Not that I'm not still watching birds. In fact, Saturday we had company over and we all ended up sitting by the balcony doors watching the Hummingbird Wars. Sometimes we'll have as many as four of them dancing around the balcony arguing over the one single feeder. Because of the way the balcony is set up, though, the light is always behind the birds, so I can rarely see them well enough to identify them. Now and then we get a glimpse of a green back and white belly of a female or the bright ruby throat of a male Ruby Throated.

Yesterday one nearly flew up my nose as another chased him past and I could swear he had a black head with a white eyebrow. I can't find anything like him in any of my bird books.

The bird wars go far past the hummingbirds, too. I looked up the other day to see two of our huge black vultures cruising around the park - with an attendant party of smaller birds. They were too high to tell for sure, but I suspect they were starlings. They looked like bombers with fighter planes as escort wheeling around up there. Of course, their smaller escorts were up there so they could warn and mob if the vultures got up to anything.

And several times I've watched the lesser terns run a great white egret off their island. They don't seem to mob the Great Blue Herons. Now, it seems to me the big Blue is more likely to be after little birds or eggs.

I keep trying to get some photos of the terns for you - but all I get is white specks - LOL. I shall not give up!

And I truly have not and would never forget you guys, I'm just really swamped. When I do get a minute I dare to take away, I run like mad and jump in the river with the kayak. Since I work from home and I have so much work, I'm getting desperate to get OUTSIDE and away from the apartment.

Hope you're all having a great summer!

Good birding!