Category: Birds

Swans

by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, Iceland, nature, Nature Photography, Photography, Uncategorized, Waterfowl, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus Buccinator)
Swan Lake Flat, Yellowstone National Park; SEP 2018

Today I am sharing images of swans I’ve photographed over the past several years.

Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus Buccinator) are North America’s largest waterfowl. Thy can have a 6 foot wingspan and weigh as much as 26 pounds. According to All About Birds, a Website from Cornell Labs: “They breed on wetlands in remote Alaska, Canada, and the northwestern U.S., and winter on ice-free coastal and inland waters.” The odd thing here is that I found some on the icy Yellowstone River in February.

The Tundra Swan (Cygnus Columbianus) is a winter migrant to the US. We see them winter over on the Pacific Flyway from late October through about the end of February. They nest on arctic tundra. The Tundra Swan is sometimes called a Whistling Swan.

The Mute Swan (Cygnus Olor) is not native to North America; it’s a European immigrant. It is the swan we see in ponds and lakes at parks, farms and estates. According to All About Birds: “ All of the Mute Swans in North America descended from swans imported from Europe from the mid 1800s through early 1900s to adorn large estates, city parks, and zoos. Escapees established breeding populations and are now established in the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, Great Lakes, and Pacific Northwest of the U.S.” The ones I am presenting may be from a wild colony or may be feral.

I found the Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus) in Iceland. According to Wikipedia, Whooper swans can migrate hundreds or even thousands of miles to their wintering sites in southern Europe and eastern Asia. They breed in subarctic Eurasia. Icelandic Whooper Swans breed and winter over in the United Kingdom and Ireland. They can have a wingspan of 9 feet and weigh over 30 pounds. Whooper Swans pair for life.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Tundra Swans (Cygnus Columbianus)
Staten Island Road, Galt, CA; JAN 2018
Whooper Swans (Cygnus cygnus)
South Coast of Iceland; SEP 2017
Mute Swan (Cygnus Olor)
Scott Road, Folsom, CA; FEB 2016
Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus Buccinator) – P1
Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park, WY, FEB 2013
Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus Buccinator)
Swan Lake Flat, Yellowstone National Park; SEP 2018
Mute Swan (Cygnus Olor) – P2
Willow Creek Recreation Area, Folsom, CA; OCT 2019
Trumpeter Swans at Sunrise (Cygnus Buccinator) -P1
Swan Lake Flat, Yellowstone National Park; SEP 2018
Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus Buccinator) at Sunrise – P2
Swan Lake Flat, Yellowstone National Park; SEP 201
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus Buccinator) – P2
Yellowstone River, Yellowstone National Park; FEB 2013

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Vultures and Other Scavengers

by Earthwatcher, posted in American River, American River Parkway, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) Feeding On Salmon;
Lake Natomas, American River Parkway, Gold River, CA; NOV 2019

In Sacramento, we are privileged to live along the American River. This mighty river is one of many that provide spawning territory for salmon. Spawning is the last great act of these creatures; after they spawn, they die. Though it is the end for them, their death provides nutrients for plants and other animals. When the Salmon run gets underway, migrating Turkey Vultures and Gulls arrive and supplement the year-around population and clean up the carcasses.

Scavenging is not limited to the Salmon carcasses. I’ve also found a Raven with the carcass of a dead bird. Hunting and killing is not normal behavior for the Raven so most likely it found the carcass.

Look closely at the rocks among the vultures. Some of what looks like rocks are part of the carcasses.

Note: Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution.

Turkey Vultures (Cathartes aura) Feeding On Salmon;
Lake Natomas, American River Parkway, Gold River, CA; NOV 2019
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) Picking on Salmon
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; OCT 2019
Common Raven (Corvus corax) with Scavenged Meal;
Willow Creek Recreation Area, Folsom, CA; OCT 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Raptors

by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, California, Earthwatcher, Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Fujifilm Cameras, Nature Photography, raptor, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography, Wm Pond Park
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Wm Pond Park, Sacramento, CA; Mar 2019

Here are a few raptors, birds of prey, I’ve photographed over the past year.

