A Great Egret at Hart Park in Bakersfield, CA.
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Lake Ming - Red Tailed Hawk - 1/19/13
The Red Tailed Hawk looks down at the Cooper's Hawk, eating his breakfast. A few moments later, a couple of Crows came by and chased the Red Tail off. Guess the Cooper's Hawk got a lucky break there.
Lake Ming - Cooper's Hawk - 1/19/13
I saw a group of Coots hanging around the parking lot at Lake Ming, and all of a sudden they took off running. Then I saw why....A Cooper's Hawk was on the prowl. Then, he swooped down and caught himself a Coot breakfast.
Sunday, January 13, 2013
Kern River Preserve - Oak Titmouse - 1/13/13
It was a cold-to-the-bone kind of morning in the Kern River Valley this morning. I think it was about 18 degrees this morning when I got to the preserve in Weldon, CA, bur even so, the wildlife was still up and about, including this little Oak Titmouse, who was all in a tizzy about something or another, chirp chirp chirping away, fluttering from one branch to another. I don't think the temps got above 44 (and that was in Lake Isabella in the afternoon) all day. But the sun was shining, the birds were singing....it was a great day :)
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Tillie Creek - California Thrasher - 1/12/13
Photo taken at Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, CA
Tillie Creek - White Crowned Sparrow - 1/12/13
Photo taken at Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, CA
Tillie Creek - Northern Mockingbird - 1/12/13
Photo taken at Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, CA
Tillie Creek - Red Tailed Hawk - 1/12/13
Photo taken at Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, CA
Tillie Creek - California Ground Squirrel - 1/12/13
Photo taken at Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, CA
Tillie Creek - California Quail - 1/12/13
Photo taken at Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, CA
Tillie Creek - California Quail - 1/12/13
Photo taken at Tillie Creek Campground in Wofford Heights, CA
Monday, January 07, 2013
Tillie Creek - Northern Mockingbird - 1/5/13
The Northern Mockingbird is one of the more popular birds around. It can be found in parks, around housing developments,grasslands and in forest edges. It seems to be quite adaptable to different habitats, and is noted for its ability to mimic the calls of other birds, as well as other animals and mechanical sounds like car alarms (it is a smart bird!). It is a good alarm clock too, as it is one of the first birds you will hear in the morning (and one of the last ones you will hear at night).
Tillie Creek - Cedar Waxwing - 1/5/13
Quite a few of these Cedar Waxwings were flying from tree to tree, eating berries. I am still waiting for them to show up outside my window, like they did last year. That tree is full of berries now.
Tillie Creek - Phainopepla - 1/5/13
The male Phainopepla is black in color while the female is grey. Their preferred habitat is hot areas, like deserts.
Tillie Creek - Red Shouldered Hawk - 1/5/13
The Red Shouldered Hawk is smaller than its cousin the Red Tailed Hawk, and has a different color pattern as well. It's loud "kee-yer, kee-yer, kee-yer" call is a very distinct sound.
Tillie Creek - Cooper's Hawk - 1/5/13
I almost missed this Cooper's Hawk as I was walking around the campground. He was keeping a sharp eye out for some lunch to fly by.
Tillie Creek - Dark Eyed Junco - 1/5/13
The Dark Eyed Junco is a common sight at parks around Kern County.
Hart Park - Great Egret - 1/5/13
Sharing the tree with the Black Crowned Night Herons, was this Great Egret.
Hart Park - Black Crowned Night Heron - 1/5/13
I almost didn't see this guy, as he was camoflauged pretty well. But, once I did see him, I saw another...and another...and another. There were at least 7 of these guys in a tree near the lake.
Wednesday, January 02, 2013
Kern National Wildlife Refuge and Tule Elk State Reserve - 1/1/13
Had a nice 1st day of the year. Went out to the Kern Natl Wildlife Refuge and took pictures. Drive-by photography was the game today - lol. The lighting was horrible most of the day, but I got a handful of decent photos. All in all, a productive day. The Ross' Geese were a surprise :) And I met with an extremely photogenic Loggerhead Shrike that sat and posed for me for a few minutes, albeit on the wrong side of the light - lol. I wish the White Tailed Kite would have come closer...someday I will get a good shot, but today I had to settle for a doc shot. I am already looking forward to the upcoming weekend to get back out there :)
Until next time, Happy Trails!
Until next time, Happy Trails!
Tule Elk State Reserve - White Crowned Sparrow
Lots and lots of White Crowned Sparrows were hanging out on the roadside fences.
Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Common Gallinule
This member of the Rail family is formerly known as the Common Moorhen, but it was re-named recently. It is a relative of the more common American Coot.
Kern National WIldlife Refuge - Black Necked Stilt
The Black Necked Stilt is a wading bird, which commonly is found in shallow waters or along the shore, where it searches for food.
Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Northern Shoveler
The Northern Shoveler is a very common duck at the refuge, in pretty much any season, except summer. The males are brightly colored, as you can see.
Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Red Tailed Hawk
Rather than being in its usual high perch (telephone poles are one of their favorite perches), this Red Tailed Hawk was actually sitting in a bush, close to the ground. It was rather unexpected, and I almost didn't see it at first.
Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Black Phoebe
The Black Phoebe is a common sight at the refuge. The Black Phoebe likes to hang out near the water, and can be seen flying from bush to bush, flying up, then landing back down a few feet away. Their cousins, the Says Phoebe, can also be found here. They are lighter in color, but have the same up-and-down flying motion as the Black Phoebe.
Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Northern Harrier
This female Northern Harrier looks similar to a Red Tailed Hawk, but she is smaller and typically can be seen flying low to the ground, chasing small mammals and lizards as she hunts, instead of soaring high in the air like the Red Tailed Hawk. The male Northern Harrier is grey in color.
Kern National Wildlife Refuge - Ross' Goose
The Ross' Goose is quite a rare find at the Kern National Wildlife Refuge. I saw three of them on New Year's Day :)
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
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