Almansor Park - Lesser Scaup (male)

AP - Lesser Scaup1, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Lesser Scaup is a species of duck that feeds mainly by diving for its food.

Almansor Park - Lesser Scaup (female)

AP - Lesser Scaup female, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Almansor Park - Ring Necked Duck female

AP - Ring Necked Duck female, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

like most ducks, the female Ring Necked Duck is less colorful than the male.

Almansor Park - Ring Necked Duck (male)

AP - Ring Necked Duck1, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This duck is named for its cinammon hued ring of feathers around its neck, which can be seen here. The ring around its bill gives it the nickname, "Ringbill"

Almansor Park - Mandarin Duck drake

AP - Mandarin Duck 5, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Mandarin Duck is a close relative of the North American Wood Duck.

Almansor Park - Mandarin Duck

AP - Mandarin Duck1, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This photo of a Mandarin Duck was taken in Almansor Park in Alhambra, CA. Not a native species to North America, but some have escaped captivity to go on to breed in the wild in parts of California.

Pismo Beach Monarch Butterfly Grove - 1/8/2012

IMG_3055, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Thousands of Monarch Butteflies migrate to California to spend winter in the coastal trees, such as these Eucalyptus trees in Pismo Beach.

San Simeon Sunset - 1/2/12

San Simeon Sunset (3) - Copy, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

A lovely sunset at San Simeon was a prefect way to end the second day of the new year. Happy 2012!

San Simeon - Elephant Seals

San Simeon - Elephant Seals (5), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The beach was just full of mothers with nursing pups.

San Simeon - Elephant Seals

San Simeon - Elephant Seals (13), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Near sunset, we stopped and saw the elephant seals near San Simeon. This fellow was busy defending his territory.

17 Mile Drive - Sea Lions

cr_sea_lions_rock17 Mile Drive - (16) - Copy, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This rock, at the ironically named Bird Rock viewpoint on 17 Mile Drive, was just full of Sea Lions. Further down the drive, there was a viewpoint were we saw Harbor Seals.

17 Mile Drive - Heermann's Gull

17 Mile Drive - Heermann's Gull, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

To be honest, trying to ID gulls is about as easy to me as it is to ID sparrows (which to me, is not easy) - lol. But this handsome fellow, has a distinctive red bill and black legs, which identifies him as a Heermann's Gull. He (or she) is in its breeding plumage, as its head is white. In non breeding plumage, the head is grey.

San Luis and Merced National Wildlife Refuges - 12/31/11

I visited the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge and the Merced National Wildlife Refuge on 12/31/11. I posted some pics below of the wildlife I found there. Both places were nice to visit, and the visitor center at the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge is very, very nice. There is a herd of Tule Elk at the San Luis refuge and they were very easy to see as they were near the fence. Along with the elk, a lot of birds, both raptors and water birds, were seen at both refuges. Snow Geese were abundant at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge, numbering in the thousands.

Links to websites for both refuges are below:

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge Complex

Merced National Wildlife Refuge

Driving directions to the refuges

Pics are posted below. Happy Trails!

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Black Crowned Night Heron - 12/31/11

crMNWR - Black Crowned Night Heron (1), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Black Crowned Night Heron is a much smaller heron that its cousins, the Great Blue Heron and Great Egret. It is much shorter and stockier, and has yellow legs and reddish eyes. Males and females look alike.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron

crMNWR - Juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron (1), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This is a juvenile Black Crowned Night Heron. It is a mottled looking brown while the adults are white with a black crown and back.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Snow Geese

Merced National Wildlife Refuge (1), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Snow Geese cover the fields at the Merced National Wildlife Refuge.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Snow Goose

crMNWR - Snow Goose, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

During the winter thousands and thousands of Snow Geese migrate to the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. There were thousands of these birds when I visited the refuge on 12/31/11. And it is just the beginning....more and more will soon arrive. The Snow Goose and Ross's Goose are similar in appearance, except the Snow Goose is much larger and Ross's Goose has a smaller bill.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Great Blue Heron

crMNWR - Great Blue Heron (1), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Great Blue Heron is the largest North American Heron. It is commonly found near bodies of water, and nests in trees or bushes.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Common Yellowthroat

crMNWR - Common Yellowthroat (8), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Common Yellowthroat is a member of the New World Warbler family. This bird is a male, as the female lacks the black face mask. These birds like marshy, wet areas with dense low vegetation.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Common Gallinule (aka The Artist Formerly Named Common Moorhen)