The Red-shouldered and Red-tailed Hawks are members of the Buteo family. They forage in more open areas and prefer small rodents. The Goshawk and Sharp-shinned Hawks are members of the Acipiter family. They are built to forage in in forested areas and prefer birds. The Merlin is a small falcon. Though they have there preferences, they’ll eat whatever they can catch.

Note: Please click on caption to see these images at higher resolution.

Northern Goshawk (Acipiter Gentilis)
Owens River Road, Lee Vining, CA; OCT 2019
Merlin (Falco columbarius)
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; OCT 2019
Sharp-shinned Hawk (Accipiter striatus)
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramneto, CA; OCT 2019
Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) on Nest
Battle Mountain, NV; MAY 2019
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis)
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; JUL 2019
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) – P2
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Carmichael, CA; OCT 2019
Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus)
Hawk swooped down over my shoulder, picked-up a rodent and carried it to this tree. Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Carmichael, CA; OCT 2019
Osprey (Pandion haliaetus)
Wm Pond Park, Sacramento, CA; Mar 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Some More Birds from This Year

by Earthwatcher, posted in American River Parkway, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, California, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
American Robin (Turdus Migratorius)
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; NOV 2018

Here are some more bird photos that I have taken in the past year. Take a close look at Hutton’s Vireo with Chick. Though it is well camouflaged, there is a baby in the nest with mom. The Bewick’s Wren is also attending a nest deep in the cavity of the tree.

Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution!

Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo huttonii) with Chick;
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; APR 2019
Bewick’s Wren (Thryomanes bewickii);
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; JUN 2019
Hermit Warbler (Setophaga occidentalis);
William Pond Park, Sacramento, CA; SEP 2019
Hutton’s Vireo (Vireo huttonii);
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; SEP 2019
Mourning Dove (Zenaida macroura);
Willow Creek Recreation Area, American RIver Parkway, Folsom, CA; APR 2019
Oak Titmouse (Baeolophus inornatus);
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; APR 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Waterfowl and Shorebirds

by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Duck, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, Nature Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Canada Geeese (Branta canadensis) on a Beaver Lodge
Landing, Grand Teton National Park, WY; MAY 2019

Here are a few more birds, mostly from this year’s collection, for you to enjoy.

Note: Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
Point Lobos State Park, Monteray, CA; May 2016
Great White Pelican (Pelecanus onocrotalus)
Missouri River Headwaters State Park, Three Forks, MT; MAY 2019
American Coot (Fulica americana)
Wm Pond Park, Sacramento, CA; Mar 2019
Juvenile Canada Goose (Branta canadensis);
Mather Park, Sacramento, CA; JUN 2019
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) and Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)
Effie Yeaw Nature Center, Sacramento, CA; JUN 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Seal Rock, Oregon

by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Earthwatcher, Fujifilm Cameras, Photography, Seascape, sunrise, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Seal Rock Beach at Sunrise
Seal Rock, Waldport, OR; AUG 2019

We recently spent a few days on the beach at Waldport, OR. It is located in Oregon Dunes area of the coast. Just outside of town sets a beach amongst a craggy, old volcanic lava flow. It is a beautiful beach with many tidal pools left teeming with wildlife as the tide recedes.

On this visit, the birds really took center stage. We saw some seals, but they were offshore and all I could see were heads bobbing. So, they weren’t photo worthy. But we found some Pelagic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax pelagicus); one with a chick on the nest. We found Western Gulls (Larus occidentalis), many of which were recently fledged juveniles.

The Pelagic Cormorant is found along coastal waters and eats fish and marine invertebrates. It roosts and nests on steep, inaccessible rocky cliffs. It swims and dives for food.

The Western Gull is the common gull that you find on US West Coast beaches. They like fish, marine invertebrates, bird eggs and jelly fish. They will also scavenge on carrion and human refuse.

