Birds

4/9/25 →

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

4/8/25 →

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

4/7/25 →

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.

4/3/25 →

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.

4/1/25 →

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

3/31/25 →

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

3/30/25 →

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

3/27/25 →

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.

3/16/25 →

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.

3/15/25 →

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.

1/20/25 →

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.

1/18/25 →

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.

1/6/25 →

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.

1/5/25 →

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.

12/23/24 →

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.

12/22/24 →

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.

12/21/24 →

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.

12/16/24 →

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.

12/11/24 →

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.

12/9/24 →

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.

11/30/24 →

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.

11/21/24 →

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.

11/16/24 →

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.

10/23/24 →

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.

9/30/24 →

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.

9/21/24 →

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.

7/6/24 →

Today, before the heat got too extreme, we visited a nearby wildlife refuge. Here’s a Heron, King Bird, American Kestrel, and a Steel-Blue Cricket Hunter (a wasp!). #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Birds #Heron #AmericanKestrel #KingBird #SteelBlueCricketHunter A heron with outstretched wings flying against a clear blue sky.

A King Bird, gazing to the left, with yellow and brown feathers perched on a tree branch surrounded by green Willow leaves.

An American Kestrel is perched on a Eucalyptus tree branch, surrounded by green leaves against a clear blue sky.

A metallic blue wasp is navigating through dry scattered leaves and twigs.

5/16/24 →

 From last weekend at the refuge: a Bullock's Oriole in a Willow tree. #BullocksOriole #Birds #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm

A yellow and black bird perched on a branch amidst green leaves in a tree, with a clear blue sky in the background.

5/13/24 →

NO Pedestrians Beyond This Point: Black Phoebe enforced #Birds #Fujifilm #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge

A Black Phoebe is perched at the top right corner of a road sign is posted among greenery indicating NO PEDESTRIANS BEYOND THIS POINT, with a natural, lush background. A dirt road peaks into view.

5/12/24 →

At the refuge yesterday, pretty certain I saw and photographed a Western Kingbird vomit up a stone or something‽ #SacramentoWildlifeRefuge #Fujifilm #Birds #WesternKingBird A yellow breasted bird perched on a branch against a clear blue sky, with bare branches and another bird in the background. A small black object is flying through the air and the bird’s beak is open