News Sets

(41 objects, created 2/21/2012)

Album: This is a private album that is not visible to anonymous users News Sets

Summary: The images in this album are intended to support the story lines in the "News" page. Primarily these are accounts of trips taken or stories told. Some of the images presented in this gallery are purely for fun.

Date:

Album: 2013-06-15 Milk Ranch Road

(18) The day started off with a bang ... a tap ... a rattle ... a thump! No sooner had I parked when I heard the rather uneven staccato of the Red-Breasted Sapsucker drumming on a metal sign.

Album: 2013-06-13 Tijuana River Valley

(16) On this day I set out to capture the Black-Throated Magpie Jay, and somewhat succeeded. Its a very impressive bird of about 30" in length, half of which is the tail. Its not hard to find at the Bird & Butterfly Garden. From there I traveled to Border Field and the Tijuana River Mouth, where I caught up with Matt, Lea and Billy counting Snowy Plover chicks. I finished up my run at the Dairymart Ponds, where my favorite encounter was with a Green Heron juvenile who's approach while hunting, exceeded my close focus (~10').

Album: 2013-06-08 Whale Watch

(2) As a birthday present for a favorite soul, we went in search of large cetacean mammals. No baleen type whales were found on this trip, so we got a voucher to go again. Still it was a great break to get out on the water on this brisk morning.

Album: 2013-06-06 Clark Dry Lake

(18) On this day I decided to chase once again, one of my nemesis birds, the Le Conte's Thrasher. And on this day, my luck would be better. The weather, I suppose, could have been harsher, but at 7am it was 90°F, by the time I headed up the grade to leave the valley at 10:30am, it was 105°F. The birds seen in the valley this day were Le Conte's Thrasher, Black-Tailed Gnatcatcher, Black-Throated Sparrow, Cactus Wren, Black-Headed Grosbeak (Clark Lake Tamarisk Grove), Loggerhead Shrike, Verdin and Phainopepla.

Album: 2013-06-02 Santa Ysabel Reserves

(8) It gets hot early this time of year in the San Diego back country. On this morning I decided to explore the Santa Ysabel grasslands. The birds I encountered were all the 'usual suspects': Bullock's Oriole, House Wren, Acorn Woodpecker, Western Scrub-Jay, Lark Sparrow, Lazuli Bunting, Oak Titmouse, Western Wood Pewee, Spotted Towhee, Wild Turkey, Ash-Throated Flycatcher, Western Bluebird, California Quail, Mourning Dove, Crow, Raven, Red-Tailed Hawk, Turkey Vulture, and White-Breasted Nuthatch. A bit of a surprise for me were Steller's Jays at both the East and the West sections. The most rewarding was watching a Western Bluebirds couple feeding their nestlings.

Album: 2013-05-29 Palomar Mountain

(12) I went looking for Willow Flycatchers and Purple Martins on this day. The Willow Flycatchers seemed not to have made it to these locals on this visit, but I spent some enjoyable time with some of the other residents. At Doane Pond, I did get treated to a spectacular jousting flight of the martins, but no images. I captured images of some of the pond's more cooperative residents and those nearby on my way out on Nate Harrison Grade.

Album: 2013-05-25 Peregrine Falcons

(10) This family (mom, pop, 2 sisters and one brother) have learned to fly, but not yet to hunt. They have been feasting on Eurasian Collared Doves and feral pigeons.

Album: 2013-05-21 Mountain Birds

(27) I traveled through Julian and then south on the Sunrise Highway on a mission to visit Agua Dulce Creek. Two months ago, a friend had shown me this location as a hot spot for warbler migration. On this day I saw ONE solitary warbler (Wilson's), but there were plenty of other nice birds to entertain me. A stop at the visitor's center near the Laguna Store yielded some Purple Finches and other locals. At the pump house, my favorite birds were some very vocal Olive-Sided Flycatchers.

Album: 2013-05-17 Ramona Grasslands

(16) This was a nice overcast day ... pretty well suited to bike riding AND bird photography. It also turned out to be a good time to watch Lark Sparrows fall in love! To view precise locations, use the GPS links in the Metadata window.

Album: 2013-05-15&18 Tijuana River Vall...

(12) I traveled twice this week to the Tijuana River Valley once on Wednesday and again on Saturday. For both trips, I launched my bike from the Bird & Butterfly Garden and headed out to explore the trails. To view precise locations, use the GPS links in the Metadata window.

Album: 2013-05-11 Tijuana River Mouth

(9) I took a trip this day to Border Field at the extreme SW corner of the USA. On my way I stopped at J-Street in Chula Vista and found very actively foraging Gull-Billed Terns in mud flats exposed at low tide. From there I proceeded to the Border Field parking and took my bike to the beach. There was not a lot of shorebird activity, but I enjoyed the Sanderlings in alternate (breeding) plumage. There were *LOTS* of Least Terns on the beach. I hope the nesting goes well this year.

