Summer is lazy around the garden. I water a little here and there. I weed a little. Mostly I'm enjoying the plants, and watching the wildlife enjoy the plants.
Today I enjoyed the house finches feasting on the blue elderberry bushes.
Blue elderberry is now called Sambucus nigra ssp. caerulea - it used to be Sambucus mexicana. It is native to California. Several years ago, a row of them volunteered in my garden along the fence where birds sit — and poop.
Look at these luscious berries!
Difference between house and purple finches? House finches are a more orange-red and purple finches a more blue-red, is my main determinant. This 10,000 bird blog has a good visual comparison.
Females are easier I think- purple finch females have bold markings around their eyes, kind of like someone sketched in large human eyes around their bird eyes.
Here are a few photos from this morning.
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| Can you see three birds? |
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| Bet you missed this one in the photo above. |
The coffee berry (Frangula californica) next to the elderberry bushes is full of ripening berries too - but nobody was visiting them today. Orioles like them - those are visitors I look forward to every year.
Well time for a cup of tea, then off to my daughter's. It's world cup final day today. I won't be watching though - I'll be playing with grandchildren!