Birds of North America – Page 9 – Circadianreflections Blog

Anna’s Hummingbird-Female

March 14, 2016March 14, 2016Posted in Anna's Hummingbird, Bird Photography, birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz CaliforniaTagged Annas Hummingbird, Bird Photography, Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, Nature, Nikon, Photography, Santa Cruz California37 Comments

I went over to Santa Cruz on Saturday while we had a break between rain showers to photograph Allen’s, and Anna’s Hummingbirds. It was a lovely day in the Arboretum.

There were very few people there since the weather wasn’t ideal. While I was waiting for a male Allen’s Hummingbird to return to a favored perch I looked behind me and saw a lovely female Anna’s darting around the Ericaceae plants which is a succulent plant.

Here’s a series of 3 images that shows her approach to the plant, feeding, then resting on a perch.

Anna's Hummingbird Female Approaching flowers

Anna's Hummingbird Female Feeding

Anna's Hummingbird Female perched on a branch

I love the fresh Spring color palette in this series, and this pretty little Hummingbird.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Tripod w/ Wimberley SideKick| Lexar Professional Digial Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

Oh joy, oh bliss…

March 7, 2016March 7, 2016Posted in American Robin, Bird Photography, birding, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Photography, WinterTagged American Robin, American Robin Male, Berrries, Bird Photography, Birding, Birds Feeding, Birds of North America, California, San Mateo County21 Comments

They’re mine! All mine!

Mine, Mine, Mine! They're all Mine!

It was a great morning for this American Robin, and for me too. It was a lot of fun

seeing him on this branch so full of berries.

American Robin-Male San Mateo County, CA

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

Allen’s Hummingbird-Male

February 29, 2016February 29, 2016Posted in Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Hummingbirds, PhotographyTagged Allen's Hummingbirds, Bird Photography, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Boken, Hummingbirds, Nikon, Nikon 200-500mm, Photography32 Comments

A friend and I went over the hill yesterday to photograph Allen’s Hummingbirds.

“Over-the-Hill”, is how we long time locals say we’re going to Santa Cruz, CA. We have to go up and over the Santa Cruz mountains to get there. They are mountains not hills, but I learned this phrase as a girl and use it to this day. You know how that is I’m sure. 🙂

Anyway, Allen’s Hummingbirds. They’re residents of Southern California, and northwestern Mexico, and migrate into southern Mexico for winter, and in breeding season migrate north along the coastal areas. Luckily, they have found a lovely late Winter home in Santa Cruz where I’ve been able to view and photograph them for several years now.

Their colors are so different from the Anna’s Hummingbirds that I see year round.

Allen's Hummingbird Male

They’re also quite funny, and sometimes their expressions and posture make me laugh out loud. Like this move I call- On Guard!

On Guard!

It still makes me laugh!

They have the most beautiful Gorget that gleams a brilliant orange when the sun hits it just right.

Allen's Hummingbird Male

It’s always a joy to see them and spend a couple of hours in their company.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

Monochrome Madness 2 46/52 Red-tailed Hawk

February 26, 2016February 25, 2016Posted in Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Black and White Photography, Monochrome Madness2, PhotographyTagged Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Black and White Photography, Monochrome Madness2, Red-tailed Hawk7 Comments

This is my entry for Leanne Cole’s Monochrome Madness 2 this week.

Another Red-tail from a birding expedition. We seem to have more Red-tails than any other Hawk. 🙂

Monochrome Madness 2 47 of 52 Red tailed Hawk

To see all the entries this week click here.

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm| Lexar Digital Film

More to come…

Harbinger of Spring

February 19, 2016February 18, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Cedar Waxwing, Nature Photography, Photography, San Jose California Nature PhotographerTagged Birding, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, California, Cedar Waxwing, Nature, Nikon, Photography, San Mateo County, Spring Birding Migration, Wildlife, Winter Birding Migration19 Comments

This has been a fantastic birding season so far! The Vermilion Flycatcher, the Red-tailed Hawk with its prey, the elusive Loggerhead Shrike, the Bald Head Eagle I didn’t get a photo of, the pair of Ring necked Pheasants, and the sweet Hermit Thrush on my fence all were amazing, and exciting sightings, but in Winter is there anything better than a Harbinger of Spring?

I heard Cedar Waxwings were showing up, a sure sign that Spring is on the way! I’ve had Robins in the Ginko tree out in the front yard, and in back yard lately so, I’ve been looking for the Waxwings because, they usually arrive with the Robins, and last year there was a flock of Waxwings in the Ginko trees a few houses away from me. That was a first for me. You can read about that here

Last week-end my birding friend and I stayed local and found some!

Cedar Waxwings

Soon they were taking turns flying down to the bush with luscious, ripe red berries beneath this tree.

Cdear Waxwing Feast

… and one was shy,

Cedar Waxwing

I spent some time photographing the Robins that also were there to feed on the same berries, but I’ll save those images for another post.

I’m off to Yosemite National Park today to photograph something other than birds, and my son and his girl-friend are arriving early Saturday morning for the week-end. It promises to be a stellar week-end!

I’ll catch up with all your posts when I return. I hope you all have a wonderful week-end!

Nikon D700| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Professional Digital Film| PS CC 2015

More to come…

Red-tailed Hawk 2

February 16, 2016February 15, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Hawks, National Wildlife Refuge, National Wildlife Refuges in California, PhotographyTagged Birding, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Birds of Prey, Macro photography, Photography, Red-tailed Hawk, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge16 Comments

This Red-tail is from a couple of weeks back. My friend and I were birding in San Luis National Wildlife Refuge and nearing the end of one of the auto-routes when we spotted it high in the tree. I was driving and didn’t think I’d get a decent photograph of it because it was on the passenger side of the car/road, and climbing over the console and gear box wasn’t something I wanted to do.

Red-tail Hawk

We had the route nearly to ourselves so I thought I’d pull the car caddy-whompus across the road and shoot leaning into the passenger seat. I was able to get several images of it before another car came up and I had to move.

It is striking isn’t it with its white cap and that gaze?

Nikon D300s| Nikkor 200-500mm VR| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2015

Loggerhead Shrike

February 15, 2016February 15, 2016Posted in Bird Photography, Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, National Wildlife Refuges in California, PhotographyTagged Birds, Birds in the Wild, Birds of North America, Loggerhead Shrike, Photography, San Luis National Wildlife Refuge21 Comments

I have only seen this bird a handful of times, and managed to get an image even less.

This Loggerhead Shrike was on the fence bordering the Tule Elk Paddock as you enter the Refuge. This one was pretty accommodating and let me take its photo for a couple of minutes.

Loggerhead Shrike

Coming around to the end of the auto-route in the Refuge was this Loggerhead Shrike perched on a dried plant in the Tule Elk paddock. It was pretty far away and behind a wire fence. This is cropped in a bit. I wondered if it wasn’t the same Shrike I’d seen when I first entered the Refuge? I’ll never know but am thrilled to have seen it!

Loggerhead Shrike

This was an exciting start to my day of birding.

Nikon D300s| Nikon 200-500mm VR| Lexar Digital Film| PS CC 2016

More to come…

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