Birds

Thursday, June 12, 2025 →

In my backyard, a juvenile scrub jay has been tearing pieces of green tree tape and caching them. Meanwhile an adult jay is foraging nearby. #WesternScrubJay #Birds #BirdPhotography #Fujifilm #SOoCA Juvenile Western Scrub-Jay, with a grey head and fluffy bottom, standing in profile on dry, textured ground, holding a small green object in its beak.

Thursday, May 15, 2025 →

The Northern Mockingbird pair are mostly absent from their nest. I guess the ambient temperature is warm enough that they don’t feel the need to lay on the eggs?

Three Northern Mockingbird eggs with a rust red speckle on a green shell rests in a cozy nest. The nest is in a grapevine. It is shaded by grape leaves, and sunlight is trying stream through.

#NestWatch #Nest #NorthernMockingbird #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoC

Sunday, May 11, 2025 →

There are at least two Northern Mockingbird eggs in the nest! The momma bird went off for a snack & I carefully took a brief look. #NestWatch

#NorthernMockingbird #Birds #Nest #Fujifilm #SOoC A Northern Mockingbird's nest with a few rust red speckled eggs inside, surrounded by green grape leaves and branches. The sun shines brightly through the wide leaves.

Saturday, May 10, 2025 →

Our (male?) Northern Mockingbird is still actively inspecting and improving the nest in our grapes just outside our glass slider door. I think they’ve partnered up so perhaps the nest will be fully occupied soon! #NestWatch #NorthernMockingbird #Birds #BirdPhotography #FujifilmA Northern Mockingbird is sitting in a nest surrounded by green leaves and branches. It has an outstretched neck to peak out while its tail is almost straight up. It is surrounded by grape leaves and vines.

A Northern Mockingbird stands on a nest, tail at a 45° angle, surrounded by lush green grape leaves and vines. It is clearly getting ready to fly off

Thursday, May 8, 2025 →

Double-crested Cormorant flying very low over the San Francisco Bay at Anza Fisherman’s Park #DoubleCrestedCormorant #Birds #BirdPhotography #SanFrancisco #Fujifilm #SOoC A double crested cormorant flying low over the San Francisco Bay, with its wings spread and reflections visible on the surface. It has a lower beak that is orange, grey wings, and a black head and back.

Wednesday, May 7, 2025 →

A foraging Bewick’s Wren A small Wren, poking its beak about a piece of dead wood, is well camouflaged among dense tree branches. #Wrensday #Birds #BirdPhotography #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm

Monday, May 5, 2025 →

A Northern Mockingbird has decided to build a nest on the grape vines growing under the outer edge of our patio cover. We’ll try to accommodate A mockingbird bird is nestled among dense green grape leaves and a thick grape vine, building a nest. It even has a twig in its beak. Sunlight filters through the foliage, creating a warm and natural setting.

A grey bird perched on an under construction nest, surrounded by green grape leaves and a thick grape vine. Its dark grey tail is pointing straight up and it’s looking side-eye toward the camera. #NorthernMockingbird #Birds #BirdPhotography #Yarden #Fujifilm #SOoC

Friday, May 2, 2025 →

Whimbrels! From near San Francisco Intl. Airport #Whimbrel #Birds #BirdPhotography #Fujifilm A group of Wimbrels wading in shallow water. The brown birds have long, thick bills and are standing or preening on a Bay low tide muddy area

Friday, April 25, 2025 →

From a few weekends ago, Tree Swallows racing through the skies above Black Butte Lake. A Tree Swallow, nearly a profile view, in flight against a clear blue sky.

A Tree Swallow flying, directly below showing its belly and wings, against a clear blue sky.

#TreeSwallow #Birds #BirdPhotograhy #BlackButteLake #Fujifilm

Saturday, April 19, 2025 →

Ospreys are amazing. Last week, before our eyes, one plunged into Black Butte lake and caught a fish! To grab a fish, an osprey plunged deep into to lake water, while keeping its head above the water. There is a large dead tree branch overhead, and the background is full of Willows.

A osprey, with a captured fish in its talons, flying low over a body of water surrounded by trees. Branches frame the foreground, and the bird's wings are spread mid-flight.

A blurred image of an osprey in flight over a body of water with lush green trees in the background. The osprey has a more noticeable fish in its talons. #Osprey #Birds #BirdPhotography #BlackButteLake #Fujifilm #SOoC

Wednesday, April 16, 2025 →

You got this  #WrensDay #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Birds #BirdPhotography #Fujifim #SOoC

A small Bewick's Wren is perched on a winter naked Willow branch. This Wren, for once, isn't singing but is squat against the branch, looking out. It has a really long narrow and dark tail and white stripes on its head. Its body is mostly gray.

Monday, April 14, 2025 →

At Black Butte Lake this last Saturday, we were treated by a flying formation of American White Pelicans. They are captivating flyers. #AmericanWhitePelican #BlackButteLake #BirdPhotography #Birds #Fujifilm #SOoC

Against a blue sky, four American White Pelicans are in a straight line formation, spaced by mere feet. They are photographed as a diagonal across the frame. The rear edge of their wings are black, the rest of their body is white.

Wednesday, April 9, 2025 →

Bushtit! A small gray-brown Bushtit is on a tree branch surrounded by green leaves and twigs. It has a rather active pose, like it’s in the process of turning around.#Bushtit #Birds #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #SOoC

Tuesday, April 8, 2025 →

Towhees are all the rage right now, so here’s one busy looking for food at the Refuge’s parking area A small brown California Towhee with a dark brown head, reddish brown body, and pinkish legs stands on a parking lot with cracks filled by dry grass, looking down as it searches for food. It is a profile view and only its back is illuminated by the sun.#CaliforniaTowhee #Birds #BirdPhotography #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #SOoC

Monday, April 7, 2025 →

Loggerhead shrike from the Refuge the other weekend #LoggerheadShrike #Birds #BirdPhotography #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #SOoC

A small Loggerhead shrike, mostly gray with black eyeshadow, is perched on a bare tree branch against a backdrop of a clear blue sky and blurred Willow foliage.

Thursday, April 3, 2025 →

I was feeling left out, so please enjoy the Black-Necked Stilts in lieu of penguins. #BlackNeckedStilts #Birds #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #SOoCTwo black-necked stilts, one near the photo’s left edge and another near the right edge, with long pink legs stand near a marshy water area. The background consists of water and patches of vegetation.

Tuesday, April 1, 2025 →

Another photo from the Refuge this last SaturdayA flock of birds flying in a clear sky, featuring white egrets (2 total) and dark white-faced ibises (12 total) with long, curved beaks. #GreatEgret #WhiteFacedIbis #Birds #BirdPhotography #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #SOoC

Monday, March 31, 2025 →

A photo directly below and looking up at a perched and sunning Turkey Vulture. Its wings are open and its red bare skin head is clearly visible above its wings. It has some weird downy feathers surrounding its beak. #TurkeyVulture #Birds #BirdWatching #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #SOoC

Sunday, March 30, 2025 →

American Bushtit at the refuge yesterday. What an acrobatic fuzzball! An American Bushtit, with a light orange head and gray fuzz-ball of a body, is upside down, hanging on a young Willow tree branch full of golden catkins against a clear blue sky. #AmericanBushtit #Birds #BirdWatching #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #SOoC

Thursday, March 27, 2025 →

Two Eurasian Collared Doves enjoying this evening #EurasianCollaredDoves #Birds #BirdWatching #FujifilmTwo Eurasian Collared doves perched on tree of heaven branches with a clear sky in the background. Golden hour light vaguely reflects off their heads.

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.

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.