Blog Archives

Western Kingbird, Tolay Lake Regional Park, Petaluma

6/28/2017

1 Comment

There were many kingbirds in the park, they are a type of flycatcher bird.

Western Kingbird, Tolay Lake Regional Park

Western Kingbird with a bug.

Dreamy looking birds....the western kingbird

Hutton's vireo, the Laguna de Santa Rosa, Sebastopol

Another view, Hutton's vireo, the Laguna

Western wood pewee, the Laguna

Female Downy woodpecker, the Laguna

Hooded oriole in the park! The Laguna

Red-shouldered hawk on a branch overlooking the trail, in the Laguna

Male Bullock's oriole with a bug, on the outskirts of the park

Juvenile Bullock's oriole, a couple of these youngsters were hanging out in thick tree foliage.

Juvenile Bullock's oriole

1 Comment

Juvenile Western Bluebirds, Ragle Ranch Park, Sebastopol

6/21/2017

1 Comment

A family of western bluebirds, including three or four first year youngsters, were out hunting together in one of the open fields, Ragle Ranch Regional Park, Sebastopol

Juvenile western bluebird, Sebastopol

Male California quail, Ragle Park

Brown creeper, Ragle Park, Sebastopol

Out at the coast, near the Doran Beach bird walk, this juvenile Wilson's warbler.

Killdeer, Doran Bird Walk, Bodega

Near owl canyon, a male Allen's hummer, Bodega Bay

Male Wilson's warbler, Coleman Valley Rd, near the coast

Blue-eyed grass, Coleman Valley Rd

Savannah sparrow, Coleman Valley Rd near Occidental.

1 Comment

Hummer chicks have fledged

6/16/2017

1 Comment

Here's the two chicks almost fully grown in the nest, Cotati

One of the fledged chicks, wing stretch - parent hummer still feeding them at this point, but they are out of the nest and flying short distances.

Same fledged chick on another branch, Cotati

While watching the hummer chicks, I notice two hooded orioles doing some foraging nearby.

Hooded oriole, Cotati

Also, nearby, a local family of barn swallows bring insects to their fledglings on a neighbor's utility wires, Cotati

Barn swallow fledgling, cotati

Parent barn swallow drops off a large bug.

Northern Mockingbird on neighbor's house, Cotati

1 Comment

Rare bird sighting, Blackpoll warbler, Bodega Bay

6/13/2017

0 Comments

This is only the second recorded sighting of this bird in sonoma county - other highly skilled birders were making the I.D., Laura (during her recent visit here) and I were just tagging along.

Male blackpoll warbler, Owl canyon, Bodega Bay

Distant shots, and bird was jumping around in thick tree cover, of course.

Also at owl canyon, a singing Bewick's wren

Later, same day, a walk through Ragle Ranch Regional Park, Sebastopol

Male Bullock's oriole bringing a butterfly chrysalis to its fledged juveniles.

Two youngsters waiting close by as male oriole delivers a snack.

Juvenile or female blullock's oriole, Ragle Ranch Park, Sebastopol

Male Nuttall's woodpecker, Ragle Park

Green Heron! Near one of the creek ponds, Ragle Ranch Park, Sebastopol

Tight shot through thick park foliage, a Hairy Woodpeckers nest, Ragle Park

0 Comments

Rainy summer's day, Pine Flat Road, Healdsburg

6/11/2017

1 Comment

Male northern flicker on a utility cable, Pine Flat Rd, Healdsburg

Bushtit in the rain, Pine Flat Rd, Healdsburg

Yellow daisies wet with rain, Pine Flat Rd

Spotted Towhee in the mist, upper pine flat road

This drenched hawk, probably a red-tail, in the Mayacamas preserve, Pine Flat Rd

Curious deer by the road

On the way back down, on the same cable where the flicker had been, was an eye-popping colorful male Kestrel.

Male American kestrel, hunting from utility cable, Pine Flat Rd

Cactus flower in front of home at the bottom of Pine Flat RD

1 Comment

More Wood Ducks!!!

6/10/2017

1 Comment

Male wood duck

A return trip to the Casini campground pond near Duncan's Mills on the Russian River, to share the wood duck experience with a friend.

Male and female wood ducks, Casini campground, Russian River

A juvenile? Or molting adult? Wood duck, Russian River

"Teen" duckling wood duck, Russian River

Seeing double, two male wood ducks, Russian River

Very young wood duckling, Russian River

Female wood duck, Russian River, Casini campground

Distant shot, the elusive Swainson's Thrush

Meanwhile, journeying further north along the Russian River where it meets the sea, near Jenner - many swainson's thrushes could be hear, but rarely seen.