I went to Northern California at the end of 2008. The trip was primarily to look at gulls, but I did take some images of other birds. This post shows a somewhat random selection of my better images, although I have tried to choose ones that are interesting from a European perspective.
Roosting Marbled Godwits
Wing-stretching Western Willet
Black Turnstone
Surfbird
Black Oystercatcher
Another Black Turnstone. The light was good so I could not resist taking lots of pics of this species.
Wing stretching Surfbird
Surfbird
Marbled Godwit. They can sometimes look rather dull; but they come alive in flight.
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Black Brant
Willet. I tried for ages to get some flight photos of this species, but this was the best I could manage. Not great, but at least it shows the wing pattern.
Otters. This pair had taken up residence on a lake in a public park in Petaluma. Unfortunately they rather spooked the gulls, so although I got some nice otter pictures, the gulls were not so cooperative.
Least Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Hudsonian Whimbrel.
Another Least Sandpiper
Turkey Vulture. For me, odd to see one sitting on a beach.
Snowy Plover. I seem to remember reading something recently (from work published in
The Auk perhaps?) that this is best regarded as a separate species to our Kentish Plover. Of course this has been suspected for some time, but scientific confirmation will, I'm sure, lead to a more rigorous search for identification criteria.
Willet; my attempt at an artistic portrait.
Pacific Divers group fishing
Brown Pelican
Ross's Goose.
Scrub Jay; a common bird, but in this light and pose a rather nice sight.
Hudsonian Whimbrel.
Hudsonian Whimbrel showing off its rump
Hudsonian Whimbrel; this time showing its underwing.
White-crowned Sparrow
Marsh Hawk
Wing-stretching Western Willet
Surfbird
Black Oystercatcher
Another Black Turnstone. The light was good so I could not resist taking lots of pics of this species.
Wing stretching Surfbird
Surfbird
Marbled Godwit. They can sometimes look rather dull; but they come alive in flight.
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Hudsonian Whimbrel
Black Brant
Willet. I tried for ages to get some flight photos of this species, but this was the best I could manage. Not great, but at least it shows the wing pattern.
Otters. This pair had taken up residence on a lake in a public park in Petaluma. Unfortunately they rather spooked the gulls, so although I got some nice otter pictures, the gulls were not so cooperative.
Least Sandpiper
Least Sandpiper
Hudsonian Whimbrel.
Another Least Sandpiper
Turkey Vulture. For me, odd to see one sitting on a beach.
Snowy Plover. I seem to remember reading something recently (from work published in The Auk perhaps?) that this is best regarded as a separate species to our Kentish Plover. Of course this has been suspected for some time, but scientific confirmation will, I'm sure, lead to a more rigorous search for identification criteria.
Willet; my attempt at an artistic portrait.
Pacific Divers group fishing
Brown Pelican
Scrub Jay; a common bird, but in this light and pose a rather nice sight.
Hudsonian Whimbrel.
Hudsonian Whimbrel showing off its rump
Hudsonian Whimbrel; this time showing its underwing.
White-crowned Sparrow
Marsh Hawk
2 comments:
Wow! You saw some incredible birds while in CA and got some wonderful pictures. Shore birds are one of my favorite birds to photograph. Love the first picture of your in particular as it is so different.
Thanks Kim for your kind comments on my pictures. Yes, shore birds are great; from the photographic perspective, especially because they can be easy to approach and often strike nice poses.
Chris
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