Birds

Monday, March 17, 2025 →

Last Friday, this coyote had plenty of rabbits and birds to consider but instead wanted to check us out. Hope everyone can find the good in this week! #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Coyote #Fujifilm #SOoC A coyote walking along a gravel road in a rural area with a “Soft Shoulder” sign visible. The background features vegetation and an overcast sky.

Sunday, March 16, 2025 →

Whoops #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #GreatBlueHeron #Birds A great blue heron in flight, captured from the back, with its wings spread wide. It’s blurry because the photographer wasn’t ready. The background is a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky.

Saturday, March 15, 2025 →

A Northern Harrier from yesterday’s visit to the refuge #NorthernHarrier #Birds #BirdWatching #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm A Northern Harrier, mostly brown with a white bar on its back below the wings, is flying over a body of water with wings outstretched while looking down. In the foreground, there are bare branches, and the background features a distant shoreline with trees under a cloudy sky.

Friday, February 28, 2025 →

When you’re not used to landing tail draggers (DHC–2 Beaver in this case), physics gives you the bird #XPlane12 #XPlane #ThrandaDHC2 #FlightSim #macOS

Tuesday, February 11, 2025 →

This Black Phoebe chirped it up while catching insects mid-air in our backyard today. This is the first time we’ve had a Black Phoebe stick around long enough for a photo #BlackPhoebe #BirdPhotography #Fujifilm A small, brown Black Phoebe bird is perched on a thin branch amidst a background of brown twigs and thick wooden elderberry stems. The bird has a dark head, gray body, and white wing markings. The setting appears natural, surrounded by dry foliage with a wooden fence in the background.

Sunday, February 9, 2025 →

Welcome to Superb Owl Sunday. Though I’ll throw an Eagle in too. #SuperbOwl #SuperbEagle #BirdPhotography two juvenile great horned owls in a nest high upon branches, with an adult owl sandwiched between. They’re watching the photographer closely. In the distance, two well-camouflaged great horned owls sit on a branch deep in a winter dormant tree, staring toward the photographer The white head of a Bald Eagle peers down, perhaps curiously, at the photographer through out of focus willow leaves. You can just make out its brown shoulders.

Monday, January 20, 2025 →

Lewis’s Woodpecker (spotted Saturday) #LewissWoodpecker #BlackButteReservoir #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoCA Lewis’s Woodpecker, with a red eye liner, a black head, and a chest fading from gray to pink, is peaking out, half-way exposed, on the branch of a tree with bare, tangled branches against a clear blue sky.

Saturday, January 18, 2025 →

Went out to Burris Creek today, west of Black Butte Lake. For the first time we saw Lewis’s woodpeckers! They were constantly harassing each other. They’ve gorgeous pink bellies. We also saw a Nuttall’s woodpecker and an Emirates A380 Reg. A6-EVO Dubai-SFO (EK225) at 39,000 feet #LewissWoodpecker #NuttallsWoodpecker #Birds #A380 #Aviation #Fujifilm #SOoCA Lewis’s woodpecker with red and gray plumage flying like a bullet against a clear blue sky.A Lewis’s woodpecker perched on the branch of a leafless tree against a clear blue sky. It has a red belly and red spots on its head.A small Nuttall’s woodpecker with a red patch on its head & white spots on its feathers is perched on a bare tree branch against a clear blue sky. Dry oak leaves are nearby on the branch.An Emirates A380, is flying high in a clear blue sky, leaving four contrails behind.

Monday, January 6, 2025 →

Today I finally photographed one of several Orange-crowned Warblers that use our backyard as a hunting ground #OrangeCrownedWarbler #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoCA small yellow-green bird, with a short but sharp beak, perched on a wooden fence cross beam near some green Ceanothus leaves.

Sunday, January 5, 2025 →

The resident Scrub Jay had herself a vigorous bath on this fine California day #WesternScrubJay #Fujifilm #SOoC #Birds A jay splashing in a metal birdbath with water droplets scattering around. The background is a wooden fence. A blue jay splashes in a birdbath, causing water droplets to spray around. A wooden fence serves as the background. A scrub jay splashes in a birdbath, sending droplets of water into the air against a wooden fence background. A scrub jay with fluffed feathers is perched on the edge of a birdbath, set against a wooden fence backdrop.

Monday, December 23, 2024 →

Last Sunday, we witnessed a Western Meadowlark in a meadow! 😲🫣 #WesternMeadowLark #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoC A Western Meadow Lark stands in a field of tall, dewy grass. The bird has a distinctive yellow chest and mottled brown plumage, blending into the surroundings. Drops of water are visible on the grass. They’re looking toward the camera.

Sunday, December 22, 2024 →

Poor Great Horned Owls have no privacy in the winter #GreatHornedOwls #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoC Two great horned owls sitting on a sturdy branch with lots obscuring bare tree limbs. They’re looking toward the camera.

Saturday, December 21, 2024 →

A soggy juvenile Bald Eagle at the Refuge today! #BaldEagle #Birds #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm A juvenile Bald Eagle is perched on a bare tree branch against an overcast sky. It’s looking toward the camera. Its body feathers are mottled brown and white but it has a white head.

Monday, December 16, 2024 →

Stereotypical Black-necked Stilts at the refuge yesterday #BlackNeckedStilts #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoC #MondayIsForTheBirds A group of black-necked stilts standing in shallow water with tall grass in the background. The birds have long, thin legs and are reflected in the water.

Wednesday, December 11, 2024 →

Marsh Wren! #WrensDay #MarshWren #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoC 🪶 A Marsh Wren is perched on a tall green reed, singing with its beak open. The background is a blurred natural setting with trees.

