Rich and I decided to go birding at Bok Tower this morning. It’s been a while since we’ve gone there, and Rich says it’s starting to be cool enough to go birding with me again. :)

There were tons of birds! We couldn’t turn around without turning into a Gray Catbird. “Maaaw! Maaa! Go home and feed your gray cat!” they kept calling to us.

Jays, Brown Thrashers, and Eastern Towhees abounded. We heard but did not see Wood Ducks at the Window by the Pond. Perhaps the most surprising was the abundance of Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds, who we heard all over the gardens. I drove Rich crazy watching and waiting until I got this one in great light, nectaring on some salvia bushes:

I had said to Rich that I wanted to see a whole assortment of migrant birds (which we did not see), and a new bird. Well, we were walking along the paths when two little fuss-budgets popped out of the bushes. They paused for a split second for me to snap a few pictures, then continued on their way. They were Ovenbirds! I’ve never seen one of those. The birdwatchers at Saddle Creek Park have been seeing them regularly on their Saturday warbler walks, but I’ve never seen one at Circle B.

Who can go to Bok Tower without admiring the swans? Today they were at the base of the tower, up on the land, preening. One posed for me for a minute.