Western Sandpipers In The Shallows
Sandpipers are for me a difficult lot to identify. I rely on Merlin a lot. Both for the photos identification capabilities and for the audio identification. If not for Merlin, Continue Reading →
Tag: bird
The Simple Folly Of Trying To See One Bird You Already Saw Before
A “Big Year” in birding terminology is trying to observe tons of different species of birds in a calendar year. It’s a personal challenge some birders do and I decided Continue Reading →
Black-chinned Hummingbird
There here in LA for some breeding, meet the Black-chinned Hummingbird! #234 on my 2026 list and mission to observe 500 this year. I need to step it up a Continue Reading →
Beach Eagle
I imaging this Bald Eagle somehow rode all the way to the beach on their surf log. I might have been out in the sun too long today.
Snowy Plovers And Persistence
I didn’t come to Oregon to find Snow Plovers, but once I was near them and knew they existed, I had to find them and add to my 2026 goal Continue Reading →
White-fronted Bee-eater
Sometimes the factual names of birds leaves something to be desired. Sure, now I know what this bird eats and what it looks like from the front, but it’s so Continue Reading →
Wilson’s Warbler
Soon all the birds with people’s names in them will be changing, at least in the US. I’m wondering what the Wilson’s Warbler will become? Bad-toupee Warbler?
White Ibis Giving Me A Stare-down
Here in LA we don’t have a lot of ibises so I enjoy them when travels, birding or work or vacation, take me to where they live. In this case, Continue Reading →
Snowy Egret Hunting For Brunch
One lesson on birding that pops into my head every time I go out is, “You’re not done till you’re back at the car”. So many times I’ve spotted either Continue Reading →
Ever Get That Feeling You’re Being Stared At?
The birds, they are watching you.
The Start Of A Big Year
It’s time for a personal challenge played out in a public blog! This has been building for me since the summer and is not some flash-in-the-pan New Years thing set Continue Reading →
Favorite Photos From 2025
It’s time to scroll through the highlights from 2025 and pick favorites. I gave up on the Top 10 list a while ago because life’s short, more photos. This year Continue Reading →
American Kestrel On A Streetlight
Kestrels are compact little suckers with beautiful plumage. The blue and orange combo makes them fairly distinct.
Pied-billed Grebe
I saw a few of these guys tonight while birding the Ballona Marsh Wetlandshere in LA. While not this particular bird, they are easy to tell from a distance with Continue Reading →
Imperial Cormorants On A Nest
The blue on these South American birds, known as Imperial Cormorants (Leucocarbo atriceps), and the blue in their eyes makes them a beauty to behold.
Andean Condor Soaring
We are fresh back from a trip to Patagonia that has been on my mind for decades. Back then I wasn’t as into birding as I am these days, but Continue Reading →
Black Phoebe Singing Its Heart Out
A fairly common bird around LA, and lots of places in the US, but it still deserves a spot on the blog.
So Many Cardinals
The picture is only a solitary cardinal but there more, many, many more around. Living on the West Coast, I hadn’t seen any cardinals of note in my life. I’m Continue Reading →
Terning Right At You
A flock of Elegant and Royal Terns takes flight and turns right toward the camera. Taken at Ballona Creek in Los Angeles.
Birding At Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
A throw back to March when I had work to do in New Mexico, but also a little time to go birding. More info about the Bosque del Apache National Continue Reading →
Painted Bunting, Yowzers!
A new-to-me bird, the Painted Bunting deserves your attention to its All About Birds (All Aboot Birds in Canada) web page. My photo below is good but you need to Continue Reading →
Mother Goose And Goslings
Happy Mother’s Day! A Canada Goose and little goslings explore the wild waters of the Antelope Valley’s Apollo Community Park.
Now Is A Great Time To Look At Birds
My life list on eBird says that I’ve seen this bird before. Evidently on August 5th, 2018 in the Sepulveda Basin in Los Angeles. I love technology. Yesterday I spotted Continue Reading →
If You’re Trying To Find A Hooded Oriole, This Would Be Bullock’s Oriole
The bright orange Bullock’s Oriole has a fairly distinct marking on its head that makes for a cool looking mask. I found this one at the Desert National Wildlife Refuge Continue Reading →
Wings Like A Fine Watercolor
Green Herons have such beautiful coloration in my book. Just look at those wings! Beautiful and highly functional as well.
Stare Down With A Pied-billed Grebe
I’m not sure what is so pied-billed about this grebe, but they are easy to identify!
A Perfect Pose From A Common Yellowthroat
Not sure why these birds are just called ‘yellowthroat’ when their whole body seems to be yellow!
Mallard Watching Snowy Egret Take Flight
Sometimes I prefer my titles to be exacting. In this case, I truly can’t confirm the Mallard is really watching the Snowy Egret take off. But it is in the Continue Reading →
Brandt’s Cormorant At Top Speed
I’ll have some nesting pictures later in the week because these Brandt’s Cormorants in La Jolla, California nest RIGHT next to a sidewalk on a bluff. But for now, enjoy Continue Reading →
Great Egret Is More Green Than I Knew
I guess I never looked too closely at the Great Egret photos I’ve taken or maybe the West Coast egrets aren’t so green around the eyes. This Great Egret, stalking Continue Reading →