Photos from 4 March.
Location: Shoreline at Mtn View Park
Observation date: 3/4/08
Number of species: 41
Canada Goose – Branta canadensis 40
+ Gadwall – Anas strepera 2
American Wigeon – Anas americana 2
Mallard – Anas platyrhynchos 25
+ Cinnamon Teal – Anas cyanoptera 4
Northern Shoveler – Anas clypeata 200
Green-winged Teal – Anas crecca 3
Greater/Lesser Scaup – Aythya marila/affinis 5
Surf Scoter – Melanitta perspicillata 150
Bufflehead – Bucephala albeola 5
Common Goldeneye – Bucephala clangula 10
Ruddy Duck – Oxyura jamaicensis 2
Pied-billed Grebe – Podilymbus podiceps 5
Horned Grebe – Podiceps auritus 4
Eared Grebe – Podiceps nigricollis 20
Western/Clark’s Grebe – Aechmophorus occidentalis/clarkii 4
Snowy Egret – Egretta thula 2
Black-crowned Night-Heron – Nycticorax nycticorax 1
+ White-tailed Kite – Elanus leucurus 2
Red-tailed Hawk – Buteo jamaicensis 5
+ Common Moorhen – Gallinula chloropus 2
American Coot – Fulica americana 250
Killdeer – Charadrius vociferus 2
Black-necked Stilt – Himantopus mexicanus 10
American Avocet – Recurvirostra americana 50
+ Greater Yellowlegs – Tringa melanoleuca 1
+ Marbled Godwit – Limosa fedoa 2
Ring-billed Gull – Larus delawarensis 30
Rock Pigeon – Columba livia 2
Mourning Dove – Zenaida macroura 3
Anna’s Hummingbird – Calypte anna 5
Black Phoebe – Sayornis nigricans 2
+ American Crow – Corvus brachyrhynchos 2
+ Barn Swallow – Hirundo rustica 3
American Robin – Turdus migratorius 5
Northern Mockingbird – Mimus polyglottos 2
+ Savannah Sparrow – Passerculus sandwichensis 1
White-crowned Sparrow – Zonotrichia leucophrys 50
Red-winged Blackbird – Agelaius phoeniceus 2
Western Meadowlark – Sturnella neglecta 15
House Finch – Carpodacus mexicanus 3
+ = year bird
This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org)
All fantastic photos, Adam! I’m especially enamored of the first and the last!
Adam,
Beautiful images, I’m heading to Sanibel Island, Florida this Saturday and I hope to bring back some several sun-kissed bird images like you taken here in Cali. Wonderful shots.
Tom
Terry: Thanks! I was tempted to clone out the branches next to the hawk, but it seemed like too much effort
Tom: Thank you. I wish you good birding @ Sanibel – I’m sure you’ll see a ton of interesting stuff. Florida’s high on my to-visit list for US birding locations (along w/S. Texas).
It looks like it’s time for me to return to Shoreline! What a variety. Thanks, Adam.
These are all wonderful shots Adam, but I must say the egret is one of the most impressive shots I have seen of all the work you have done, the light, reflection and comp are all amazing.
Very nice thanks for sharing these
wow, these are outstanding photos. i love the red tailed hawk.
Mary: you definitely should – there was a lot out on Tuesday, and spring was in the air. Western-type grebes were starting to exhibit courting behavior, there were a bunch of molting Eared and Horned Grebes, and so on. Didn’t see any Burrowing Owls, though, darnit!
Bernie: coming from you, that means a lot! I was pleased to capture this egret in the nice late light before it flew off.
Ankush: thank you! Although RTHA are common here, they’re much fun to watch & photograph.
Adam, how do you get so close to so many of these birds! WOW . . . I am at aww with every one of your photos!
WOW! After looking at these pictures there is not much to say besides miraculous! Looks like a good day birding!
Tom: This is a well-peopled area, and the birds are well used to humans’ presence – it’s one of the best places I know of for close-up shorebird photography. That and I crop everything
J: Welcome – I’ve been enjoying your posts on Monarch’s blog & the birdquiz. T’was a fine day birding indeed!
Those hawk shots are nothing short of amazing! I’m going to spend almost the whole summer months studying your water birds so that I can sound at least a little intelligent when I start taking photos of them around here. All of the ones you’ve mentioned I’ve never seen before. I haven’t gotten in the boat and really started investigating so far – when it warms enough I’m going to give it a shot tho. Once again your shots really take my breath away!
Thanks, Lori! You probably have pretty different waterbirds than we do here, especially the shorebirds, most of which wouldn’t be expected inland. I imagine we probably have mostly the same ducks & geese, however.
Wow–what great views! I see Red-tailed quite a hit–nevr from this angle! Like the yellow-legs, too–very nice ripples on surface.
Great photos! Really enjoy your site.
Nina at Nature Remains
I love the 1st hawk and the red-tailed avocet. But all of them are good. I was down by the harbor earlier and marveled at all the different birds present. Aleusian Geese, Seaguls, Red-necked Phalaropes, and several that look like your shots above. And of course the Harbor Seals. We have a harem of seals of about 140 who loll around on the beach across the River where it meets the ocean. I didn’t take my camera today. Some days you just have to look.
The yellow-legs looks like the same kind of bird I have a shot of, but of course I probably have it mis-labeled. You know me, I never know what I’m taking photos of. lol I try, but it’s hard when you have a photo to find a name to go with it when you’re not bird smart or flower smart. I just know what’s pretty.
Maybe it’s time I get some bird and flower books and study up.
Keep up the good work!
Doh! American Avocet… SHEEESH… Pardon me… lol
Nina: Thanks for visiting, and I”m glad you enjoy the site! This location is the best I know of for getting very close to yellowlegs. This fellow (or lady) was only perhaps 5 feet away from me.
Jayleen: I agree that it’s important to leave the camera at home some days. There are a number of shorebirds that look very similar to the Greater Yellowlegs (most notably the Lesser Yellowlegs) – shorebird ID is pretty difficult for sure! Thanks for visiting.