Buck gazelle herds his harem and blackie is back!

This image was taken by Ruthie Schueler in another part of the country, the grass here is taller and denser than it was in the far gazelle field today but otherwise, pretty much the same view.

Gazelles: We were delighted to see seven gazelles today towards sunset, all together in the north end of gazelle field behind the almonds. The adult buck was following his females around quite intently, even running after them. This went on for some time, to and fro behind the trees. He followed two (or he was following one and the other accompanied) and they left the group, heading down to where the watercourse leaves the field, there we lost sight of them. Perhaps they then headed up the east side of the hill to the north. The other four grazed for a while behind the almonds then headed off in the direction the other three had taken. Yesterday we just had a brief glimpse of one, a female apparently, heading south behind the pistaccio orchard, running along the dirt road and heading towards east field or the cypress grove.

hyrax: some active yesterday along valley road. Not today, it was raining for much of the day.

Bird of the day Black redstart! First good sighting of season, bang on schedule, nice male perched and bobbing on top of a rebar on bunker rubble by the three large pines. Pretty much same time as first sighting last season!

House sparrows:usual gathering in the cypress next door after 4 p.m.

laughing doves:still very low profile, not seen or heard.

Hooded crows: very spread out flock heading south toward sunset to roost.

Jackdaws: noisy flock of roughly 125 birds taking up from hill slopes to the north and heading south.

Jays: Heard and glimpsed various parts of woods and fields.

Feral pigeons: brief sightings.

Blackbirds: heard, alarm in woods yesterday toward sunset, quieter today

Syrian woodpeckers: heard calling both days, seen flying over to north valley woods

White spectacled Bulbuls: melodious calls in the garden this afternoon.

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