Photo ABCs

Red-breasted Sapsucker

A Red-breasted Sapsucker blends into a lichen-covered rock.

Photographed at Bluff Lake, near Big Bear, California, in September, 2019.

Eurasian Collared-Dove, Great-tailed Grackle

Even common birds can be appreciated for their beauty and interesting behavior.

Here are two birds photographed near Brawley, California, one minute apart, in June, 2018:

Eurasian Collared-Dove:

Great-tailed Grackle, with nesting material:

Red-shouldered Hawk

Nearly every time I visit a friend's tennis court in La Jolla, there is a Red-shouldered Hawk (sometimes two) patrolling the area.

In July of this year I was able to take this photo:

Lesser Yellowlegs

The vast majority of yellowlegs seen in San Diego are Greater Yellowlegs. I'm not sure I even have a photo of a Lesser Yellowlegs in San Diego.

Here is a Lesser Yellowlegs photographed on the Bolivar Peninsula in Texas in April, 2019. The bird is smaller overall with a shorter and straighter bill than the Greater Yellowlegs.

Townsend's Warbler

A Townsend's Warbler, photographed Wednesday in Pine Valley, California.

What a gorgeous bird!

Solitary Sandpiper

The Solitary Sandpiper breeds in the boreal forests of Canada and Alaska, and winters in southern Texas, Mexico, Central and South America.

It is a rare visitor to San Diego, usually during fall migration.

Unlike most shorebirds, it often migrates alone. It is often found inland, often in drainage ditches, such as this one draining Tecolote Canyon, where I photographed it last weekend.

It's a beautiful bird, I think!

Northern Beardless Tyrannulet

The Northern Beardless Tyrannulet may have the largest ratio between the length of its name to the size of the bird!

Here is one photographed in the mountains east of Puerto Vallarta in March, 2014:

Rancho Primavera

A few more shots from Rancho Primavera, one of Mexico's premier birding locations.

Photographed in March, 2014, on a trip led by birding guide and photographer Greg Homel.

The pond on the property is large enough to take a boat on. The casita on the hill can be rented.

An immature Little Blue Heron, photographed from a boat on the pond.

Cinnamon Hummingbird:

Streak-backed Oriole:

Stripe-headed Sparrow:

Vallarta Botanical Garden

Vallarta Botanical Garden is a tropical paradise just south of Puerto Vallarta.

In addition to being a bird watcher's paradise and diner's paradise (the Hacienda del Oro restaurant there is amazing!), of course it is full of interesting tropical plants.

Here are a few abstract pictures I took while there in March, 2014.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Golden-cheeked Woodpecker

The Golden-cheeked Woodpecker is common in the tropical lowlands of western Mexico.

Here is one taking advantage of the bird-feeder banquet at the Vallarta Botanical Garden south of Puerto Vallarta.

Photographed in March, 2014.