10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 18, 2013

These Pygmy Nuthatches were seen in June nesting in a pine tree at Lassen Volcanic National Park in Northern California. They are one of the few cooperatively breeding passerines in North America and a third of the breeding pairs have 1–3 male helpers, usually progeny or other relatives. Click on photos for full sized images.

North America 167

North America America Collecting California 167

10,000 Birds

JUNE 18, 2013

When you think of southern California in June there are a variety of things that could come to mind. My arrival in southern California didn’t happen until 14 June but the bird had stuck around and was reported daily on the local birding listservs. Not bad for southern California in June!

Los Angeles 165

Los Angeles San Diego Alaska North America 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 9, 2016

I live at 1600 foot (488 meter) elevation in Oak Savannah/ Gray Pine habitat in Northern California. According to the range maps this bird is a breeding resident of the West in montane conifer or mixed-species forest dominated by pines and oaks at 1,600–2,700 meter elevation 1. References: 1 Birds of North America Online.

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California North America America Breeding 100

10,000 Birds

JULY 6, 2011

We are fortunate in Northern California to have four lakes that support 76% of the total number of nesting grebes in California 1. Eagle Lake, Lake Almanor and Clear Lake have all been identified as Audubon California Important Bird Areas (IBA), meaning that they provide essential habitat for breeding, wintering, and migrating birds.

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California Eagles North America Breeding 251

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 6, 2013

They migrate down from alpine and arctic tundra to lower latitudes in the non-breeding season (click on photos for full sized images). I shot this video this last Thanksgiving weekend from the Sacramento NWR on my way back from visiting the family. They walk briskly while foraging and are known to bob their tails.

Sacramento 179

Sacramento Wildlife California Sparrows 179

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 12, 2012

Like many warblers the Nashville Warbler breeds in North America and winters in Mexico. I feel rather fortunate having this visitor to my yard as Birds of North America Online states that they are an “uncommon fall migrant in California” usually in August and September. link] Enjoy it while you can!

Nashville 212

Nashville North America Jordan Mississippi 212

10,000 Birds

JULY 13, 2017

According to their website , Lassen Volcanic National Park provides habitat for approximately 216 species of birds in which 96 have been known to actually breed in the park. and a short video of the nestlings begging for food and being fed. and a short video of the adults feeding the nestling and drumming.

Woodpeckers 106

Woodpeckers Sacramento Raised Squirrels 106

10,000 Birds

NOVEMBER 23, 2011

One obvious reason is that most have plumage variations between their breeding plumage and non-breeding plumage. If you live north of the San Francisco Bay area in California like I do, or north of Delaware on the east coast, you would most likely be looking at a Greater Yellowlegs. References: 1 O’Brien, M., Crossley, R.,

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San Francisco Delaware Jordan New York 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 23, 2016

That original installation (pictured above) was part of a series of 40 artificial burrows created at three separate locations, all made possible by a grant from Audubon California. This property is located in northern Butte County which is nearing the (dwindling) northern most historic range for this species in California.

Owls 104

Owls California 2010 Colorado 104

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 12, 2011

The male is the only Black-necked Stilt in the second segment of this video, along with several Greater White-fronted Geese, and the third bird that comes into view in the final segment that is larger than the other two birds. The male of the species has the upper portion of the head, back of neck, back and wings all glossy black.

South Dakota 219

South Dakota Jordan Sacramento North America 219

10,000 Birds

MAY 9, 2012

Here in Northern California I am fortunate to have at least three of the western hummingbirds of North America visiting my yard. She will begin breeding in April. The female is the earliest breeder of all these species, arriving on breeding grounds shortly after the males in November. www.youtube.com/watch? v=OhI1A-DXq9s a.

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North America Breeders America Breeding 245

10,000 Birds

JULY 20, 2011

With an 8 to 9 1/2 foot wingspan and weighing in at up to 30 pounds, it rivals the California Condor for size and weight. They occur mainly in western and southern portions of North America, breeding inland in colonies on remote islands and wintering along warm southern coasts 1. During the day prey is probably located by sight.

Pelicans 165

Pelicans Fish California Condor North America 165

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

Being winter, this bird is in non-breeding plumage with more brown upper parts and lacking the white face it acquires in its aternate (breeding) plumage. • Explore These Related Posts Another California Bird? loved the video too! It was foraging in breast deep water. You never know what you might see! Happy Birding!

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Wildlife 2011 Sacramento Jordan 158

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 3, 2011

They breed in ponds and small lakes where they dive for insect larvae and amphipods and are are almost exclusively monogamous, keeping the same mate for several years 1. I found a video demonstrating this phenomenon. The chicks are born precocial, with eyes open and ready to leave the nest. Are you getting the picture here?

Ducks 171

Ducks California North America Breeding 171

10,000 Birds

MAY 10, 2013

In this mad internet age, you may well have seen photos, even video of the specific, individual bird that is your target, in the specific location where it was last seen. I recognized it right away, having seen some in California in my time, but in the same moment I didn’t recognize it, because I knew I shouldn’t be seeing it.

California 173

California Sparrows Fish Wildlife 173

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 27, 2013

The male shown in the video above, filmed at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge, was in the process of gathering nesting material for what usually adds up to a dozen to two dozen nests! It is obvious to me that the male Marsh Wrens at Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge are getting ready for the females to visit their breeding territories.

