Welcome to my blog.
I document my adventures in travel and birding. My thoughts and experiences are illustrated with captivating photography. My photos are the characters of my stories.
Hope you enjoy your visit!
All in Birding
Witness the life cycle event of a Canada goose choosing a nest site, incubating eggs, and leading the goslings to water for their first forays into the natural world. Article illustrated with photo, video, and audio.
Birds have spats in the air and on the ground, but do they wrestle? Male great-tailed grackles wrestle for dominance, as demonstrated by photos in this blog post. Their tails can be shaped like a boat keel, a V, or spread open like a fan.
Unlike the Cooper’s hawk, whose hunting style is stealth and speed within the confines of the tree canopy, the larger, muscular-looking red-tailed hawk prefers to hunt in the open, un-hidden. If you’ve ever taken a drive out of the city into the countryside, you may have seen this bird of prey standing watch on a utility pole.
Imagine wild turkeys parading down the street as they go through their annual ritual of strutting, tails spread wide open, and gobbling up a storm to attract a mate. This post includes stunning photos illustrating all this fascinating behavior.
A personal story of discovery and observation of pied-billed grebes as they demonstrate their skill at fishing, and their unique adaptation to life on the water, illustrated with photos that portray the beauty of this bird.
Juvenile and adult black-crowned night herons are radically different in appearance. In this photo illustrated article, you will learn to how see the difference.
The Cooper’s hawk is a deadly bird of prey. Stealth, surprise, and speed are hallmarks of the Cooper’s hawk hunting skill. Learn more about this fascinating, bird-eating raptor as you read the writer's personal observations of Cooper's hawks along the San Joaquin River and in the oak woodlands of California.
Bluebirds have long been celebrated, through oral tradition, literature, and song, as a symbol of the sun, renewal, prosperity, and happiness. In this post, vibrant pixels tell the bluebird story. Read about the three species of bluebirds -Eastern, Mountain, and Western - and soak up the beautiful photos of this lovely avian friend. You are bound to finish your read with a smile.
The name “phainopepla” derives from the Greek meaning “shining robe.” And shiny he is, the male of the species, with glossy black feathers and translucent white wing. Its call mimicry of various birds lead researchers to discover that phainopepla reside, breed, and migrate between deserts and oak-sycamore woodlands. Story accompanied by photo illustrations.
The tiny, gray-brown oak titmouse is as plain and drab as a bird can be. Were it not for its distinctive crest, one might easily dismiss this species as unremarkable. Looks can be deceiving, though. The oak titmouse is lion-hearted when defending its territory. Story with photo illustrations.
Acorn Woodpeckers are the voice of the oak woodland foothills of the Sierra where I live. You can’t miss hearing their calls throughout the day. In spite of the name, acorn woodpeckers feed primarily on insects. During winter months, when insects are less prevalent, they rely upon communal acorn granaries, thousands of holes drilled into utility poles. Photo illustrations.
On one of my morning bird walks, I witnessed a home invasion. It seems that a pair of Violet-Green Swallows had selected a cozy oak tree cavity for their nest. They went in and out, but so did an Acorn Woodpecker, a starling, and a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches. Since I’d frequently seen these swallows in the same tree the year before, I assumed that the tree cavity was theirs. Not so fast..
What’s not to love about California quail, the state bird of California? From early morning until dusk, I hear their distinct vocalization resounding throughout the valley where I live: chi-Ca-go, chi-Ca-go. This call seems to say: “I’m here. Where are you? Let’s keep together.” This sound is essential for survival of the group. Learn more about these family loving, social birds here.
