A Sanctuary in the City

Our backyard at first glance may not look very attractive, but there is a lot of stuff going on there if you just sit back quietly and observe.

This weekend I spotted more of the usual suspects of the birds. I finally managed a decent picture of the titmouse. It really is a titmouse... it just slicks back it's crest when I take a picture, but then fluffs it out as it's flying away. Grrrrr.


I also captured a juvenile Anna's Hummingbird... or at least that's what I'm calling it. We have plenty of Anna's around and it was a tad smaller and not quite looking like the females and it also didn't match up with any in the bird books. On the other hand, it might be a female roufus or allen's... apparently they are indistinguishable in the field.


But best of all, we had two unique visitors. First, a praying mantis nymph! I'm so happy, for the last two years we've had one praying mantis in our yard. It looks like we might have another provided this little one survives all the birds we have, lol. Maybe there are more too!

This image I guess I focused on the window and not the insect itself. No wait, I meant to do that! LOL!

And then s/he got sick of my mom and I and our cameras and started crawling away.


Then today as I was attempting to take pictures of hummingbirds, mom came out and spotted a dragonfly. I never expected it to be sitting so still so I could take it's picture!

I can't believe how clear this one turned out. It kinda looks like a clown, doesn't it?

Here it is looking like it's wearing goggles in the Wright Brothers fashion and getting ready for flight.

And after a little jaunt around, he landed on the wire again, but closer to the power pole. What a gorgeous color!