The Black Phoebe

Let's celebrate the beauty of the Black Phoebe...

Happy birding!

 

Snowy Egret Fun Facts

Let's celebrate the beauty of the

Snowy Egret...

Snowy Egrets are native to North, Central, and South America.

We see them year-round in the Sacramento Valley.

They are social birds and often forage in groups.

During the breeding season, adult Snowy Egrets develop long, wispy feathers on their backs, necks, and heads.

In the late 1800s, populations were decimated due to the popularity of their plumes in fashion. Thanks to the work of concerned citizens in the 20th century, reforms were passed and protections were put in place. Populations have since recovered.

They eat mostly aquatic animals, including fish, worms, crayfish, frogs, insects, and crustaceans.

While feeding, they stir up prey with their feet.

Sometimes they stay perfectly still and wait for prey to swim by.

Snowy Egrets can be found in wetlands and tidal marshes, as well as ponds and mud flats.

And sometimes showing off their acrobatic talents on rural backroads...

They nest in colonies, called rookeries, often with other herons and egrets.

Snowy egrets are monogamous, meaning both males and females have only one partner.

They can live up to 17 years. The oldest recorded one lived to be 22 years and 10 months old.

I am grateful for all of the beautiful Snowy Egrets that have posed for my camera lens...

Do you have Snowy Egrets in your area?

 

5 More Birding Tips for Beginners

Last month, I offered some birding tips to keep in mind while you start the wonderful adventure that is birding. Because this hobby is the ultimate learning experience, I thought of a few more bits of advice that might help...

Let's go birding!

 

Let's hear it!

Where is your favorite place to go birding?

Take the poll HERE!

 

Snowy Egrets of the Sacramento Valley

Today on my YouTube channel, I'm celebrating the elegant beauty of the Snowy Egret...

 

Let's go birding!

 

Happy 4th of July!

Warming up for tonight's celebration...

Shoutout to my hubby for providing the hilarious audio for this bald eagle

we spotted at the Battle Creek Wildlife Area!

Let's go birding!

 

Backyard Anna's Hummingbird

This isn't the greatest footage I've ever taken (it was shot through a tinted window), but I just had to share this little sweetheart who visited us while our succulents were in bloom...

Let's go birding!

 

American Bittern Sighting

American Bittern sighting on the auto tour

at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge in Northern California...

Let's go birding!

 

Great Horned Owlet

That time an owl winked at me...

Let's go birding!

 

National Park Birding

Come along as we walk around picturesque Manzanita Lake in beautiful Lassen Volcanic National Park and look for birds...

To find out more about this scenic Northern California national park,

please visit my travel website Vaughn the Road Again.

Let's go birding!

 

Grebes x 4

So grateful to have gotten to see 4 different types of Grebes at our local wildlife refuges over the years!

Let's go birding!

 

Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge auto tour

Besides the gorgeous scenery, we spotted dozens of bald eagles, a blue heron rookery, and lots of hawks on the auto tour of the Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in northern California near the Oregon border.

Let's go birding!

 

5 Birding Tips for Beginners Video

Today I'm sharing 5 Birding Tips for Beginners, along with my thoughts on how to enjoy birding even more than you already do.

Let me know in the comments if you found these tips helpful!

 

Let's go birding!

 

Spotted Sandpiper Sighting

Spotted Sandpiper

Manzanita Lake

Lassen Volcanic National Park

I didn't realize there were three of them until hubby pointed them all out.

You can see the third one flying off in a blur in the photo below...

Let's go birding!

 

Wildflower Romp

Black-necked Stilts enjoying the beautiful wildflowers at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge in Northern California...

Let's go birding!