Ok, so this site is in its infancy and I am trying to figure out things I can do to keep it current and give you a reason to come back for a visit. Another way of putting it is to throw “ideas” out and see what sticks.

So the latest idea is a “Bird of the Week” column, which covers the birds that I have shot in the last week along with a crowning of the “Bird of the Week” shot. I have no idea if this will stick.

Anyway, last week I spent sometime pulling weeds at Point Lobos and led a condor expedition down the Big Sur coast. I also refilled the bird feeder and took some shots its visitors. So there were ample opportunities to capture a “Bird of the Week”.

California Thrasher

First, I went out to Point Lobos to pull invasive plants off Sand Hill. While there, a couple of California Thrashers got me to drop my trowel and pull out the camera. Both of them were timid, staying down in the brush. Finally one popped up and allowed me to get a few shots. Not my best Thrasher shot, but not bad.

On Friday, I went with my sister and nephew down the Big Sur coast to see if we could spot some California Condors. I have had a great deal of luck seeing condors since last November. On this trip, we spotted six condors, but only saw one reasonably close.

California Condor

It turns out it was Big Sur Condor #4, who I have seen repeatedly in the last eight months. According to MyCondor.org he is a 12 year old male named “Amigo”.

Finally, there has been a lot of activity at the bird feeder recently. The usual assortment of Chestnut-backed Chickadees, House Finches, and Oak Titmouses, have been joined by Western Scrub-Jays and Stellar’s Jays. The jays are messy at the feeder and dump a lot of seeds on the ground. This last week Eurasian Collared-Doves and Band-tailed Pigeons decided that the Morning Doves had a good gig cleaning up seeds on the ground. I don’t usually see Band-taileds this close, so I got a few shots.

The result was the inaugural “Bird of the Week” shot:

Band-tailed Pigeon, Monterey – July 15, 2011

Come back in next week to see if this idea sticks.