Things have been crazy! I just finished standardized testing, which is why I've been way too busy to pay attention to this website. This is a long post, including lots of stuff that I just uploaded. It is long, but stick to the end! Despite all the schoolwork, I've still managed to get some birding in! In late March my dad and I went to San Diego again. We went to La Jolla and saw some pretty awesome birds. There were nesting Brandt's Cormorants: Some really pretty Brown Pelicans and a Heermann's Gull: Lifers Surfbird and Black Turnstone: We also visited Balboa Park again and saw some really neat species. Clockwise from top left: Red-shouldered Hawk, Townsend's Warbler, Black Phoebe, Bewick's Wren, Black-throated Gray Warbler, Townsend's Warbler. Male and Female Nuttall's Woodpecker: I also got a nice picture of a Lesser Goldfinch: Fence Lizards: Hummingbird nest with an adorable nestling sticking its head out: We also went on a whale watching cruise. We saw a Gray Whale mom with calf: Black-Vented Shearwater and Scripp's Murrelets: On the way out we saw some Surf Scoter, Brant, and Marbled Godwit: We ran across a pod of Common Dolphins: We went with the sailing yacht replica "America": Since San Diego is a naval base, there was lots of military activity. Clockwise from top left: Amphibious Transport Dock, Carrier, Destroyer, C-17, Blackhawk Helicopter, F-18 Of course, we also did our usual baseball game. It was military weekend so we got an amazing show. There was a really powerful national anthem with an F-16 flyover. Here is their video: It was really an incredible experience! In addition to uploading all my San Diego photos (they are not in a separate section of the gallery), I also added a bunch from a couple winters ago and the past few months. We went on a Short-eared Owl survey and the full moon was really pretty, as well as the sunset: This is at Cauldron Lynn: After hanging out at Cauldron Lynn we went to Wilson Lake Reservoir. Here are just a few Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes: Recently I had a few interesting birds in my yard: a leucistic Eurasian Collared-Dove, a Lincoln's Sparrow, a Green-tailed Towhee, and a Sharp-shinned Hawk: Shortly after I went to see rarity and lifer Rose-breasted Grosbeak in a friend's yard: Here is a Vesper Sparrow in and out of a bush. They are practically impossible to see when they're hiding! I've gone down to Dierkes Lake a couple times. Here is a Say's Phoebe I found singing there: Here is an adult Great Horned Owl, and then a fledgling in the same crevice at Dierkes: Great Basin Fence Lizards at Dierkes: I recently discovered these. They are unofficially called Bumble Bee Scarab Beetles. This one is in Genus Paracotalpa: Hummingbird Moths at and near my house: We recently went to Echo Canyon in Utah to follow the train commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. Thousands of people turned out for it. They were double heading with 4014, one of the 25 Big Boys (the largest locomotives ever built) meant to haul freight between Utah and Wyoming, and the 844 locomotive which was the last engine made for Union Pacific. (The 844 is behind the Big Boy and its coal car) Afterwards, we went to Antelope Island State Park, where the most prominent wildlife were non-biting midges. No, that second photo is not out of focus, but the bugs were so thick it seems that way. We've also spent some time up north. Red-naped Sapsucker working on a pine tree: Steller's Jays: Back home, I've been taking pictures of our Black-billed Magpies. The last photo shows one picking up mud for a nest. The nest was successful and one chick fledged. Here are photos from 2017 of a Semipalmated Plover and a Pectoral Sandpiper: A year ago we went to the Blue Mountains in Oregon in search of Great Gray Owls. Although we didn't see any owls, we did see a Williamson's Sapsucker nest, a fairly rare sight. The male and female: We also saw a Black-backed Woodpecker, who did exit a nest hole but it was hard to see if the nest was actually being used. I don't remember exactly where this is, but it's cute nonetheless. Elk with calf: And finally, we end with my favorites, the foxes! I was able to photograph a gorgeous silver fox with a slight tinge of red. Wow, that was a lot! I hope you enjoyed, and good on you for getting all the way to the end. Let me know which photos you liked the best and if you enjoy the little bits of information or non-bird things. Sometimes I feel like I'm rambling. I did just get back from a weekend where I was able to lead some birding exhibitions so hopefully I can get those photos up and I will make a post about it. My yard is full of birds! There's one Robin nest, the Kingbirds are setting up their nest, the Magpies have already nested, and the Orioles are preparing their nests. Also, don't forget, the kestrel cam is still up and running and there are 5 chicks getting their hungry little beaks fed! I will be travelling a lot this next month, and if I keep up with my photos, I will hopefully be able to get trip reports up. Again, I hope you enjoyed, and keep an eye out for more reports!
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Youtube:The first Kestrel chick fed!
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February 2020
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