Sooty Grouse ☼ Lassen Volcanic National Park

Our very-first Sooty Grouse sighting and she was ten feet away from us on the trail up Brokeoff Mountain in Lassen Volcanic National Park!

Isn't she pretty?

She wasn't the least bit scared of us and continued to eat her manzanita berries while we stood and watching and snapped away with our cameras...

One more bird to add to the lifelist! That puts us only two away from 200...

(Read all about our hike to the top of Brokeoff Mountain on my travel blog Vaughn the Road Again.)


Let's go birding!

Moment of Zen ≈ American Avocet Edition

Today's relaxing Moment of Zen is brought to you by the elegant American Avocets at the Gray Lodge Wildlife Area in Gridley, California...

American Kestrel ☼ North America’s Littlest Falcon

I put together a video of all of my best Kestrel photos...

Autumn is coming to the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge!

What a beautiful day to take a drive through the auto tour route at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge!

There isn't much water yet, but there are still plenty of birds to be found. Ducks are already beginning to arrive and we spotted an American Bittern in one of the canals less than five feet away from the car!

I look forward to returning in a few weeks when the geese are there and filming some video of the walking trails...

Let's go birding!

Wildflower Wednesday 🏵 Places to find wildflowers in Northern California

This isn't exactly bird-related, but I've started a new website to showcase my wildflower photography and invite you to come over and say hello!

I'll be posting photos of lupine, poppies, wild sunflower and everything between on Wildflower Wednesday every Wednesday and on Instagram too.

Here's to blooming wherever you can find sunshine and not just where you're planted!

Rachelle

Moment of Zen ☼ Tricolored Blackbird Edition

This birding moment of zen is brought to you by a male Tricolored Blackbird on the Discovery Marsh Trail at the Klamath Basin Wildlife Refuge in northern California...

Let's go birding!

Lily Pond Trail ☼ Lassen Volcanic National Park

We spotted a few bird friends around Lily Pond during our hike down the trail in Lassen Volcanic National Park...

 These female mallards were feeding down under the lilies and finally emerged to take a nap in the sun...

What a nice way to spend an afternoon!

Let's go birding!