Album: 2013-05-10 Iron Mountain Blues

(7) I took my bike and camera gear on the Iron Mountain Trail, about 7 miles from my home. While hiking there recently, I knew Blue Grosbeaks were paired up there, and yesterday afternoon I found several male Lazuli Buntings singing. I had no camera at the time, so this morning I decided to hunt them down. The lighting this morning was not as favorable as yesterday afternoon's overcast, but what can I say? It is what it is.

Album: 2013-05-08 Water Dancers at Lake...

(16) Lake Hodges is located in the Western part of San Diego County, about mid-way North to South. It is always a good location to find Western and Clark's Grebes. The pair bonding behavior of these birds includes a graceful run over open water and is quite a site to witness. I rode my bike over about 4.5 miles of trails and found a small variety of nice birds. Blue Grosbeaks were paired up almost every where I looked.

Album: 2013-05-05 Another Zoo Safari

(22;46) Last year a friend offered a free pass to the zoo. I opted to take a trip to the "Zoo Safari" (formerly known as the "Wild Animal Park"). When I saw how 'up-close-and-personal' one could get to the nesting Cattle Egrets, Snowy Egrets and White-Faced Ibis, I decided to get a membership for myself. Other than these birds, there are always other interesting 'freeloaders' at the park, many of them breeding too. When ever I visit, I can't seem to resist shooting the captives there too ...

Album: 2013-05-03 Tijuana River Valley

(22) On this day I traveled south near the border to hunt yet another location for American Goldfinches. I had better luck this time. I parked at the "Bird and Butterfly Gardens" and rode my bike to the Dairymart Ponds. Before leaving the B&BG, I met an unfortunate Rough-winged Swallow that had a growth on its beak and face. I met numerous Yellow-breasted Chats and Bells Vireos on the ride over to the ponds, but it was *AT* the ponds that I met up with the American Goldfinches and other residents and visitors.

Album: 2013-05-01 Santa Margarita River...

(12) I took my bike to Fallbrook to search for American Goldfinches. Though I struck out on this goal, the birds I encountered satisfied me substantially. Aside from the birds pictured here, I saw Bells Vireos, Brown-Headed Cowbirds (breeding), Yellow-Breasted Chats, Song Sparrows, Spotted Towhees, Yellow & Orange-Crowned Warblers, Hooded Oriole, Black-Headed Grosbeaks, Acorn Woodpeckers, House & Bewick's Wrens, Black Phoebe, Cliff Swallows and Ravens. There were two birds that surprised me. One was the Western Wood-Pewee who made its presence known by 'singing'. I would have thought the elevation (~320 feet) would have been too low for this bird, yet here he was! The other bird of interest is the "Nuttall's Woodpecker" pictured. I've never seen one with a brown back. It seems pretty unlikely that a hybrid Arizona/Nuttall's Woodpecker would be the explanation. Or is this a female with worn back feathers from nesting cavity wear? Hmmm.

Album: 2013-04-29 San Pasqual, Mule Hil...

(11) I rode my bike out on an exploratory trip on the Mule Hill Trail in San Pasqual. Aside from the birds pictured here were Brown-Headed Cowbirds, Blue Grosbeaks, Black-Headed Grosbeaks, Common Yellow-Throats, Yellow Warblers, Orange-Crowned Warblers, Song Sparrows, Horned Larks, Cactus Wrens. I believe I heard a Dusky Flycatcher. There were LOTS of Chats and Least Bells Vireos.

Album: 2013-04-27 Borrego Springs to Ju...

(13) I went looking yet again to Rockhouse Canyon in an attempt to get images of the Le Conte's Thrasher. I got one fleeting glimpse of a bird as it dashed under a mesquite thicket. Aside from the birds pictured here, I saw a Townsend's Warbler, a female Bullock's Oriole and a few birds too quick or too shy for me to ID. On my way out I drove through the canyon below Scissors Crossing where I got a pair of White-Winged Doves and an Ash-Throated Flycatcher. I bypassed the town of Julian by taking Wynola Road and my eye caught a sitting Canada Goose. I looks like breeding to me.

Album: 2013-04-24 Border Field

(7) I took my bike and camera down to Border Field and rode up the the mouth of the Tijuana River. I'd heard that a Long-Taild Duck might be there. No luck with the duck, but I enjoyed a nice outing anyway. Afterwords I drove to The Bird and Butterfly Garden and inspected the avifauna there.

Album: 2013-04-21 Zoo Safari

(27) I went to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park to see how the nesting Cattle Egrets and White-Faced Ibis' were doing. I saw no babies, but many nests had eggs. I also tromped through other sections of the park to see what I could capture. I gathered shots of both natives and captives that caught my eye.

Album: 2013-04-13 Ramona Grasslands

(5) On this day I traveled to the Ramona Grasslands Preserve in hopes of getting Mountain Bluebird shots. I took my bike on a 5 mile run over a trail that included some grassland and chaparral. The Bluebirds eluded me and the only birds that 'presented' in decent light were these.

