Safety in numbers

For weeks now I've seen flocks of birds moving across the sky but I wasn't able to identify them.  Even after I filled the feeders, none of the birds in these flocks showed interest in visiting my garden.  They moved from tree to tree in large groups, clearly looking for something I wasn't providing.  On a few occasions, smaller groups of them stopped midway, resting in the tall pine tree on our neighbor's property.  I kept my camera fitted with a telephoto lens to grab photos of the tree and finally got lucky.

This was the best photo the telephoto lens could give me

The birds had red-orange breasts and were noticeably larger than our resident house finches.  An online search helped me to identify them as American robins (Turdus migratorious).  Although they're said to be year-round residents in the wilder areas of Los Angeles County, I can't remember seeing them here before now.

 

At the point I identified members of the flock as American robins, I still hadn't managed to get a decent photo of the flock in flight.  Keeping my camera ready, I tried again several days later and I got lucky again.

The flock was much looser than the dense swirling pattern called a murmuration but it was impressive nevertheless

 

I photographed a group of the birds in the tree, hoping for a clearer shot of an individual robin.  I was surprised when I enlarged the image.

These were cedar waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum), a species I've caught bathing in our fountain in mass numbers in 2019 

However, a larger cropping of the photo showed 2 American robins in the tree as well.  Whether they join in the waxwings' flock or their joint presence at that particular moment was a coincidence, I can't say.

 

Both species of birds favor fruit and supplement their diet with insects so perhaps it shouldn't be surprising to see them mingling.  When our native toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), laden with berries during the winter months, died I expect the waxwings lost interest in our garden.  And I don't put out the fruit the robins might like as I expect the squirrels would get it first.  

I continued to attempt better photos of both birds but they eluded me.

I suspect this fellow kept both the robins and the waxwings away.  He spent a considerable amount of time in the pine tree yesterday afternoon, until 2 crows began harassing him and he finally flew off.  I just missed a shot of him in flight, followed by one persistent crow.

 

Late Monday afternoon, while I had my telephoto lens on hand, I caught a couple photos of the Los Angeles harbor during a pause between rainstorms.

There are more boats just outside the harbor again

This photo shows the Vincent Thomas Bridge (in green) that connects our peninsula to Long Beach.  The buildings in the distance, lit by the afternoon sun, are part of Long Beach.

 

I took advantage of the break in the rain we had yesterday to pull weeds, deadhead flowers, and dig out the ruby grass (Melinus nerviglumis) that I was unable to clean up to my satisfaction.  (It's already self-seeded so it should be back unless the rabbits get out of control.)  The rain that returned Tuesday night is expected to stop by mid-morning today.  At present, earlier forecasts of possible rain this coming weekend appear to be overstated.  But then our weather has been anything but predictable of late.

All material © 2012-2023 by Kris Peterson for Late to the Garden Party