Our local walks are getting a lot less “birdy” with migration well underway. Hummers are still here and on every outing we see and hear Gray Catbirds like this one.

Later, on the same walk, Ginger encountered a young Groundhog, and after a short showdown, it ran and hid. Since then, she sniffs the encounter spot but that’s it.

I don’t chase birds these days. However, we have had one or two juvenile Black-crowned Night Herons reported downtown on the river. Ginger and I took a long walk Wednesday and sure enough, this “continuing” bird was fishing patiently.

Just downstream, below a gas station, a Great Blue waited.

And then, as I was heading out, seven small diving ducks flew in. They were juvenile Hooded Mergansers. They settled for a rest stop and likely headed out shortly later.

We had a three mile outing around the city on a beautiful August day. High above capitol, a kettle of 36 Turkey Vultures circled, on their way south. This is a good place to live, and to bird.