Early Bird Visitors

We have a few interesting early birds visiting our home and other locations here in New Mexico.

I walked out of my front door one day and spotted this female Ladder-backed woodpecker in the tree in front of the house.  

This is the home she was checking out.  I think it was last seasons nesting site. The window in the background is the location of my in-home office, and while working at my desk one day, I spotted the male.  I grabbed my camera and dashed out the door.  Alas, before I could get him in focus he was gone.  

I have not seen either of them again.  They are very shy.  I think when the tree gets leafed out they will return and build their nest.

Not nearly as shy is this pair of doves that are nesting here.  This is the female on her nest.

Here is a close-up view of her.  This is probably the same pair that fledged their young from this nest last summer when we had first moved in.  I understand they mate for life.

The male dove stays near-by and keeps watch on his lady.  A male dove wakes me up each morning by perching on the chimney of our fireplace and cooing as loud as he can.  Wake up time is 7:15 am.  Since it is a mating call, I do not know if it is the same dove.

Sparrows visit our neighborhood also.  They are welcome.

These two pictures are of what I believe is a House Finch.  Among other things, photographing this shy little bird tells me I need to get a telephoto-lens.

This most likely the female the male finch was courting.  We had moved our "home" back to Percha Dam State Park.  This pair would sing in the tree by our trailer.  As soon as I grabbed my camera, they flew to the far side of the tree.  These photos were lucky shots.

In the early spring, the early bird gets the worm.  Yes, it is a Robin.
Sorry she was in the shadows.

The spillway at Percha barely has a trickle of water passing through.  Most of the water is held upstream behind the Caballo and Elephant Butte Dams until irrigating begins.

Here is what the dam looks like without the water flowing over it.

Here is the same view taken last summer during our first stay at Percha Dam State Park.