Our experience with the Western Gull brought some amusement. The juveniles were in the water and along the shore. When they wandered too far inland, an adult would chase after and send it back to the shoreline with the others. In the early morning, we even saw adults force the young into the tidal pools to splash and bathe. It was great fun.

Note: Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution

Pelagic Cormorant (Phalacrocorax pelagicus)
Seal Rock, Waldport, OR; AUG 2019
Juvenile Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)
Seal Rock, Waldport, OR; AUG 2019
Starfish in Tide Pool
Seal Rock, Waldport, OR; AUG 2019
Western Gull (Larus occidentalis)
Seal Rock, Waldport, OR; AUG 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Some Interesting Wildlife from San Diego

by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, California, flower, Fujifilm Cameras, left brained, Marine Mammals, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)
Seal Cove, La Jolla, CA; MAY 2019

Last May, we visited some family in the San Diego area. On one of those days, we visited some spots along the shore that teemed with wildlife. It was a great time.

Please note that the wild Red-crowned Parrot is a wild bird. Pet releases and other incidents have allowed a colony of these birds to establish themselves in the San Diego area.

Note: Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Juvenile Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina)
Seal Cove, La Jolla, CA; MAY 2019
Juvenile Western Gull (Larus occidentalis) – P1
Seal Cove, La Jolla, CA
California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis californicus)
Seal Cove, La Jolla, CA; MAY 2019
California Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis)
Seal Cove, La Jolla, CA; MAY 2019
Wild Red-crowned Parrot (Amazona viridigenalis)
San Diego, CA; MAY 2019
Yucca Plant Seed Pods
San Diego Bay National Wildlife, Refuge, CA; MAY 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Some Birds Photographed This Summer

by Earthwatcher, posted in Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Banff National Park, Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Fujifilm Cameras, Grand Canyon, Nature Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Gray Jay (Perisoreus canadensis) AKA Whiskey Jack
Moraine Lake, Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada; MAY 2019

I’ve been traveling a lot this year. In my travels, I have seen and photographed many interesting birds. I just haven’t made the time to share them. Here are a few of them. Others will follow.

First up is the Gray Jay. It is a corvid like other jays but is smaller and has a much less raucous voice. In November 2016 the BBC reported that Canada adopted this bird, also known as the Whiskey Jack, as its national bird.

The other Jay in this collection is Woodhouse’s Jay. Those of us in the west don’t see Blue Jays; they are eastern birds. Mostly, we see the scrub jay.  At one time, the Scrub Jay was just called the Western Scrub Jay. But recently, it was split into 3 separate species: the California Scrub Jay which we see here west of the Sierra Nevada mountains; the Island Scrub Jay which is only found in the Santa Cruz Islands, and Woodhouse’s Jay which is seen between the Sierra Nevada mountains and the Rocky mountains and from Southeastern Oregon into Mexico.

I found the Horned Lark and the Black-throated Sparrow at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge. Ash Meadows is an oasis, a marshland in the Mojave Desert that is fed from springs that draw from an ancient aquifer. You’ll find it in Amargosa Valley, NV . It is a great place to visit, in the early morning.

The Yellow-headed Blackbird is a common bird in much of the western US. It thrives in marshes among the reeds and cattails.

Note: Please click on caption to see image at higher resolution.

Woodhouse’s Jay (Aphelocoma woodhouseii)
Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park; AUG 2019
Horned Lark (Eremophila alpestris)
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Amargosa Valley, NV; JUL 2019
Black-throated Sparrow (Amphispiza bilineata)
Ash Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, Amargosa Valley, NV; JUL 2019
Yellow-headed Blackbird (Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
Mather Park, Sacramento, CA; JUN 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

The California Condor

by Earthwatcher, posted in bird watching, birding, Birds, Fujifilm Cameras, Grand Canyon, Nature Photography, Uncategorized, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
Adult and Juvenile California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus);
Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park; AUG 2019

This past week, I had the opportunity to visit the Grand Canyon National Park. While there, I saw a rare site: a juvenile and adult California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus). This vulture can reach 4 ½ feet long with a wingspan of nearly 10 feet; 25% larger than the more commonly seen Turkey Vulture.

