Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Lest Favorite Time of Year = Now


Bring on the autumn temperatures, hot cocoa and cozy sweaters!!!


Monday, July 24, 2017

Too HOT To Handle

Greetings from sweltering, sunny California!

Guess what. It's been much too hot to go birding :(

Hanging out of your car window in the triple digit heat, looking for birds to take photos of on the refuge auto tour, isn't as fun as it sounds. So, here are some of my backyard birds to tide you over until the outdoors become bearable again.

Anna's Hummingbird

Savannah Sparrow

Western Scrub-Jay

Eurasian Collared Dove

American Goldfinch (at the wrong feeder!)

House Sparrow

Here's hoping that summer doesn't hang on until Halloween like last year!!!
~RV

Sunday, July 23, 2017

Lassen's Manzanita Lake

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding
There's usually at least one Bald Eagle watching over Manzanita Lake at Lassen Volcanic National Park at any given time.
Here, let me zoom in a little, so you can see what I'm talking about...
I think this is a perfectly nice place for a majestic bird of prey to perch.
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding

bald eagle

Not only is the air crisp and fresh up here in the mountains, but the view of the lake is incredible.
manzanita lake



 All of these beautiful views can be seen from the lovely trail that winds around the lake...
Better get a move on! The sun's comin' up quick!


Saturday, July 22, 2017

Lassen Wildlife


Daytime moon

While birding at Lassen Volcanic National Park, you never know what kind of wildlife you're going to see!
You hear the dee-dee-dee whistled song of a Mountain Chickadee as you walk along the trail...and then you spot one in a pine tree who's willing to pose for a photo...
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding

Mountain Chickadee
 And look what else we saw scampering up a tree! A baby squirrel!
Cuteness Overload!


Friday, July 21, 2017

Flicker Clicker

We were watching a few Northern Flickers fly around at Manzanita Creek and they landed on a tree that looks like it has a nest drilled into it.
Northern Flicker

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding
And then...Click!
Sometimes you snap a photo at precisely the perfect moment. I've never seen a flicker fan its tail out like that and I just happened to get two of them doing it on camera!
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding
Sometimes you spend hours at the same spot, waiting for the right shot, never getting the right light or angle. And other times, all you have to do is start clicking away on your camera and everything falls into place.


Thursday, July 20, 2017

Local Nester

Manzanita Creek
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding
According to the Birds of Lassen Field Checklist, Spotted Sandpipers are known to nest in the area.
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding
 Luckily they have some white on them or they'd be incredibly difficult to spot.
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding
 Speaking of spots! They wear the cutest spots in summertime...
spotted sandpiper

spotted sandpiper
This is the second time we've spotted one hanging around Manzanita Creek. What a great, shady place to spend a hot summer day!
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding

spotted sandpiper

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding


Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Patience, Young Grasshopper

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot
Our adventure at Lassen Volcanic National Park continues as we take a nice walk around Manzanita Lake.
We spotted a White-headed Woodpecker and watched as it flew from tree to tree, looking for grub and trying our patience as we tried to snap photos.
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot

white-headed woodpecker
Birding is more of a challenge for me in the mountains, but it can be extremely rewarding because there are so many more different types of birds here. At the refuge we get spoiled because ducks and herons are twice as big as woodpeckers, easier to spot, and they don't mind sticking around and posing (for the most part!)
Woodpeckers are on the move and hidden by pine needles and shadows. (And I thought warblers were tough to photograph!)
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot

white-headed woodpecker

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot
Our patience paid off and we were able to get a few shots of this busy bird...
white-headed woodpecker

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot
 It's amazing we could spot anything in all that greenery!
Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot


Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Breathe in that fresh mountain air...


Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot
Manzanita Lake

Lassen Volcanic National Park California birding hotspot
Canada Goose