White-eyed Vireo

Yesterday was warm and sunny, 85F. Lorna did the bird walk at Santa Ana in the morning. I read in the sun. In the afternoon we went to Estero Llano Grande where Lorna did a butterfly walk. I just wandered around enjoying the sunshine - seeing a few birds, nothing unusual, although I did see a Mexican Blue butterfly, which unfortunately the lepidopterist group missed. Later in the afternon we sat around talking at Steve and Sue's, eventually migrating to the Ranch House for Dos Equis and burgers. A decent day.

This morning we went to the Edinburg Wetlands. It's another warm day, but overcast. It would have been good light for pictures, but there were not many new birds to photograph. The White-eyed Vireos are seemingly all over the area, hard to see, but easy to hear this time of the season. Word was that a female was sitting on a nest early in the morning and I was hoping to get a photo of the bird actually at the next. She lays an egg every day or two until she has have a full clutch before they start incubating them. The birds were lingering in the area, but I guess there was no reason for them to actually be on the nest. The nest is beautiful in a birdnest sort of way - grasses and leaves woven and lashed together with spiderwebs. The nest itself wasn't particularly concealed, which did surprise me a little. Maybe there just aren't jays and crows in the nesting habitats?

We stopped to pick up red wine on the way home - three bottles for $10. Nothing but the best for my lady. And pastry from El Manijar Bakery. Our car seems to have a difficult time driving past that. Yes, life continues to be difficult.

Be well,
Gunnar