What makes this bird remarkable, beside its size, is that it was nearly driven to extinction. Many millennia ago, it ranged across the entire North American continent. By the time European settlers arrived, it was found mostly in the western part of North America.

During the 20thcentury, California Condor populations declined until extinction became extremely likely. In 1987 all remaining 22 wild birds were captured. These birds formed the breeding stock for a federally sponsored program aimed at reestablishing them in the wild. These condors were bred and their offspring released into the wild. The birds have begun breeding in the wild. Captive birds continue to be released. The population is now expanding.

The birds can sometimes be seen in places like the Grand Canyon but seeing them is still the exception rather than the rule. So, I feel blessed to have been able to see and photograph these magnificent birds.

Note: Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution.

Juvenile California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) in Flight – P1;
Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park; AUG 2019
Juvenile California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus) in Flight – P2;
Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park; AUG 2019
Juvenile California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus);
Mather Point, South Rim, Grand Canyon National Park; AUG 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us.

Phinizy Swamp Nature Park – Herons, Egrets and Alligators

by Earthwatcher, posted in Bird Photography, bird watching, birding, Birds, Fujifilm Cameras, Wildlife, Wildlife Photography
The Staredown; American Alligator and Snowy Egret;
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Augusta, GA; JUL 2019

We had the opportunity to visit the Phinizy Swamp Nature Park near Augusta, GA a few weeks ago. While there, we were treated to some bird and alligator sightings including some interesting egret – Alligator interactions.

The Phinizy Swamp Nature Park is part of a complex shared with the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences. According to their website, the Phinizy Center for Water Sciences studies rivers and watersheds to understand impacts on water quality and quantity. The history of the park is fascinating. It tells the story of a stream that was once the recipient of waste from sanitary and storm sewers of Augusta and how it was cleaned up. Today, it serves as the third stage of water treatment – further filtering water cleaned by the water treatment plant.

On our visit, we were treated to adult and juvenile Little Blue Herons, Snowy Egrets and Alligators. At one point we watched a Snowy Egret having a stare down with an alligator. After about 5 minutes, the alligator turned and left. In another incident we saw an alligator with sticks and green vegetation covering its head and snout. I was curious if alligators used camouflage when hunting. There was little information. But one article referenced an article published in the journal Ethology Ecology & Evolution by Vladimir Dinets, a behavioral ecologist at the University of Tennessee Knoxville. He stated that, during the nesting season for birds like egrets, alligators will cover themselves with nesting material to attract prey.  

Another interesting discovery was the juvenile Little Blue Heron. Mate Rouse, a guide at the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge mentioned to us that the juveniles were all white. I had buried that fact somewhere in my brain. So, on this trip, I saw some white birds that looked like egrets but didn’t look quite right. The legs were a gray-green color and the beak was more gray. So, I took photos and did some research only to discover that I wasn’t looking at egrets, I was looking at a juvenile Little Blue Heron. That moment connected the dot back to what I had been told.

I hope you enjoy the images. I hope someday you can stop at Phinizy Swamp Nature Center. There are lots of other birds there to see also.

Note: Please click on caption to see images at higher resolution.


Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea);
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Augusta, GA; JUL 2019
Juvenile Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea) – P3;
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Augusta, GA; JUL 2019
Camoflauged American Alligator (Alligator mississippiensis)
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Augusta, GA; JUL 2019
Snowy Egret (Egretta thula);
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Augusta, GA; JUL 2019
Juvenile Little Blue Heron (Egretta caerulea);
Phinizy Swamp Nature Park, Augusta, GA; JUL 2019

These and other images are available to purchase on my website: www.earthwatcher.us or by contacting larry.klink@earthwatcher.us