Blog Archives

From the coast to open space lands, spring like January weather descends instead of rain

1/31/2015

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Small flock of male and female wigeons, Doran Bird walk pond

American Wigeons at the Doran Park bird walk area pond.

American wigeon in flight, Doran Bird walk

Female bufflehead, cheney creek near Doran bird walk

Male bufflehead, after just coming up from diving

Male and female Lesser Scaup, Cheney creek near bird walk

Male Lesser Scaup

Female common goldeneye, Bodega Bay

Bewicks wren where all the warblers have been seen, Bodega Bay

Brown Pelicans were zooming by rather frequently

As the California drought weather kicks in again, the weather is unseasonably warm, trees and wildflowers have begun blooming.

Meadowlark, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Juvenile white-crowned sparrow, Tolay Lake

Surprised a small group of Killdeer

Killdeer, on the way out of the park

Garter snake on the path

Female Kestrel hunting, Tolay Lake Regional Park

A lone Greater Yellowlegs feeding, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Greater Yellowlegs, Tolay Lake

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Migrating geese

1/28/2015

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These Ross Geese are migrating south right now, from the Arctic, but apparently it is unusual to see them this far north; also the Greater white-faced geese, which have flown south from Alaska; I saw both in a flock in Napa, but they have also been seen in smaller numbers at the coast near Bodega Bay.

Ross Geese, Napa

Large flock of Ross Geese take flight, Napa

Ross geese in flight

Greater white-fronted geese, Napa

Below, a small flock of ruddy ducks on Bodega Bay, most of the flock were sleeping on the water.

Ruddy ducks, Bodega Bay

Female ruddy duck

Yellow-rumped warbler, Hole in the head, Bodega

Yellow-rumped warbler in a tree beginning to bloom, in January

Female red-breasted merganser, Bodega Bay

White-tailed kite, the Laguna

Cooper's hawk, the Laguna

Red-tailed hawk, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Our Northern Harrier again, Tolay Lake Regional Park

This magnificent juvenile red-tailed hawk at Tolay Lake Regional Park

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Green-winged Teals, Petaluma

1/22/2015

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Early afternoon stroll through Petaluma's Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility found a variety ducks

Male Green-winged teal, Ellis Creek

Male Green-winged teal out of the water

Lots of coots

Also, a large flock of Northern Shovelers

Male Canvas back duck, Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility

Female Canvas back

Male canvas back, Ellis Creek

Marsh Wren in the reeds which surround each pond

Marsh wren, front view

Red-shouldered hawk sat in one of the large trees and called out sporadically

Red-shouldered hawk

Red-shouldered hawk, keening

A male kestrel sat on a nest box, but flew off as I approached.

Beautiful male kestrel, Ellis Creek Water Recycling Facility

One of two black-necked stilts that were at one of the ponds

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Townsend Warbler, Bodega

1/20/2015

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Back at Bodega location hoping to get photos of the Lucy's Warbler, but a Townsend Warbler did show up

Townsend Warbler, town of Bodega

All the small birds at the Bodega location had a buildup of some kind of black substance, maybe tar, from someplace where they have all been feeding. There was some speculation that it is gum from nearby Eucalyptus trees, but others disputed that.

Kinglets were also in the area, this one had a pretty bad substance buildup, but seemed to be very lively and was feeding.

Nashville warbler feeding on the Abutilon flowers which were attracting the small birds

Nashville warbler, Bodega

The warbler is accessing the flower's nectar right at the base of the flower and the plant

Below the area, a vine with berries, which was attracting robins

Brown Pelicans were diving against the bright morning light of a beautiful clear day at the coast.

Snowy Egret landed very near me, eager to get some of the fish the pelicans were catching

Too close for comfort - Snowy Egret relocates for a safer perch

The female kestrel I often see in the same location, along Bodega Harbor

Female American Kestrel, Bodega Harbor

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Rare warblers in town of Bodega

1/18/2015

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Some warblers rarely seen in this area have been spotted in the town of Bodega - the most coveted and rarest is the Lucy's warbler which I did not see on the day I was there. The other two are a Nashville warbler and the orange-crowned warbler.

Nashville warbler, in the town of Bodega

Nashville warbler in California

Orange-crowned warbler

Meanwhile, a short hike in Tolay Lake Regional Park, in Petaluma

Western Bluebird, near entrance to park

Say's phoebe, Tolay Lake Regional Park

In the distance, the Northern Harrier was flying low over its path, hunting anything that moved.

Female kestrel made a pass over my position

Female kestrel, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Red-winged blackbird at the park, its red patch hidden under black feathers

The best photo I could get of a northern flicker

Juvenile Red-shouldered hawk? Tolay Lake Regional Park

Song sparrow, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Savannah sparrow? Tolay Lake Regional Park

Canadian geese fly off over farm buildings, Tolay Lake Regional Park

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Surf Scooters, Bodega Bay Harbor

1/14/2015

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Male surf scooter

Pair of surf scooters

Female surf scooter

Brown Pelican

Pacific Loon

Small flock of marbled godwits feeding on the shore

Great Blue Heron hunting in the ice plant, Doran Park Bird Walk, near Doran's Beach

Seemed pretty pleased with itself, might have caught something

Might be a juvenile red-shouldered hawk on utility pole along the harbor

Male Anna's hummer along the Doran's Beach Bird Walk

Male Anna's hummer, near Doran Beach

A small flock of Wigeons were in the flooded area inside the Doran Beach Bird Walk area

Male and female American Wigeons

A lone female golden eye was diving for fish in the stream

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Tolay Lake Regional Park - first sighting of Killdeer

1/11/2015

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As I got closer, Killdder flew off complaining loudly

Killdeer, Tolay Lake Regional Park

A different Great Horned Owl - first shot was distant, but when I went to get closer, trying to also get a clear view through all the branches, I spooked him or her, and it flew off

Great Horned Owl, perched to fly off

A mass of starlings in the park

Our Northern Harrier again, working the fields in its usual spot

Northern Harrier

Female Anna's hummer in the park near the farm area, looking more like some kind of sprite than a small bird - very yellow looking as well.

Flock of what I think are green-winged teals overhead

Female Nuttall's woodpecker in the grove of trees lining one of the main trails

Female Nuttall's woodpecker, Tolay Lake Regioinal Park

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African bird, an escaped exotic, seen in the Laguna today...

1/9/2015

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Probably a molting male orange or red bishop, a finch native to Africa

Escapee from someone's exotic bird collection probably

Red finch in the Laguna

Western Bluebird in the Laguna

Lots of kestrel activity

Female Kestrel in the Laguna

White-crowned sparrow, the Laguna

On the cherryridge property -

Red-breasted sap sucker, just opposite front porch

Sapsucker making new holes in the acacia tree

White-breasted nuthatch, front porch tree, evening light

Varied Thrush, front yard area

Another view, Varied Thrush, front yard

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Northern Harrier

1/3/2015

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Taking small steps and advancing very slowly, I was able to get fairly close to this Northern Harrier at Tolay Lake Regional Park

We stared each other down for so long, that it had to do a series of stretches before it could fly away...

Either a juvenile or female Northern Harrier, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Wing stretch

Feet can be stretched, too, at the same time

Northern Harrier, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Both wings

Female or juvenile Northern Harrier in flight

Elsewhere in the park...

Very cute Hermit Thrush

Say's Phoebe

Found the Great Horned Owl again, in the same area as before.

Robins, everywhere, in the Park

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Super low tide at Bodega Harbor New Year's Day

1/1/2015

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Very low tide at Bodega exposes large tidal areas and concentrates fish and birds in small deep pools.

The water surface was smooth and as reflective as glass.