Hawk Perch in Lavender

Formidable, particularly to a mouse!               Hawk Perch in Lavender Here he is, using the perch as it was intended!  Hawks are important in rodent control in our lavender and vineyard. This is probably a Red-Tailed Hawk, or Swainson’s Hawk, and he eats a lot of gophers.

Vineyard Work

Black-shouldered Kite                 Vineyard Work A new visitor was on the hawk’s perch this morning, a formidable predator!  He (and I think it is a he) is a little smaller than the Swainson’s hawk who usually perches on this branch, but I am sure that he is every… Read more »

Vineyard Worker

Vineyard Worker Each morning we find him sitting on his dead branch at the top of a Valley Oak in the vineyard, sometimes with his mate. He doesn’t like being photographed, never smiling, never saying Gopher! always taking off when he sees I am focusing in on him.  Yet he preforms very important work in… Read more »