Album: 2013-04-04 Spring Along The Tiju...

(21) I traveled down to the border on this day on the off chance I'd bump into the Wilson's Plover that was reported last week. I failed, but it was fun to see the local winter shorebirds getting their plumage ready for spring.

Album: 2013-04-04 Mud Doubing Swallows

(10) After I got done tramping around Border Field, I headed to Imperial Beach to see what I might find at the mudflats at the north end of 7th Street. I found amorous Cliff Swallows gathering mud for their nests.

Album: 2013-03-30 Thrasher Hunting Agai...

(3) A friend offered to take me to a location where he was SURE that I'd be able to meet the Le Conte's Thrasher. With a 3:45am departure, I headed to the meeting with high hopes. When we all arrived at the west edge Clark Dry Lake we could hear singing birds and we sustained those high hopes. However, after several hours of looking, we failed land our eyes on the subject birds. At our approach, the birds wend silent, only to rise again after we moved away. After finding this pattern held true for several different birds, I came to suspect the birds may have been on eggs or young and did not wish to be seen. Yet it was a good day amongst friends on a beautiful day in the desert.

Album: 2013-03-29 Poway Yardbird

(3) Springtime brings out the singers. My yard is no exception. I tried in the late afternoon to capture some of them. There were warblers (Yellow-rumped, Orange-crowned and a Wilson's), Hutton's Vireo, finches and this very energetic Oak Titmouse.

Album: 2013-03-28 Sunrise Highway

(4) I'd been hearing about interesting bird locations in the Laguna Mountains for years, so when a friend offered to show some of them to me, I jumped at the opportunity. It was an exploratory trip, more that a photo safari, but I did manage to get a few shots in.

Album: 2013-03-26 Thrasher Hunt

(10) I traveled out to the southern Anza-Borrego State Park in hopes of finding Le Conte's Thrashers, a bird that has eluded me for years. I failed to meet that goal, but had a very nice day in spite of this disappointment.

Album: 2013-03-24 Surfbirds

(25) It was reported that Surfbirds were seen at the Mission Bay Jetty in Mission Beach. I wanted to try for some images and was rewarded for the trip.

Album: 2013-03-23 Around Poway

(6) I started out at Lake Poway to see if the Bullock's Orioles had yet arrived ...YES! There were perhaps 8-10 birds, all males chasing each other around. I then visited a friend's house in High Valley, which was equally busy with Hooded Orioles, again all males.

Album: 2013-03-21 South San Diego Count...

(15) I wanted to get a few more shots of the quite cooperative Prairie Warbler that's been seen this winter at Lower Otay. It lived upto my hopes and showed itself to be rather a showman. From there I opted to checkout the bike path in Imperial Beach to see what I might bump into.

Album: 2013-03-15 South San Diego Count...

(10) I wanted to make up for lost time and get in as much photography as I could. The middle of February and the beginning of March were lost to me due to a pretty nasty flu that I contracted. I spent this morning in Chula Vista, beginning at South Bay and then onto Lower Otay Lake, where some out of place eastern warblers had been reported. It was my good luck to bump into a birding friend who knew right where to look. The Prairie Warbler was front and center, but the Bat-breasted Warbler would not cooperate.

Album: 2013-03-14 Margaret Fleming's Nu...

(5) Margaret Fleming Nature Trail was named for the wife of Guy Fleming, Torrey Pines’ first park custodian, hired by Ellen Browning Scripps in 1921. The Red-breasted Nuthatches were my favorite encounter on this day.

Album: 2013-03-09 RoadRunner

(16) Greater Roadrunners were nesting at a friend's house and I took some time to meet them. We left the nest alone, though I did peek briefly at the fairly advanced babies.

Album: 2013-02-15 - Orchids in Balboa P...

On this day there was intentionally no directives other than to enjoy a pretty nice day in the park.

Album: 2013-01-31 - Imperial Beach

On this day I decided that an 'outing' was overdue. I was hoping to capture a Cactus Wren or the reported Curlew Sandpiper. I struck out on both, but it was a good day anyway, as just being out was enough of a reward on its own merits.

Album: 2013-01-22 Chula Vista Bay Front

On this day I managed to work into my work schedule, an all too brief photo session in Chula Vista.

Album: 2013-01-20 Zoo Safari

Before my membership expires, I thought it a good idea to visit the Wild Animal Park (Zoo Safari) and see if the Cattle Egret, Black-crowned Night Herons, or the White-faced Ibis were nesting yet (they weren't). So we decided to visit the captive critters. I did manage to find some native ducks freeloading at the upper ponds.

Album: Santa Rosa Story

Images gathered from the mountain (see "News" for narrative).

Album: Alaska Story Pics

Alaska Story Pics

Album: 2012

2012

Album: 2011

2011
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