Ecologist Susan Harrison of UC Davis has return with a fresh batch of photos. Susan’s captions and IDs are indented, and you can enlarge her photos by clicking on them.
Miscellaneous birds of late 2024
The only theme of this post is “birds I saw in late 2024 and haven’t used in a WEIT post yet.” The first ones are from Shoreline Park in Mountain View, California. Less than a mile from the Googleplex, 5 miles from Stanford University and 10 miles from Apple’s campus, this park lies on a stretch of southern San Francisco Bay that hosts many thousands of overwintering waterfowl and shorebirds. Every year I get to enjoy its sights the day after Thanksgiving, when my siblings and their families gather for a meal and a birdwatching stroll.
American White Pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos, foraging along the shore in their majestically unhurried style:
Greater Yellowlegs, Tringa melanoleuca, staring into a very small abyss:
Snowy Egret, Egretta thula, looking like a movie star annoyed by paparazzi:
American Coot, Fulica americana, flaunting oversized webbed feet:
The next ones are from the vicinity of Davis, California.
Vermilion Flycatcher, Pyrocephalus rubinus, an immature male that excited the local birders since it’s a rare species in northern California:
Green Heron, Butorides virescens, casting a long shadow in an irrigation ditch:
Common Goldeneyes, Bucephala clangula, a group of females accompanied by one male lurking just out of sight:
Barrow’s Goldeneyes, Bucephala islandica, a more northerly species than the Common Goldeneye, distinguished by the female’s oranger beak and the male’s facial upside-down comma:
Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, watching for fish while also eyeing the humans watching it:
These two pictures are from Ashland, Oregon.
Oak Titmouse, Baeolophus inornatus, resembling Zippy the Pinhead:
Red-shouldered Hawk, Buteo lineatus, showing off a tessellated backside:
And the last is from Bodega Bay, California.
Belted Kingfisher, Megaceryle alcyon, my nearest thing to success at photographing this bold yet notoriously camera-averse bird:
These are really nice, Susan.
Land being so dear in this area of CA, it is reassuring that these wonderful wetlands appear to be protected as parks and other relatively undeveloped areas. An amazing collection of species. Thanks, Susan, for sharing your family’s annual birdwalk with us.
So good – I love the Goldeneye photo – I think they’re picking up some reflected blue light – the birds also have a certain personality.
Nice, thanks Susan.
These are wonderful, thank you. I just LOVE your movie star Snowy Egret.
Those are exquisite. And coot toes are so weird.
Lovely all and I love those huge lobed toes on the coot.
Wonderful. I love the Greater Yellowlegs contemplating infinity.
Gorgeous photos, Susan. I especially love the Oak Titmouse. Thanks! And yes, Belted Kingfishers are always tough to photograph.
Your comments always elevate the beauty of the photos! Thanks.
Beautiful photos, thanks Susan,
Gorgeous photos. I love the Oak Titmouse. I wonder the shape of its skull? Quite a hairdo if it’s a normal not pointy skull.
Wonderful photos – the snowy egret, and the caption, brightened my day!
Lovely.
Excellent photos, with apt comments.
That was a nice outing. Thanks you!