Happy Halloween!

Sandhill Cranes - Part 3

Seeing the Sandhill Cranes gathered at Llano Seco was one of the highlights of my Big Year!

Sandhill Cranes - Part 2

As promised, here are a few more photos from our trip to see the Sandhill Cranes at the Llano Seco Wildlife Management Area...

  I told you it was windy! Look how ruffled their feathers are!

More pics from our trip to still to come...

Sandhill Cranes - Part 1

My hubby is the best birding partner I could ask for! Ever since I heard about Sandhill Cranes flocking to the Llano Seco Unit during their migration, I couldn't wait to see them with my very own eyes. Well, thanks to my hubby, I finally got to see them! It was his idea to drive over to the Wildlife Management Area to see if there was finally some water there.

When we arrived, it looked like they had just started filling it up and there was just enough water to attract exactly what I was looking for. At first glance, I thought there was a group of ostriches or emus in the field! Turns out, they were Sandhill Cranes and they were HUGE! Much bigger than I thought they would be.

It was really windy and the cranes were a little far away for my camera to shoot clearly, but I managed to get a few decent photos.

I've never seen a Sandhill Crane before and was delighted to finally add them to my Big Year list. They make the coolest sound!

 More photos coming tomorrow...

Black Phoebe

We spotted this black phoebe at the Llano Seco Unit of the North Central Valley Wildlife Management Area...

I love these cute little birds because I can identify them so easily!

I've Been Working on the Railroad

I spotted this brave Killdeer on the railroad tracks in front of the Sacramento NWR...

Bunches of Birds

Whether they are alone or in a group, Great Egrets are stunning to look at...

(Colusa National Wildlife Refuge)

Creepin'

This blue heron must have seen something he liked in this flock of greater white-fronted geese...

(Colusa National Wildlife Refuge)

Winter Coat

Every time I go birding I learn something new about birds! At Colusa NWR we kept seeing these ducks with yellow eyes and wide bills. They looked like Shovelers to me, but I thought they might be something different because I'd never seen a (male) Shoveler without a green head and bold rufous and white coloring.

Sure enough, after doing some research, it turns out that they are Northern Shovelers! The males remain in a drab, female-like eclipse until early winter...

And 1st-winter males often show a whitish crescent on their face...

Good to know!

Are We There Yet?

Sometimes you don't have to go all the way to the SNWR to spot wildlife. These beauties were hanging out on the frontage road that runs parallel to I-5 on the way to the refuge.

Snowy Egrets

Great Blue Heron

 

 

White-faced Ibis

I "heart" you, too, Ibises!

Letting it all hang out

I love how easy Egrets are to spot!

 Their all-white feathers are such a stark contrast to their green surroundings, making them easy to identify...

 

Beautiful!