Photo ABCs

Osprey

While at Santee Lakes in October of this year, I was walking near the shore of one of the lakes when I heard, very close to me, a huge splash. I looked in the direction of the splash, and beheld an Osprey emerging from the water. I managed to snap a few photos, though the bird was so close I could not fit the entire bird in the frame. Unfortunately for the bird, it emerged empty handed (empty taloned?)

Surf Scoter

The Surf Scoter is quite an odd looking duck! Like the Bufflehead and many other ducks, it is a winter visitor to southern California. Though it breeds through much of northern Canada in winters it is found in coastal waters.

Photographed recently at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, California.

Bufflehead

Another Bufflehead from Bolsa Chica.

Bufflehead

The Bufflehead is a showy duck, but as it breeds mostly in Canada it is a winter visitor to southern California.

It is a diving duck (it feeds by diving underwater). Photographed recently at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve in Huntington Beach, California.

Ruddy Duck, female

A female Ruddy Duck, photographed recently at Bolsa Chica. Photographing in the very soft light after sunset gives the colors a muted appearance and the water a velvety look.

Ruddy Duck

A Ruddy Duck, photographed in the late afternoon at Bolsa Chica. The Ruddy Duck in breeding plumage will be a ruddy, or rusty color, and sport a flamboyant blue bill. In winter, his outfit is more mundane.

Northern Harrier

Northern Harriers are raptors that fly back and forth over fields looking for prey. Although I see them frequently in southern California, I don't have many good photos of them, since unlike, say, Red-tailed Hawks, which perch for long periods of time, the Northern Harrier rarely stays in one place!

Here is one at Bolsa Chica, flying over water from one field to another, where it will continue its search for dinner. Photographed in the late afternoon sun.

Abert's Towhee

An Abert's Towhee gazes from a perch at the Sonny Bono Visitors Center at the Salton Sea.

Cattle Egrets

Cattle Egrets gather around the banks of an irrigation canal just before sunset. Photographed near the Salton Sea in November of this year.

Snow Geese

If it is winter, then it's time for Snow Geese to appear at the Salton Sea! In late November, when I took this photo, there were thousands of Snow Geese to be seen.

Here is a pair of Snow Geese, backlit by the midday sun.