Now it’s Summer

Along the banks of the river

Back on the Crooked River again this week. Fishing is getting good and the weather is perfect for a day of sitting along the stream.

American Kestrel (adult male), this small falcon is rusty above with slate-blue wings and two black slashes on the face.

In June the kestrals show up and we may have discovered a nest site,

Though it’s on the back side of an old snag  .  .  .  on the opposite side of the river  .  .  .  making it difficult to confirm.

Kestrels typically hunt ground prey like small mammals, lizards and large insects.

There was a lizard exchange that first drew our attention to the fact that this pair of kestrels might not be just using the tree as a feeding station.

Northern Flicker (juvenile) is larger than most woodpeckers in Oregon.

Next time we visit, I’ll wade the stream and get a better angle.

For now, we will be content with images of summer blooms, a young flicker and mourning dove also enjoying the water.

Of course, there are some pix of fishing and Tip keeping watch.

Look at that cast  .  .  .