black-bellied whistling duck

8/13/2010 - near fortesque mo

Baby Cardinal at the feeder 9-22-09

This was pretty exciting. Last year was the first year we had cardinal 'couples' in the yard. This summer we were rewarded with our first youngling! Mommy and Daddy cardinal were both busy feeding themselves and the baby (although I must say mommy was much more concerned about feeding baby). Here are just a few pics taken in the twilight.

Weston Bend and Lewis and Clark SP

Lifer today

1. Wood Duck (no picture)

Bird trip today from 8-2 to Weston Bend SP and Lewis and Clark SP. Not a huge amount of activity. Best picture of the day was this juvenile Little Blue Heron, not in full blue plumage yet.

Late pics from Platte Falls CA on 8-22-09

Lifers today:

• Cliff Swallow

On a hot buggy day last month I drove up to Platte Falls CA in search of a wood duck. I did not find one. Hightlights of the day, hearing two Yellow-billed Cuckoos calling to each other, and hundreds of barn and cliff swallows eating bugs like crazy.

Barn Swallow

Cliff Swallow

Eastern Kingbird

Eastern Phoebe

Indigo Bunting

Yellow-billed Cuckoo

Eagle Bluffs 9-17-09

I met up with a nice group of birders in Columbia to find out more about Eagle Bluffs. Not a lot of activity but we did see some fun things. I 'sort of' saw the Marsh Wren flitting around, but not enough for me to really count it as a lifer. Also we heard a Sora calling which was very fun. Lots of egrets and herons, blackbirds. The corn and grasses are too high right now for good looks at many birds.

Lifer today:

• White-eyed Vireo

House Finch Deformed Bill (crossed)

Pictures taken today September 7, in the backyard. Liberty MO Clay County.

San Francisco area July 2009

On family vacation. Not too much birding time, but I took advantage of as many opportunities as possible.



Lifers this week:

• Black Phoebe
• Brandt's Cormorant
• Brewer's Blackbird
• Chestnut-backed Chickadee
• Common Murre
• Heerman's Gull
• Either Rufous Hummingbird or Allen's Hummingbird (female)
• Western Gull
• Wilson's Warbler
• Winter Wren

Black Phoebe Brandt's Cormorant

Brewer's Blackbird

Brewer's Blackbird

Brown Creeper

Brown Pelican

Caspian Tern

Chestnut-backed Chickadee

Common Murre

Common Murre

Common Murre

Common Raven

Double-crested Cormorant

Hairy Woodpecker

Red-tailed Hawk Heerman's Gull

Hummer (Allen's or Rufous female)

Hummer (Allen's or Rufous female)

Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco

Dark-eyed (Oregon) Junco

Red-winged Blackbird

Rock Pigeon

Willet

Stellar's Jay

Western Grebe and Brown Pelican

Western Gull, with breakfast

Wilson's Warbler Wilson's Warbler

UNKNOWN - Golden Gate Park

Song Sparrow or Fox Sparrow?

UNKNOWN - Golden Gate Park
Song Sparrow or Fox Sparrow? Winter Wren- Muir Woods