This is the second set of photos taken by reader Joe Dickinson on a recent trip to the Merced National Wildlife Refuge in California’s Central Valley (his first set is here). Joe’s captions are indented.
We’ll begin with another raptor, the diminutive and colorful American kestrel (Falco sparverius).
Several shots of snow geese (Chen caerulescens) and Ross’s geese (Chen rossii) both in flight and down on the water, often standing in shallow water. They seem always to occur in mixed flocks, at least in winter in central California. I think I finally have learned to distinguish them if they’re given a good look. Like the cranes (previous post) they “commute” in and out of the refuge but on a reverse schedule (out in the evening in in the morning).
What a pretty kestrel – bathed in the light of a low sun
Bird on a stick! 🙂
Very nice shots. The snow geese have a special place in my heart. When we first moved to Idaho last March we were welcomed by thousands of them. I’m looking forward to their return, but, I won’t be offended if they hang around warm California for a while yet.
When we lived in Utah, we went a few times down to the small town of Delta, southwest of Salt Lake City, for their Snow Goose Festival. A nearby reservoir is a stopping place, about the end of February, during the northbound migration. A little later in the spring and further north, tundra swans put on quite a show at the Bear River Refuge on the northern edge of the Great Salt Lake.
That’ll be on my bucket list.
How can I send pictures?
You can send them to Jerry’s email address which is on his University of Chicago page. Include description. Up to 10 photos.
Thanks 🙂
Great pictures! Thanks for sharing.
Beautiful photos!
The snow geese photos look noisy. I don’t think I’ve ever been that close to so many geese. Beautiful Kestrel shot.
Yeah, they are particularly noisy in flight (to help groups stay together?). Often the best way to spot groups in flight is to orient towards raucous honking.
It is my understanding falcons are more closely related to parrots than to the accipiters.
D Petty