Photo ABCs

Black-crowned Night-Heron

A Black-crowned Night-Heron contemplates a large meal.

Photographed in October 2015 at Lindo Lake, Lakeside, California.

Northern Shoveler

A Northern Shoveler, photographed on New Year's Day 2012, at Lindo Lake, Lakeside, California.

Snowy Egret

A Snowy Egret waits patiently for a fish to become its dinner.

The unusual background is formed by the reflections of reeds in the rippled water.

Photographed one month ago at the San Joaquin Marsh in Irvine, California.

California Towhee

A California Towhee searches for food at Temescal Canyon Park in Pacific Palisades.

Photographed in early June of this year.

Dark-eyed Junco

A juvenile Dark-eyed Junco, perched on a rope at Los Alamos Park, Los Alamos, California. Photographed last month.

The rope had been used earlier in the day to hold up a piñata. The background consists of red leaves of a tree with dappled sunlight shining through.

Yellow-billed Magpie

A Yellow-billed Magpie gives a shout. Photographed last month in the Santa Ynez Valley, California.

Oak Titmouse

An Oak Titmouse perches at Los Alamos Park, Los Alamos, California. Photographed last month.

Nuttall's Woodpecker

A female Nuttall's Woodpecker, photographed last month at Los Alamos Park in Los Alamos, California.

Did you know? Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859) was an English botanist and zoologist who came to America at age 22 and was instrumental in the description of many species. His friend William Gambel named the woodpecker after him, and Audubon gave the Yellow-billed Magpie its scientific name Pica nuttalli. *

(tap or click to enlarge)

* From the book, Whose Bird?, by Bo Beolens and Michael Watkins.

House Finch

The male House Finch, despite being so common, is quite a striking bird.

Here is one perched at Los Alamos Park in Los Alamos, California, as a Lesser Goldfinch approaches in the background.

European Starling

A European Starling, bringing food to its nestlings in a tree cavity.

Photographed last month in Los Alamos, California.