little one was only here for a very brief time. They reminded me of myself who can not sit still either!

This is a example of how truly small this bird is. The chain link fence is a standard, everyday fence. You could fit two of these birds in one of the squares!

Of course I am big on anything flying if I can get the shot!

I did find a good Oregon State website where you can read about this visitors and a link is there to hear their song!

Thank you for coming by!