January 28, 2021 was the best day of the year, at least so far!
That afternoon I received my second vaccine for COVID-19, so felt enormous happiness and gratitude knowing I was well on my way to protection from the virus.
To celebrate, I took my camera and my slightly sore arm to the San Diego River Mouth at Robb Field, to see what birds I might find.
A Black Phoebe and Say's Phoebe were the first birds to greet me:
On Osprey flew overhead, bringing half of a fish back to its nest:
Scouting the channel, I saw a Tricolored Heron, not a bird one sees every day in San Diego! I watched this bird for about twenty minutes until it flew away.
A small catch, but I'm not throwing it back!
The light was quite good, so I decided to stay in the same spot and see what other birds might show up.
Within minutes, a Red-breasted Merganser flew in, a county life-bird for me!
The merganser did not stay long, but within a few minutes a Great Blue Heron landed and proceeded to preen in beautiful light just a short distance away:
A Greater Yellowlegs wandered through:
A Willet flew in and swam past just a few feet away, as the reflected sky and clouds became more colorful:
Eventually the light faded and I headed home.
The next day I had a 1-day fever caused by the vaccine. I happily spent the day in bed, knowing that the previous day had been the best day of the year.
If you're reading this and aren't yet vaccinated, what are you waiting for? Please do your part so life can return to normal.
Most birders know that Great Blue Herons eat fish. Perhaps fewer know that these herons are opportunistic feeders, and will eat not only fish, but insects, mammals, amphibians, birds, and crustaceans.
When I saw this bird fly overhead at Lindo Lake a few days ago (at quite a distance), I thought it was carrying an unusual fish. A closer look showed a squirrel impaled in its beak!
Lindo Lake is overrun with squirrels.
Apparently this heron decided squirrel would make an easier dinner than fish.
The heron did not end up partaking in this meal, however. A group of American Crows immediately mobbed the heron, causing it to drop the squirrel, and the crows had their dinner.
A closer look.
Thanks to the workers at El Monte Park for pointing out to me this fledgling Great Horned Owl.
During my brief time observing the owl I did not see either of its parents.
This was photographed in late March. I have not yet returned to see how it has matured.
It seems that Acorn Woodpeckers spend all of their time stashing and moving their acorns, when do they take time to eat them?
Here is one working away at El Monte Park, in Lakeside, California, photographed in late March of this year:
Lake Kumeyaay (a.k.a. Hollis Lake) is part of Kumeyaay Lake Campground, part of Mission Trails Park.
The lake is formed by waters from the San Diego River, which, downstream, of course, formed Mission Valley.
It is a good place to get a good look at various water birds, such as these:
I was photographing this Pied-billed Grebe when this Mallard flew in and landed directly behind it:
Common Gallinule:
Double-crested Cormorant:
The cormorant takes flight!
Photos taken on a misty morning at Lake Murray, in early April of this year:
Common Yellowthroat:
Hooded Oriole:
Anna's Hummingbird:
A Western Grebe, photographed at Lake Murray a few minutes after yesterday’s post.
A Mallard takes flight at Lake Murray, in La Mesa, California. Photographed on a foggy morning in early April of this year.
One afternoon in March of this year I visited Blue Sky Campground, in the hills west of Lake Elsinore. The campground was not very birdy, so I continued driving along one of the side roads off of Highway 74 until I came to some hiking trails, which I sampled as the sun was setting.
Here is a California Thrasher catching the last rays of the setting sun:
A California Towhee, silhouetted against the colorful clouds after sunset:
I'm outta here!
This butterfly was photographed in Brazos Bend State Park, Texas, in April, 2019.
