Published at: 10:02 pm - Wednesday February 04 2009
great blue heron, san joaquin wildlife sanctuary, irvine, ca
Look, you can see right through the side of its cornea. It was pretty spectacular to see this through the bins, much brighter than here. I was hoping to get one photo where the bird was looking away, and this is it. I had spent a day birding with Amy of WildBird magazine in Orange County, cruising the Back Bay in a remarkable 1972 BMW and feeling about as cool as one can be when you are pulling over constantly to look for birds hiding in the mud. Highlights were a Clapper Rail and a Eurasian Green-winged Teal (got a photo, but this one’s a lumper splitter lumper so it doesn’t does count? still cool). The egrets and herons were being odd, with many of them land-hiking and peering dimly into reeds and bushes, necks swaying uneasily but a little too purposefully to be described as drunken. We surmised, to the best of our abilities, that they were after insects, or perhaps were intoxicated by the 80+ degree weather and were thinking about nests, etc. Day list:
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Published at: 11:02 am - Tuesday February 03 2009
the fruit does not fall far from the extended family tree
Featuring the inestimable Su Tieman. I just found these old Polaroids while cleaning up the house in CA, getting ready for my parents’ return from Antarctica today. I had thought my choice of glasses for the last ten years had been a radical departure from my upbringing and a serious statement on thinking independently. *POOF* there goes that idea. Yes, that would be me in the tub. And the other sibling, the one who made a cuter girl than I did, that would be my brother. Don’t worry, he’s 6′3″ now and looks like Andy Garcia for some reason, so he’s not concerned about that.
Published at: 11:02 am - Monday February 02 2009
cinnamon teal, upper newport bay, ca
Published at: 06:02 pm - Sunday February 01 2009
dowitcher sp, upper newport bay, ca
Dowitchers in basic plumage are not my specialty. Not that I could boast that Dowitchers in alternate plumage are my specialty either, mind you. I just have the teensiest bit more experience with that. This flock was not vocalizing, nor did I hear any flight calls. The Long-billed flocks I witnessed at Bolsa Chica last week were chattering away. I have my ideas, but am interested to hear from others. Any thoughts are appreciated. Plus, cool about the flexing bill.
by Catherine 5 Comments