Monday, December 9, 2024 →

Some ducks had a bad hair day yesterday on account of the wind. These may have been Mergansers #Ducks #CommonMerganser #Birds #Fujifilm #SuperCroppedA group of ducks swimming on a body of water. The brown headed ducks have wind blown head feathers sticking straight up. The black headed ducks do not.

Sunday, December 8, 2024 →

A nice, if breezy, day at Black Butte Reservoir. It was not great for bird watching… unless you prefer seagulls and vultures View of a dam with a concrete structure in the water, surrounded by hills and greenery under a clear blue sky. An orange floating boom extends across the water around the dam workings, with rocky terrain in the foreground.

Wednesday, December 4, 2024 →

Berlin, December 2023. Looking across the Spree toward the Berlin Cathedral #Berlin #Travel #Fujifilm #SOoCA silhouette of a person stands under an archway with graffiti. In the background, a snowy scene features a river, a large historic building, and a domed church. Birds fly in the sky.

Saturday, November 30, 2024 →

Our first frost! And so the birds are having a lousy morning (re)discovering frozen water #Birds 🪶 A pair of small birds, one with a red head, perched on the edge of a birdbath against a wooden fence background.

Thursday, November 21, 2024 →

I nearly forgot to show-off this Ruby-crowned Kinglet that foraged in our backyard today. It loved the asparagus fronds, sweet basil, and grapes. It’s quite the rare to see their full crown! #RubyCrownedKinglet #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoC 🪶A small Ruby Crowned Kinglet with an olive-green body and a distinctive red mark on its head is perched among dry and green sweet basil shoots and leaves.

Sunday, November 17, 2024 →

More big birds from yesterday: a White Egret, a Red Tailed Hawk, and an Air India 777-2 VT-AEG flying SFO-DEL at 30,000 ft #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #WhiteEgret #RedTailedHawk #B77L #AI174 #AvGeek #Aviation #Fujifilm A white egret stands by a body of water in a marshy landscape with tall grasses. The background features distant trees and a clear sky. A red tailed hawk flying in the sky with wings spread wide. The bird’s plumage is a mix of light and dark brown patterns. A photo from below 777-200 LR Air India flight 174 from SFO to Delhi at flight level 30,000 ft. The plane has a red belly flying in a hazy blue sky.

Saturday, November 16, 2024 →

Today’s best birds at the Sacramento Wildlife Refuge includes a Bald Eagle, a Belted Kingfisher (!!!!!!), a well hidden Meadow Lark, and a Black Phoebe #BaldEagle #BeltedKingfisher #MeadowLark #BlackPhoebe #Birds #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm 🪶 A large Bald Eagle soaring in the sky.

A King Fisher perched on a bare tree branch against a blue sky, with some foliage visible below.

A Meadow Lark is hanging out among dry grass reeds near the edge of a pond.

A Black Phoebe is perched on dry, tall grass in a field.

Monday, November 11, 2024 →

House Finches are gorging on shriveled up elderberries in our backyard A small bird with red undercarriage and head perched among branches with dark shriveled elderberries, partially obscured by a blurred blue tarp. The bird’s beak is stained by the berries.

Sunday, November 3, 2024 →

A Lesser Gold Finch gorging on sweet basil seeds in our backyard A small bird with grey and yellow plumage perched on dry, brown stems with wilted leaves, amidst a few green sweet basil leaves. The bird has a beak full of black seeds. A small yellow-bellied bird with a beak full of seeds is perched among dry plants and foliage. An orange pin flag is partially visible among the greenery in the background.

Wednesday, October 23, 2024 →

Welcome back, small yellow bird! #Birds #WarblerOrNot #BirdWatching #Fujifilm #SOoC 🪶A small yellow bird is perched upside-down on a grape vine, pecking at a cluster of shriveled red grapes against a backdrop of green and orange leaves. A white metal trellis supports the vine.

Sunday, October 13, 2024 →

Today we made a quick visit to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge. There’s no missing the White Fronted Geese now and there’s still plenty of dragonflies but there’s no significant population of migratory songbirds yet #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #BirdWatching #Dragonfly #Fujifilm #SOoC A dragonfly with transparent wings featuring dark patterns rests on a vertical reed, set against a background of dry, intertwined reeds. A large flock of White Fronted geese rests im a wetland area surrounded by water and tall grasses. The landscape includes trees and distant rice hulling silos under a clear blue sky.

Monday, September 30, 2024 →

Inspector Woodpecker was quite enthusiastic about this eucalyptus #Birds #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #NorthernFlicker #Fujifilm #SooCA black and white woodpecker is perched on the trunk of a eucalyptus tree, surrounded by green foliage.

Saturday, September 28, 2024 →

At the refuge, the only newcomers are white crowns and white fronted geese. But I only photographed a Black Phoebe that just pooped and a rather brave squirrel. #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #BirdWatching #BlackPhoebe #Squirrel 🪶A small, Black Phoebe is perched on a barren, leafless branch against a clear blue sky. The branch extends across the photo and ends at the center where the bird is. A falling drop of bright white bird poop is barely visible below the bird. A ground squirrel standing on its hind legs next to a fallen Willow tree with branches, in a dry grassy environment.

Saturday, September 21, 2024 →

For now, here’s an urban Black Phoebe #BlackPhoebe #Birds #BirdWatching A small bird is perched on a tree branch amidst dense green foliage. The bird has a black head, back, and wings with a light-colored belly. Dappled sunlight filters through the leaves.

Monday, August 12, 2024 →

Last Sunday, caught this Navy E6-B bird flying west of the refuge. Apparently they were on a west coast tour. #E6B #AvGeek A small white airplane flying against a clear blue sky. It is a four engine jet.