nesting

This is a work of rephotography, or at least, of seasonal revisiting.   Last summer there was a finch nesting in this box, and I took a photograph of her/him while she was actually sitting in a place more usually reserved for bills, and coupon magazines, or maybe - this being the yellow plastic side of the mailbox agglomeration - the Santa Fe New Mexican.   Although she wasn't there today, yesterday we saw her fly out quite rapidly as we approached.  It's nesting time.

In celebration of this, we went to Wild Birds Unlimited (an establishment distinguished not just by its commitment to local bird life, but by the resident, and vocal, black and white cat), and purchased a bluebird house and pole (and some more bird seed).   We have both Western and Mountain Bluebirds, and hope that at least one of them can be induced to roost (it's a birdhouse with access both from the side and from the top, in order to allow one to evict sparrows, an attitude that, given the diminishing quantity of sparrows in Britain over the last few years, seems to me rather unpleasantly discriminatory.   On the other hand, I don't think that I've ever seen a sparrow in Eldorado, so I probably shouldn't worry on their behalf).

Today's other bird news consisted of the Quail.   Last summer, we had several families of Quail, including the Catholic Quail (with thirteen little quaillettes, at least at the outset), and the sad, widowed (? goshawk, ? rough-legged hawk, ? great horned owl) Solo.   Solo was back a few days ago.   Solo now seems to have his mate for this year!