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Bird Watchers

Just back from a work trip to California where I spotted two rarities. The first was a group of Snow Geese in the Mojave desert, where I spend time at the Marine Corps base in Twentynine Palms. Although there are groups of them spotted nearly every year in San Bernadino county, they are still considered rare for this part of the country. I found these at the water treatment plant on base, whish is the only reliable water source for many miles around. Snow Geese...in the desert. Wild!

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I had some free time on Sat, so while transitioning to Carlsbad I decided to detour to LA where a Tundra Bean-Goose has been spending time feeding at a local recreation area. This goose should be in Siberia, on it's way to China for the winter, but instead it's been in SoCal since March. There were hundreds of waterfowl there, and I spent an hour looking for one goose. An actual wild goose chase! It has been hanging out with a flock of Canada Geese feeding on grass.

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Both of these sightings made the American Bird Association's daily rare bird alerts. The Snow Goose at the state level, and the Tundra Bean-Goose at the national level.
 
jfields said:
They're cool looking birds!
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They are very cool when they fly. First time I saw one I was like "what the heck is that!" You really can't see it in the photos (except the bottom of the tail) but they have yellow shafts on their feathers (they are also known as the Yellow Shaft Flicker) so flying in the sun they actually look very even more impressive than on the perch. Hoping to get a really good image one day, but they are so doggone shy....

Momma and I will be in Hawaii next week. Hoping to get some nice shots while I'm there! Really looking forward to it!
 
ggiese said:
They are very cool when they fly. First time I saw one I was like "what the heck is that!" You really can't see it in the photos (except the bottom of the tail) but they have yellow shafts on their feathers (they are also known as the Yellow Shaft Flicker) so flying in the sun they actually look very even more impressive than on the perch. Hoping to get a really good image one day, but they are so doggone shy....

Momma and I will be in Hawaii next week. Hoping to get some nice shots while I'm there! Really looking forward to it!
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'Maybe you will find the rare Kann bird?
 
ggiese said:
They are very cool when they fly. First time I saw one I was like "what the heck is that!" You really can't see it in the photos (except the bottom of the tail) but they have yellow shafts on their feathers (they are also known as the Yellow Shaft Flicker) so flying in the sun they actually look very even more impressive than on the perch. Hoping to get a really good image one day, but they are so doggone shy....

Momma and I will be in Hawaii next week. Hoping to get some nice shots while I'm there! Really looking forward to it!
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Enjoy your trip George.

What exactly is the bird watching procedure? You just take your camera, coffee and a book outside and wait for something to show up?
 
jfields said:
Caught this guy again with my iPhone. Also, spotted a Bald Eagle at a home inspection eating a fish in a tree.
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Great views! I've seen quite a few Bald Eagles but I've only seen the Pileated Woodpecker a couple of times and always at a distance scooting between tree's. Would love to see one on my feeder.
 
thinde said:
Great views! I've seen quite a few Bald Eagles but I've only seen the Pileated Woodpecker a couple of times and always at a distance scooting between tree's. Would love to see one on my feeder.
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I have yet to see a Pileated Woodpecker. I know they're in the neighborhood, but they are even more shy than the Northern Flicker! Hoping to grab a good shot of one!
 
ggiese said:
I have yet to see a Pileated Woodpecker. I know they're in the neighborhood, but they are even more shy than the Northern Flicker! Hoping to grab a good shot of one!
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Wow, its hard for me to think of the Northern Flicker as rare......We have them hopping all over the yard in the spring and summer. Unlike most woodpeckers, they go for grubs and worms on the ground rather than insects/bugs in a tree.
 
bfreebern said:
What exactly is the bird watching procedure? You just take your camera, coffee and a book outside and wait for something to show up?
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Well. It started with me being continually pissed off watching the morning news. Momma forced me to turn off the TV and watch the critters in the park across the street. I must admit - it was not exactly as exciting as watching the morning news, but "Happy Wife = Happy Life"... Her next move was to buy a bird feeder, which she hung outside the front window. Again - watching House Sparrows throwing seeds all over the front yard was not exactly the entertainment I was looking for. Then on day this guy showed up - changed my mind about watching out the window...
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Given the less than stellar image, you could correctly assume I scrambled to find something to capture a picture of it so I could find someway of identifying it (it turns out it's a Scarlet Tanager). I have then spend the intervening few years trying to find a better way of capturing the photos so I could more clearly see the critters. So, for example, a couple years later (and after my 3rd evolution of cameras) I was able to grab this shot:
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Not bad, but it still needed some work (I'm at evolution 5 or 6 in cameras/lenses which took the Northern Flicker photo)... And that, my friend, is the slippery slope I've come upon because momma was not happy with me being so not so happy!

But seriously - yes - there is a fair amount of having coffee in the morning and staring out the window with the camera at ready. But it also has encouraged me to get off my butt and walk in the nature preserves in our area. I get exercise and at the same capture some pretty cool photos of wildlife, etc. Cannot wait to see what Hawaii brings! Maybe even the very rare "Kann" bird!!!
 
thinde said:
Wow, its hard for me to think of the Northern Flicker as rare......We have them hopping all over the yard in the spring and summer. Unlike most woodpeckers, they go for grubs and worms on the ground rather than insects/bugs in a tree.
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I don't know that they are rare, but around here by us they do tend to be pretty quick to disappear when people are around. I was very surprised, with us sitting literally 20 feet away in our living room, that he had perched and posed like he did. For me, at least, it was a pretty rare opportunity.
 
A male Hairy Woodpecker showed up at the feeders a short time ago. For a long time I did not know I was looking at a Hairy Woodpecker because they look nearly identical to the Downey Woodpecker. First time I've ever seen this happen - while the Hairy Woodpecker was feeding, a male Downey woodpecker showed up on the opposite side of the feeder. Gave me the opportunity to show the differences between them (namely the Hairy is bigger than the Downey). But - here they are - side by side!


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ggiese said:
A male Hairy Woodpecker showed up at the feeders a short time ago. For a long time I did not know I was looking at a Hairy Woodpecker because they look nearly identical to the Downey Woodpecker. First time I've ever seen this happen - while the Hairy Woodpecker was feeding, a male Downey woodpecker showed up on the opposite side of the feeder. Gave me the opportunity to show the differences between them (namely the Hairy is bigger than the Downey). But - here they are - side by side!


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What are the odds of getting that shot! 😎
 
Yesterday, on the way out of work, I scared a Sharp-shinned Hawk out of a bush. He just stood his ground while clutching a partially eaten bird. After a brief moment staring at each other, I walked away so he could finish in peace.

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Darin said:
Yesterday, on the way out of work, I scared a Sharp-shinned Hawk out of a bush. He just stood his ground while clutching a partially eaten bird. After a brief moment staring at each other, I walked away so he could finish in peace.

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Was it the Sharp Shinned, or the very similar looking Coopers Hawk? Both are very impressive looking birds. I am more personally attached to the Cooper's Hawk - their orangish colored eyes are particularly stunning when photographed well! Saw one the other day while on our walk at the park across the street. Tried to grab some photos but he flew away as we cautiously approached. Could not get close enough to get clear ones.
 
ggiese said:
Was it the Sharp Shinned, or the very similar looking Coopers Hawk? Both are very impressive looking birds. I am more personally attached to the Cooper's Hawk - their orangish colored eyes are particularly stunning when photographed well! Saw one the other day while on our walk at the park across the street. Tried to grab some photos but he flew away as we cautiously approached. Could not get close enough to get clear ones.
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A bit lighter in color and no dark "cap" so I'm guessing Sharp-shinned. I'm definitely no expert though. 😉
 
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