Sacramento 164

Sacramento North America Wildlife Defenders Of Wildlife 164

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2013

Here’s the only known video footage of that species: Kauai Oo. Four species of silky-flycatchers (genera Phainoptila , Phainopepla , and Ptilogonys ) occur in the Neotropics, and in the case of the Phainopepla ( Phainopepla nitens ), range as far north as northern California.

Saudi Arabia 248

Saudi Arabia 2008 Indonesia Groups 248

10,000 Birds

MARCH 11, 2011

Brown Pelicans , and the northernmost Brown Booby breeding colony on this side of the Pacific. Brown Boobies ( Sula leucogaster ), Islas Coronado, Baja California © David J. Ringer Gannets and Boobies (Sulidae) Black-and-white gannets breed on the cold, rocky coasts of the northern and southern oceans. Good day sir.

2011 166

2011 Pelicans Papua New Guinea Birds 166

10,000 Birds

AUGUST 31, 2011

The California Quail ( Callipepla californica ) is the California state bird, inhabiting scrub, broken chaparral and woodland edges primarily in California, Oregon, Washington and Baja California. All New World Quail are highly gregarious, typically found in coveys or flocks except during breeding season.

California 254

California Eggs Gophers Rattlesnake 254

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 17, 2015

BBC has the story as a video. Last year, beginning about Halloween, thousands of juvenile auklets started washing ashore dead from California’s Farallon Islands to Haida Gwaii (also known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) off central British Columbia. Since then the deaths haven’t stopped.

Science 154

Science Iraq Research Birds 154

10,000 Birds

MARCH 2, 2011

Birders who have been to California might be familiar with the latter two, indeed we would be close to the Poor Knights Islands later in the day, the site of the only breeding colony of Buller’s Shearwaters in the whole world. One birder from Australia even got his lifer Red-crowned Parakeet ! Wicked, right?

New Zealand 180

New Zealand Albatross 2011 Cooking 180

10,000 Birds

JUNE 17, 2015

The Service also proposes expanding hunting and sport fishing on the following refuges: California. Note in this 2010 video, birders, birdwatching and kayakers are mentioned, not hunters. Seney National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1935 as a refuge and breeding ground for migratory birds and other wildlife.” v=sk_5pt9OTLA.

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Fish Wildlife Hunting Game 150

10,000 Birds

FEBRUARY 6, 2024

They breed in colonies scattered around the Antarctic continent (the number ranges from 60 to 70, and as Kooyman points out, the colonies can drastically change in size from year to year) on the ice (and one of the things I learned from this book is how many different kinds of ice there is in the Antarctic) in the darkest months of winter.

Penguins 194

Penguins Seals Leopards Research 194

10,000 Birds

SEPTEMBER 28, 2011

Apparently during fall migration large flocks may form as the birds travel to their wintering grounds, arriving in Northern California in mid-September to mid-October 1. You can hear their call in the first few seconds of this video. The feeling is that they go to higher elevations in the summer to breed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ojbQqLo5cA

Woodpeckers 237

Woodpeckers South Dakota Jordan United States 237

10,000 Birds

MARCH 17, 2011

The variety of plumages that they show and the way different individuals molt at different times is interesting to me and I have stopped being surprised at seeing a small flock of ruddies with some nearly in full breeding, or alternate plumage, while others are still in their basic, or non-breeding plumage. Wicked, right?

Ducks 148

Ducks 2011 New York New York City 148

10,000 Birds

JULY 4, 2012

Living in California, I am of course speaking of the Western Bluebird ( Sialia mexicana ). This entire cycle begins in early Spring when Western Bluebirds pair up for breeding. Northern California sees Western Bluebird nest building activities beginning as early as March. www.youtube.com/watch?v=2blVsU0rdxY

Washington 201

Washington Eggs California 201

10,000 Birds

MARCH 21, 2011

Here’s hoping this bird makes it back to its home turf to breed and comes back to spend another winter in New York State! • Explore These Related Posts The other southern woodpecker Birding the East End of Long Island Another California Bird? Wicked, right?

New York 227

New York Woodpeckers Jordan 2011 227

10,000 Birds

OCTOBER 9, 2018

Among these lands are some of the most productive avian breeding grounds in the United States. At the signing ceremony, President Carter stated : We are setting aside for conservation an area of land larger than the State of California. For comparison, Yosemite NP in California is about 760,000 acres. Gates of the Arctic NP (7.5

Alaska 246

Alaska United States Puffins Wildlife 246

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 5, 2017

Interestingly, the subspecies map for Western Scrub-Jay that appeared in the 6th edition now appears as the subspecies map for California and Woodhouse’s Scrub-Jays (Western was split). “I try to work on the same details,” he says, “and then develop the color so that it gives a three-dimensional quality to the bird.

North America 189

North America America 2017 Birds 189

10,000 Birds

DECEMBER 15, 2012

This bird spent the 2011-2012 winter at Colusa National Wildlife Refuge in northern California, migrated someplace exotic and distant in February, and returned to the same pond at the beginning of this month. Secretive, silent and undetectable outside of its breeding season, found only in the U.S.

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2012 Birds Guatemala Florida 179