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Sparrows face the setting sun at the Laguna de Santa Rosa

12/30/2014

1 Comment

 
PictureWhite-crowned sparrow





A small flock of white-crowned sparrows sat quietly and serenely, looking towards the bright winter sun as it sank in the western sky.

PictureJuvenile white-crowned sparrow

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Juvenile white-crowned sparrow in the light of the setting sun
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Female Kestrel in the Laguna flies right over me!
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Female Kestrel in flight
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The same kestrel that flew right over me, then caught this snake
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Sharp-shinned or cooper's hawk, the Laguna
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Circling red-tailed hawk, the Laguna






Hawks abounded at the Laguna on this particular late afternoon/early evening stroll

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Perched Northern Harrier
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Finally, a daylight owl...

12/28/2014

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Great Horned Owl, Tolay Lake Regional Park
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This Great Horned Owl was sitting back in a thick cluster of branches, I would never have seen it except when I got too close, it panicked and flew a little ways down where I was able to approach cautiously for a photo.
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Ruby-crowned kinglet, Tolay Lake
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You can see the relaxed red crown here on the kinglet
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Western Meadowlark, Tolay Lake Regional Park
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Meadowlark singing
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Northern Mockingbird, Tolay Lake
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Northern Harrier
Northern Harrier was zooming over the fields looking for prey.
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Female Bufflehead on the lake
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Lots of Kestrels in the park
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Tolay Lake Regional Park, Petaluma
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The Kestrel in Winter

12/26/2014

1 Comment

 
Nice bright winter's day on the Cherryridge property, and our beautiful Kestrel allowed some close-ups...
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Male American Kestrel
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Peering down from its perch
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Distant shot, but I think he got a big green worm
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Bemused or irritated? Eye to eye with the Kestrel
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Female Downy woodpecker in the back yard
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Bobcat
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Hanging out in the old orchard
Our friend the Bobcat was stalking around in the old orchard past the Farm...
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Hermit Thrush, on private drive near Furlong Rd
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Hermit Thrush
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Lots and lots of very active robins on the property right now
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Male Western Bluebird, near the Farm
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Dark-eye junco near the old orchard
1 Comment

Brant Geese at Bodega Harbor

12/23/2014

1 Comment

 
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Brant Goose, on Bodega Bay
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Larger flock gathered near the shore, Brant Geese
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Red-breasted Merganser, Bodega Bay
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Loon, Bodega Bay
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Sanderlings and Willets along the shore, Bodega Bay
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Marbled godwit, Bodega Bay
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Lots of yellow-rumped warblers, very active, at Hole in the Head, Bodega
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Snowy Egret, Bodega Bay
1 Comment

Some sunshine after the rains...

12/22/2014

1 Comment

 
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Pygmy nuthatch at the upside down suet feeder, back yard
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Song Sparrow at the Laguna
PictureBelted Kingfisher at the Laguna

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A male Belted Kingfisher, at the Laguna
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Red-tailed hawk on perch, at the Laguna
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Black Phoebe, the Laguna
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Wet Cooper's hawk on the property
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Two mute Swans, Ellis Creek Water Recycling Center, Petaluma
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Canadian Geese in flight, Ellis Creek
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Little fox in the back yard
1 Comment

Western Meadowlark

12/14/2014

2 Comments

 
While exploring Tolay Lake Regional Park in Petaluma, discovered the Western Meadowlark, which seems to be in abundance there.
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Western Meadowlark
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Wood ducks in flight, Tolay Lake Regional Park
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Yellow-rumped warblers were navigating the flooded fields from the last rains for bugs and food.
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Hermit Thrush, Tolay Lake Regioinal Park
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Turkey vulture
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Dark-eyed juncos were also in abundance among the grasses and reeds, searching for food
PictureWhite-tailed kite


Great park for raptors 


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Red-tailed hawk
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The park does include cattle
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I encountered a very personable raven
On the Cherryridge property, the Red-breasted sapsucker is busy at the Acacia trees, drilling for the sweet sap
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Red-breasted sapsucker, acacia trees across from porch
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Male Downy woodpecker inspects the tree branches, front porch
2 Comments

Sonoma County shines again like an emerald jewel after the gift of rain....

12/6/2014

2 Comments

 
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White-crowned sparrow at the Laguna, with a background of bright green winter grass
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Wet Acorn woodpecker grooming and drying out on the CherryRidge property - a season for mushrooms as the dry, dry fields finally become soggy.
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Mushrooms sprouting everywhere on the property
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Cooper's hawk, on the hunt, in the Laguna
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Cooper's hawk in flight
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Black Phoebe on a mossy fence post, the Laguna
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White pelicans, a small flock circling over the Laguna de Santa Rosa wetlands
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Light morph Ferruginous Hawk, circling high over the Laguna
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The Black-necked Stilts leave their pond to explore the new flooded areas of the Laguna after the rain
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Juvenile Great Blue Heron? At the pond in the Laguna
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Finches and sparrows busy drying out and feeding between storms


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Black-crowned night herons roosting in trees on both sides of the waterway, due to less human traffic with the seasonal bridge gone
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Black-crowned night heron, at the Laguna waterway
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Juvenile Black-crowned night heron in the trees, the Laguna
2 Comments

    Author

    Walking through
    California coastal parks and redwoods, and sometimes beyond, with a Nikon DSLR & telephoto lens (completely amateur)



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