Wild Turkey Hen - Smoke Gray Morph

Wild Turkey Hen - Smoke Gray Morph

Robert Groos
Birding

An uncommon Wild Turkey feather morphology is the smoke gray phase. An individual hen of this type forages regularly in my neighborhood in the oak woodlands of Central California, affording me the opportunity of close observation. She has a particular liking for black oil sunflower seeds which I toss on the ground for the wild birds that visit. This year, she brought a whole brood of twelve, newly hatched poults to my property to forage. This post is her story, illustrated with still and video photography.

The Duck Days of Summer

The Duck Days of Summer

Robert Groos
Birding

Have you ever been mobbed by a boisterous, double dozen of daffy ducks, and a gaggle of geese to boot? It happened to me one morning this past July while I was walking around a lake in the oak woodland foothills near Yosemite National Park. The experience, I can testify, was a bellyful of quacks, as I explain in this lighthearted elegy to a family of hybrid Mallard and American White Ducks. The post is illustrated by a collection of still and video photography showing a duckling breaking out of its shell with its egg tooth, foraging the mudflats, and the unusual feather colors produced by hybridization.

The Goslings of Bird Poop Rock

The Goslings of Bird Poop Rock

Robert Groos
Birding

Every Spring, Canada Geese nest around Blue Heron Lake in the oak woodland foothills near Yosemite National Park. Of the nine nests I observed this year, four were destroyed by predation during the night. One nest, containing five eggs, and situated upon a granite boulder submerged in the lake, seemed destined for success because of its immunity from terrestrial predators. From the beginnings of the nest to the hatching of an egg, in this article, illustrated with photos and video, you will experience the dramatic details of what I observed over approximately five weeks.

Spring is for the birds

Spring is for the birds

Robert Groos
Birding

Spring is a time of heightened avian activity across the globe. In the oak woodland foothills of the Sierras near Yosemite National Park, bird migration and nesting activity is at its peak. Wild Turkey toms are strutting from dawn to dusk in hopes of attracting females for copulation. Sometimes competition between males becomes violent. See it all in still and video photography in this post.

Birds going nuts over berries

Birds going nuts over berries

Robert Groos
Birding

What bird species eat berries? It depends upon the time of year; many feast on them when other sources of food are not available. In this post you will read about thirteen species going nuts over eating pyracantha berries. Some species may surprise you. Beautiful photo illustrations accompany this article.

Great-tailed Grackles

Great-tailed Grackles

Robert Groos
Birding

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.

A morning hunt with a Red-tailed Hawk

A morning hunt with a Red-tailed Hawk

Robert Groos
Birding

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.

Wild Turkeys on parade

Wild Turkeys on parade

Robert Groos
Birding

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.

Pied-billed Grebe

Pied-billed Grebe

Robert Groos
Birding

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.

Cooper's Hawk - a beautiful but deadly hunter

Cooper's Hawk - a beautiful but deadly hunter

Robert Groos
Birding

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.

Bluebird

Bluebird

Robert Groos
Birding

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 secret world of the Phainopepla

The secret world of the Phainopepla

Robert Groos
Birding

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 Oak Titmouse: looks can be deceiving

The Oak Titmouse: looks can be deceiving

Robert Groos
Birding

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.

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