Total Species Recorded: 116

My Big Recording Year has slowed down quite a bit, which is to be expected. The birds are mostly quiet with the exception of the unpaired Northern Mockingbirds that continue to sing all day desperately begging for a mate. The days are also growing hotter, and all creatures, including myself, are seeking refuge in cooler spaces. The birds’ priorities have shifted in favor of staying quiet and focusing on finishing breeding activities that require stealth.

Ever since the mercury reached 90+ degrees, I have stayed indoors and closed the blinds to keep the heat out as much as possible, leaving me oblivious to the surrounding bird activity. One morning, we had a lovely cool Delta breeze sweeping through the Valley, and I opened up the windows to welcome the fresh air. As I soaked up the breeze at the window, I listened to the soundscape in my backyard. A young Anna’s Hummingbird practiced a scratchy song. Pigeons were cooing nearby. A distant Killdeer called its namesake.

As I was eating breakfast and taking in the sounds, a new call suddenly poked through the noise. I rushed to the backyard window just in time to see a California Scrub-Jay exit a small tree in a neighbor’s yard. I grabbed my binoculars, and I could just make a bundle of sticks buried in the tree. I watched for a few minutes and an adult jay hopped onto the fence, paused for a beat as it looked around for prying eyes, and entered the tree much to the delight of at least one hungry young bird.

I realized that I missed out on the nest building activity when I locked myself in from the elements. But now I have a nestling to observe for a little while and contribute to the California Bird Atlas project.

I decided to avoid recording the young begging calls because I would need to get too close for a decent recording and I don’t want to disturb the nest. For now, I am watching the feedings from behind a closed screen, leaving me concealed to the birds but able to easily observe the happenings.

To read more posts about this challenge, see the dedicated Bird Recording Challenge 2026 web page or click on “Bird Recording Challenge 2026” under “Tags” at the bottom of this post.