FEMALE AMERICAN GOLDFINCH WINTER COLORS

BEAUTIFUL NORTHERN LIGHTS

I have to put this on my page here - I loved it - saw it over at FB.

We have been gone to the central coast but we are back and I have lots of bird photos to post.  I'll be putting them up soon.

MALLARDS AND SEAGULLS

It's that time of year again here in the mountains - ....winter is approaching and we get more action during this time of the year than in spring and summer.  Our walks around the lake get a lot more interesting.  The seagulls and coots have returned and we will begin to spot different ducks than normally are seen here during the spring, summer and fall.

Just posting a few fly ins as I love to catch them in flight.

BIRDS FROM MAGNOLIA BIRD FARM

TOTALLY EXHAUSTED

One of my favorite photos from Wrightwood, Ca. (another mountain town I lived in a few years ago)

GOLD CROWN SPARROW

A year ago this month we were up in Mill Valley (near San Francisco) watching our grandkids while their parents were on a trip.  I remember waking up early one morning as I always do when I'm there and walking outside.  It was after sunrise when I took these photos.  (these might have been posted before).

I had always wanted to see a gold crowned sparrow in person and hadn't up until this trip.

PHOTOS FROM A VACATION IN JULY TO CENTRAL COAST

Which includes Pismo (where these particular photos were taken) and other little towns up to San Luis Obispo.

I always take a lot of photos of seagulls when I see them - I love watching them and also sketching them.

RANDOM SUNDAY PHOTOS OF A FEW OF THE MANY PHOTOS TAKEN LATELY

Thank you Lux for the reminder of this incredible song and your latest post.






1.  Turtle at lake.
2.  Unknown duck at lake - need to identify it still. This is a new one that I've never seen here.  What hasn't returned yet and should by now are the seagulls.  They are very late in arriving for the fall winter season.  I wonder if El Nino is to blame.  They have always arrived in September.
3.  Pigeon in yard.
4. American Coot.  They have returned in LARGE numbers.
5. Osprey in flight - 6 and 8. also
7.  First Monarch butterfly sighting.  

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A LOT OF BREWER'S BLACKBIRD PHOTOS

Blackbirds at the lake are always fun to watch.  They usually are intimidated by people so I can take a lot of photos.  I loved the lighting the day these were taken.  They were sitting on top of a wall and there were portapotties behind them which gave a pretty color as a background for their little black bodies.

I took a lot and later got quite a few of them bathing.  Of all the birds ( or lack of lately) at the lake the Brewers can always be found taking baths in shallow water near the shore.    There are similar poses but I didn't feel like weeding them out.  I put them up as a group..

I really think they are communicating about another bird that was nearby.  They seem to be deep into conversation - It appears they are a couple - female and male - female having the lighter brown feather on her head - the male being darker brown/black.

The bird on the post is a male.

HEY YOU - YEAH YOU LLAMA

Is it true you Llamas like to spit at people?

I took these photos in a place called Oak Glen home of the apple orchards.  I have seen videos of them spitting and I didn't want to get too close.  As soon as it copped an attiude I thought it was best to quickly snap the photo and then back up.