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Bullock's Orioles at Tolay Lake Regional Park, Petaluma

4/24/2016

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In the garden area near some of the houses in the park from the original ranch property, were the orioles.
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Bullock's Oriole, Tolay Lake
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Female Bullock's oriole, Tolay Lake
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They do like to hang out in the high tree tops.
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Male Bullock's oriole, Tolay Lake Regional Park
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Male Western bluebird, Tolay Lake
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Meadow Lark in a tree
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Many of the nest boxes being used by the tree swallows in the park
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Tree swallow in nest box, front view
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Barn swallow on a fence. Lots of barn swallows in the park right now, busy with nesting.
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Jack rabbit "bookends:" two jack rabbits at the end of the garden lane in the park
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A pair of mallards in flight, Tolay Lake
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Wild hyacinth was in bloom in the park
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Male California quail, Tolay Lake
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Male goldfinch in bright yellow breeding colors, Tolay Lake
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Tree swallow nest in a tree, Tolay Lake Regional Park
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Birds close to home

4/17/2016

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Male Allen's hummer at the feeder
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Male Allen's hummer, flashing his colors.
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Male Anna's hummer at the feeder.
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The pesky Stellar's Jays, Camp Meeker
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There's always a spotted Towhee giving its raspy call.
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Female black-headed grossbeak, very shy.
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Male black-headed grosbeak - there's been a pair visiting, with an occasional other male who is regularly chased off by this male.
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Northern Flicker at the suet feeder
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In the redwoods above the house, many Wilson's warblers.
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Male Wilson's Warbler, Camp Meeker
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Bullock's Orioles in the Laguna

4/15/2016

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Not the best photos, the orioles like to hang out pretty high in the tree tops. 
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Male Bullock's Oriole, the Laguna
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Female Bullock's Oriole, the Laguna
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Female Violet-green swallow at a nest in an old oak tree, the Laguna
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Young male Downy woodpecker, the Laguna (small patch of red not seen in photo)
Recent walk through Shollenberger Park, Petaluma
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Black-necked stilt skims the water for food, Shollenberger Park
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Cliff swallows were everywhere, re-building mud nests from last year, under foot bridges, and along the Petaluma River.
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The sky was alive with cliff swallows flying back and forth between the source of mud and their nesting sites.
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Cliff swallow in flight
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Cliff swallows rebuilding mud nests along the Petaluma River, Shollenberger Park.
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A small group of least sandpipers worked the shore of the river.
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Two American coots grooming each other, Shollenberger Park.
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Red-winged blackbird, Shollenberger
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Mute swan on the Petaluma River.
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Still lots of ruddy ducks, Shollenberger Park.
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Pygmy Nuthatches start a nest in pine tree stump

4/7/2016

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The neighbors above me have an old pine tree stump near their front porch, in which a pair of pygmy nuthatches have started excavating a nest hole - this puts the birds in a direct descending line of flight to my feeders - sort of like moving into a high end condo overlooking a favorite fast food diner...(they are frequent visitors to the feeders).
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Pygmy Nuthatch near nest entrance, Camp Meeker
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Pygmy nuthatch removing sawdust from the nest cavity.
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Removing sawdust - the nest has been under construction for a couple of days.
Meanwhile, a trip to Tomales Bay State Park, near the Pt. Reyes seashore.
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Pacific slope fly catcher, Tomales Bay State Park
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Male Wilson's Warbler in the woods, Tomales Bay State Park
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Male Wilson's Warbler, perched for singing - the males' song resonated throughout the area.
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Kind of a short trilling song, repeated over and over.
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Wild cucumber blooming in the woods.
At nearby Abbott's Lagoon.
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This male California quail came running towards me, very unusual. His urgent manner seemed to indicate he was a scout that lost track of his flock. Abbott's Lagoon.
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A lone Cinnamon Teal in the pond, Abbott's Lagoon.
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This beautiful wildflower is known as dwarf or Pt. Reyes Checkerbloom.
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Small flock of least sandpipers still worked the edges of the shore.
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In the open ocean, surf scoters rode the waves.
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A large flock of sanderlings hunted for food in the sand, the ocean side of Abbott's Lagoon.
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Sanderling finding something tasty in the sand, Abbott's Lagoon.
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I believe this is a juvenile sanderling.
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Sanderling, Abbott's Lagoon.
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Lark Sparrows and a single Horned Lark, Tolay Lake

4/4/2016

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Sunday hike through Tolay Lake Regional Park revealed several lark sparrows, and a single horned lark, the latter a bird I have been wanting to encounter for some time.
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Lark Sparrow, Tolay Lake Regional Park, Petaluma
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Lark Sparrow jumping up to fence post top
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Lark Sparrow on the ground - a largish sparrow, in a class of its own.
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The single black spot on its breast is one of its identifiers.
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The day started cold and overcast, and this tree swallow did not want to move from its perch.
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Cinnamon teal in flight - who knew this bird had so many colorful feathers! Tolay Lake.
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Huge jack rabbit near entrance to park.
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Owl's Clover wildflower
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A single horned lark on the path in front of me.
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Horned Lark, Tolay Lake Regional Park
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Fiddle Neck wildflower - easy to see how this flower gets its name! Tolay Lake
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Western Meadowlark in flight, Tolay Lake
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Lots of meadowlark displays by the males, with beautiful birdsong.
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Douglas Meadowfoam wildflower, Tolay Lake
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Another Lark Sparrow at the end of the trail, Tolay Lake Regional Park, Petaluma
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    Walking through
    California coastal parks and redwoods, and sometimes beyond, with a Nikon DSLR & telephoto lens (completely amateur)



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