crMNWR - Common Moorhen (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This bird, like its similar looking cousin, the American Coot, is a member of the rail family. It was until recently called the Common Moorhen. This particular bird is a juvenile, as it is brownish and lacks the red face shield of the adult.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - American Kestrel (with mouse dinner

crMNWR - American Kestrel (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The American Kestrel is a member of the falcon family, and is sometimes called the Sparrow Hawk. This, I believe, is a female, as the male has grey wings. The females are larger than the males. It is the smallest falcon in North America, and also the most common falcon in North America.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Killdeer

crMNWR - Killdeer (2), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Killdeer is a member of the plover family. They are considered to be shorebirds, but are often found far from water, out in grasslands (I have even seen them in the parking lot at my job). When they feel their nest is threatened, they play the "broken wing" act to lure the predator away from the nest. They will walk away, holding one wing down, emitting a call of distress. When they feel the predator is far enough away from their nest, they will fly away.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Black Necked Stilt

crMNWR - Black Necked Stilt, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Black Necked Stilt is common along shores of lakes and oceans. They have long, pink, stilt-like legs, and both the males and females look alike.

Merced National Wildlife Refuge - Northern Pintail

crMNWR - Northern Pintail (2), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

During winter, many water birds winter in wildlife refuges, such as the Merced National Wildlife Refuge. This handsome bird is a Northern Pintail drake. The hens are much less flashy.

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge - Pied Billed Grebe

crSLNWR - Pied Billed Grebe (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Pied Billed Grebe is a water bird that is found in both freshwater and saltwater bodies of water. The males and females look alike.

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge - Belted Kingfisher

crSLNWR - Belted Kingfisher (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

As their name implies, these birds are fishing birds, but they also eat amphibians, insects, small mammals, reptiles amd small crustaceans. This particulare bird is a female, as the male lacks the reddish "belt" across its breast.

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge - Tule Elk bull

crSLNWR - Tule Elk (2), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Tule Elk is found only in California and is the smallest of elk subspecies. This guy was at the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge in Los Banos, CA. They also can be found at the Tule Elk State Natural Reserve near Buttonwillow, CA. Their larger cousins, the Roosevelt elk, can be found further north in California around Redwood National and State Parks.

San Luis National Wildlife Refuge - Tule Elk Cow

crSLNWR - Tule Elk (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Tule Elk can also be found at Carrizo Plain National Monument, Point Reyes National Seashore and along the Owens Valley from Lone Pine to Bishop.

Western Gulls - Morro Bay, CA - 12/26/11

cr_western_gulls_morrobay, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This adult Western Gull has caught a crab dinner and its young is begging for a bite - but it didn't get any this time. Its parent ate the crab up and didn't leave a crumb for its chick - lol.

Long Billed Curlew - Morro Bay, CA - 12/26/11

cr_long_billed_curlew_morrobay1, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Long Billed Curlew is a large sandpiper, with a very long bill, measuring 4.4 - 8.6 inches long. These birds (once called the Candlestick Bird or Sicklebird) can be seen at shorelines of lakes and oceans, using their long bill to poke and prod at the sand in search of food, such as crabs, fish and insects.

House Finch (female) - Morro Bay, CA - 12/26/11

cr_bird_morrobay, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This female House Finch is brownish in color, while the male has red on its breast, rump and crown. They are popular at bird feeders, eating both seeds and insects.

Yellow Rumped Warbler - Morro Bay, CA - 12/26/11

cr_yellow_rumped_warbler_morrobay1, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Golden Eagle - Santa Margarita, CA - 12/26/11

cr_golden_eagle_santamargarita_1, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

After many years of coming up empty handed, I finally got a pic of a Golden Eagle... and a pretty good one at that. This guy was out on the road to Santa Margarita Lake.

Coyote - Hwy 58 West - 12/26/11

cr_coyote_hwy58_1, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Ok, so it's not a bird, but if I see a photographable coyote, I am not passing up the chance to get a pic ;) We saw 3 of these guys on the trip, but this was the only one that I could get a pic of. He trotted across the road and then turned around to give us a look before trotting off.

Loggerhead Shrike - Hwy 58 West - 12/26/11

cr_loggerhead_shrike_2_hwy58, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Loggerhead Shrike is a bird I have been trying forever to photograph. I finally got a decent shot yesterday. I always think this bird looks like the Lone Ranger, with its black eye mask - lol.

