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Tag: Anna’s Hummingbird

Warbler Wobble

Warbler Wobble

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AH-CHOO!

Crap. I don’t sneeze unless it’s related to allergies. How can I be sneezing in February (insert “climate change” explanation here)? Sneezing, migraine, and vertigo settle in rendering me unable to do anything but whine on the couch. Sounds of construction overpower any chance of hearing bird activity outside, except for the occasional crow.

This goes on for a couple days when I finally throw on some shoes and risk the great outdoors of my neighborhood. I have to be careful to not swing my head around too much lest the vertigo send a not-so-subtle reminder that I can’t walk straight. “Warbler neck,” the term used to describe neck soreness after staring up into tree tops for warblers, has turned into my dizzying version called “Warbler Wobble.”

The warm, golden glow of the sun cheers me up instantly, accompanied with a chorus of bird calls claiming territories for singing love songs. The Oak Titmouse is the loudest this early evening, with Anna’s Hummingbirds, Least Goldfinches, Mourning Doves, and Yellow-rumped Warblers offering backing vocals.

I stand in one spot straining my neck to see the finches and warblers without the help of binoculars. I’m hoping that the neighbors don’t think I’m weird, although I’ve worn my “Can’t Talk Now… I’m Birding” t-shirt for good measure.

While staring up, I see a woodpecker silhouette on a telephone pole. Wow, what a lot of red! Wait, it’s a Red-breasted Sapsucker! Only the second time I’ve seen one in this neighborhood (and perhaps the same individual) over the years.

AH-CHOO!

There’s my clue that I’ve overextended my stay in the allergied outdoors. I slowly walk home absorbing all the sweet calls and delighted to see a special bird to cheer me up.

SoCal Birding

SoCal Birding

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Red-Necked Phalarope

Red-Necked Phalarope, Orange County, 2019

I was in SoCal last weekend to visit family and hop around to familiar birding sights. It was a super hot weekend, so many of our birding trips were spent sitting under the shade and watching the birds from a single spot.

My brother-in-law gave me a replacement lens for my camera, so I was back to shooting again (yay!). After reviewing the images, I noticed things about the bird subjects that I wished I would have noticed in person.

White-Faced Ibis

This White-faced Ibis (non-breeding/immature plumage) has a stunning array of feather colors. From the white and brown tones in its face, with the chocolate dripping down its neck into the splatter of cinnamon feathers, and replaced with metallic tan and shiny green. It also has a bold red eye, and almost seems to be smirking in this picture.

Anna's Hummingbird

Anna’s Hummingbird, Orange County 2019

I did get pictures of this Anna’s Hummingbird’s face, but I enjoyed this picture in particular because it highlighted the individual shiny green feathers down its back. Also evident is a fluff of white downy feathers that I typically don’t notice in hummers. The spiky bill made this hummer look like it was holding a weapon!

Black-Crowned Night Heron

Black-Crowned Night Heron, Orange County 2019

As the sun was setting, the birds were flying about to their roosting locations. This Black-crowned Night Heron took brief refuge in a tree. It glowed golden in the fading sun. The red eye captured my attention, as well as the way its feet wrapped awkwardly around the thin branch.

Reddish Egret

Reddish Egret, Orange County 2019

A big treat this trip was seeing not one, not two, but THREE Reddish Egrets. They are a joy to watch as they frantically dance about as part of their goofy foraging technique. I typically see them from afar, but this particular individual was kind enough to remain posed for a closer portrait. The reddish/purplish head and neck contrasts with the grey blue back, but it was the yellowish eye that caught my attention.

It was a fun trip, and I’m happy to have a working lens again.

 

My Birding Day: Rainy Weekend Birding Highlights

My Birding Day: Rainy Weekend Birding Highlights

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Red-Throated Loon

Red-Throated Loon, Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, 2019

Friday: It was cloudy out with scattered showers. We decided to check out Middle Harbor Shoreline Park at the Port of Oakland to see if the storms turned up any interesting birds stopping for rest in the Bay Area. We started the walk with only our binoculars, but soon ran back to the car to grab the camera and scope. A loon! A Red-throated loon at that! Despite its white-throated winter appearance, this bird has a distinctive red throat during breeding season. I have yet to witness the brilliant plumage of this particular loon, but hope to see it someday.

Western Gull

Western Gull, Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, 2019

Saturday: Rain, rain, rainy day. We set out to Lake Temescal to see we could sneak in a quick trip. Upon arriving, the rain settled into an annoying mist that instantly dotted up our glasses, binoculars, and camera. The moisture kept the park mostly free of human visitors; however, the bird activity was amazing. Sparrows were dancing about, herons were active, and we even spotted a Belted Kingfisher.

Double-crested Cormorants were eagerly trying to dry off their wings. Their feathers absorb water to allow for faster dives and swims. Absorbing water means fewer bubbles are produced on their wings, which would slow down their underwater speeds. As a trade-off, they need to dry them out, which is why you’ll see them spreading their wings at times.

Double-Crested Cormorant

Double-Crested Coromorant, Lake Temescal Regional Recreation Area, 2019

Sunday: We joined the Ohlone Audubon Society for another bird walk, this time at Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area. It was cloudy for the entire trip. It even showered on us for a time, but no umbrellas were deployed, only plastic baggies to cover cameras. The three-mile trip yielded an impressive list of nearly 70 species. Grebes, ducks, gulls, sparrows, swallows, hummingbirds, woodpeckers, thrushes, and more were spotted with this group. I enjoyed the brief pops of color from the Anna’s Hummingbirds that contrasted with the dreary grey that hung over our heads. The highlight of the trip was spotting several Canada Geese that had unusually white heads where we typically see black. This feature shared with nearly half a dozen geese stumped the experts until a phone field guide app yielded pictures that shared the same traits. Everyone was excited to learn about this new field marker.

Anna's Hummingbird

A Pop of Color from this Anna’s Hummingbird, Quarry Lakes, 2019