Red Tailed Hawk - Hwy 58 West - 12/26/11

cr_red_tailed_hawk_hwy58_4, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This bird was perched atop a fence post along Highway 58. It sat for a bit, allowing us to get some nice, close up shots (I barely had to crop any of this photo). Beautiful bird.

Bakersfield - Cattle Egret - 12/23/11

cr-White Ln - Cattle Egret, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

I actually found this bird in town near the Starbucks at White Ln and Stine Rd. At first I thought it was a youngGreat Egret, but judging by the buff colored patches on its body and crown, yellow bill and dark legs, turns out it is a Cattle Egret. I barely had to do any driving to find one of these (and it's the first photo of a Cattle Egret that I have gotten).

Tule Elk State Natural Reserve - Northern Mockingbird

TESP - Northern Mockingbird (8), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

I found this fellow in a tree at the Tule Elk State Reserve. He sat there and let me take quite a few photos of him before he went to chase off another bird that was trying to land in the tree.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Juvenile White Crowned Sparrow

cr- Sparrow (8), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

There is a photo of an adult White Crowned Sparrow posted below. The juvenile is not as colorful as the adult, and lacks the white crown.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Northern Shoveler

cr-KNWR - Northern Shoveler, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

This colorful fellow is the Northern Shoveler, a type of duck which is related to the Cinnamon Teal and Blue Winged Teal. It's broad bill (which sort of resembles a shovel) is used to strain seeds and small animals such as fish from the water.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Black Necked Stilt

cr-KNWR - Black Necked Stilt (2), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Black Necked Stilts can be found year round at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. These birds make salt and freshwater marshes as well as shallow coastal bays their home.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Snowy Egret

cr- Snowy Egret (6), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

There are a few types of egrets found here at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge, such as the Great Egret, Snowy Egret and Cattle Egret. This Snowy Egret is distinguished by its black bill and black legs with yellow feet. The Great Egret is larger, with a yellow bill and black legs, while the Cattle Egret is smaller than the other 2, with a yellow bill and pale yellow or orange legs (legs are dark in juveniles).

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - White Crowned Sparrow

cr-KNWR - White Crowned Sparrow, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

There are many types of sparrows on the Kern National Wildlife Refuge, such as this White Crowned Sparrow.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Red Tailed Hawk

cr-KNWR - Red Tailed Hawk (6), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Red Tailed Hawks are the most common hawks in North America. You will often see them perching atop fence posts, telephone poles and perched up in trees, and of course, soaring high up in the sky overhead hunting for prey.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - White Faced Ibis

cr-KNWR - White Faced Ibis (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - White Faced Ibis in flight

cr-KNWR - White Faced Ibis, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The White Faced Ibis is the only Ibis found in the west.

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Western Grebe

cr-KNWR - Western Grebe (1), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

The Western Grebe is one of a few types of grebes you will see at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. I also spotted a few Pie Billed Grebes too (but they were too far out on the lake to get a good picture of)

Pixley National Wildlife Refuge - Northern Harrier

cr-PNWR - Northern Harrier, originally uploaded by kimberzy.

There were a lot of raptors out in force on today's trip, including the Northern Harrier. The females and juveniles are brown in color with a white rump, while the males are grey.

Unlike the Red Tail Hawk and other hawks who are often seen perching atop fence posts and telephone poles to search for prey, Northern Harriers hunt by flying close to the ground.

Pixley National Wildlife Refuge - Sandhill Cranes

PNWR - Sandhill Cranes (15), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Thousands of Sandhill Cranes were roosting in and around Pixley National Wildlife refuge today.

Pixley National Wildlife Refuge - Sandhill Cranes

cr-PNWR - Sandhill Cranes (6), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

Thousands of Sandhill Cranes winter at Pixley National Wildlife Refuge from November thru March. (and there were thousands there when I went today). The refuge is located near Earlimart, CA. From Hwy 99, take Avenue 56 to Road 88. The refuge is located about a mile down the road on the left. (you can also get to the refuge from the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. Take Garces Hwy to Hwy 43. Make a left on Hwy 43 and then make a right on Avenue 56. From there drive to Road 88)

Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Snowy Egret

cr- Snowy Egret (3), originally uploaded by kimberzy.

I caught this pic of this Snowy Egret just as he was flying off.