 Pekin Ducks (aka domesticated duck) |
Photos copyright © 2010-2011 Kat Avila Locations: Mostly San Diego Creek Bike Trail, Upper Newport Bay, and (William R.) Mason Regional Park in Irvine. I have a separate page for the birds of San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. Camera: Canon SD780 IS References: — Animal Life and Lore. 
Osmond P. Breland. New York: Harper & Row, 1963.— Birds: Their Life, Their Ways, Their World. Perrins, Christopher, and C. J. O. Harrison. Illus. Ad Cameron. Pleasantville, NY: Reader's Digest, 1979. 4th printing. — Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. —Ducks, Geese and Swans of North America. Frank C. Bellrose. Harrisburg, PA: Stackpole Books, 1976. 2nd edition. —Honker: A Discussion of the Habits and Needs of the Largest of Our Canada Geese. Cecil S. Williams. Princeton, N.J.: D. Van Nostrand, 1967. — National Audubon Society, Field Guide to California. 
Peter Alden et al. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1998.Notes: At parks, some of the mallards, American coots, and Canada geese can be unusually bold because they have gotten into the bad habit of begging for food from humans. Picture-taking becomes easier, but feeding the birds is not only unhealthy for them and their fragile habitat, it makes the tamed birds vulnerable to attack from not-so-nice people and their dogs. Wild birds are normally skittish, so I often take photos one after the other hoping to catch the one pose I want. Otherwise, I sit or stand peacefully among the birds and wait for a good opportunity. |
| African Goose: This goose is not from Africa but is a descendant of the Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides). | ||||
 Mason Regional Park |
 "Shall we go in?" Mason Regional Park |
 Mason Regional Park |
 Mason Regional Park |
 Mason Regional Park |
| American Coot (Fulica americana; aka mud hen or marsh hen): These roly-poly birds can often be seen feeding in large groups around neighborhood lakes and golf courses. One time I watched them skitter en masse across a lake toward a young couple with food; the girl was shrieking, in delight or fear I couldn't tell. | ||||
 It has lobed toes, instead of webbed feet, for diving to feed underwater. Mason Regional Park |
 Here they are peacefully feeding by the picnic tables. Mason Regional Park |
 A man walking his dog startled them into the lake. Mason Regional Park |
 Now the raft (flock) is in the lake. Mason Regional Park |
 You can see its white flank stripes. Mason Regional Park |
 "Hey, give me some." Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
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| The round fat body of the coot doesn't make it look athletic, so it was with surprise that I watched coot after coot jump off a high ledge into a stream, then flap up and follow one another to feed at the edge of another ledge. The climb was not without its hazards as one clumsy bird tumbled back and had to return to the safety of the water dragging a hurt wing. | ||||
 Red arrow shows coot flapping down. Upper Newport Bay 2011.2.11 |
 "Cannonball!" Upper Newport Bay 2011.2.11 |
 Red arrow shows coot flapping upward. Upper Newport Bay 2011.2.11 |
 Coots feeding precariously at the edge of the new ledge. Upper Newport Bay 2011.2.11 |
 I didn't see any jumping from this new higher ledge. Upper Newport Bay 2011.2.11 |
| American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) |
American Robin (Turdus migratorius) |
American White Pelican (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) | ||
 Mason Regional Park |
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 Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
| American Wigeon (Anas americana) | ||||
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| Black-crowned Night-heron (Nycticorax nycticorax): Hard to see, but there are a pair of white plumes that drop from its dark crown. | ||||
 Mason Regional Park 2010.4.9 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.4.9 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 close-up Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
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 yawning Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:20 a.m. |
 preening Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:21 a.m. |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:21 a.m. |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:21 a.m. |
 still preening Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:21 a.m. |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:21 a.m. |
 "Yep, I see ya." Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:21 a.m. |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:22 a.m. |
 Moving away to fish. Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:23 a.m. |
 Looks pretty cold. Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20, 10:24 a.m. |
| Black Phoebe (Sayornis nigricans): These small birds are usually not this approachable, but this phoebe was more concerned with another phoebe it was battling. This bird is easy to identify by its bobbing tail. They perch on statues or upright twigs to scan the area for flying insects to feed on: "Pheeb-pheeb-pheeb!" | ||||
 UCI |
 UCI |
 Slap… UCI |
 …up… UCI |
 …up. UCI |
| This black phoebe was being territorial and hung around, instead of flying off like they usually do. Its tail was doing a characteristic slapping. | ||||
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
 So cute! Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
 Keeping an eye on me. Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.200 |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
| Brandt's Cormorant (Phalacrocorax penicillatus) | ||||
 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
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| Brown Pelican (Pelecanus occidentalis) | ||||
 Upper Newport Bay |
San Diego Creek Trail |
 juvenile(?) with cormorant Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
 American White Pelican at top of frame Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
 Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve 2010.11.22 |
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| Canada Goose (Branta canadensis): It's a Canada goose, not a Canadian goose. One of the most moving sights you can experience is a V-formation of migratory Canadas honking by overhead, moving at 20-30 miles per hour (C. Williams, p. 116) and flying at altitudes of about 750-3,500 feet (Bellrose, p. 155). There are eleven recognized varieties, which are distinguished from each other by size, i.e., lightweights (small), middleweights (medium), and heavyweights (large) (C. Williams, p. 3). Southern California tends to get the larger, more resonant honkers flying in from nearby northeasterly states (Bellrose, p. 147). The geese have a 28-day incubation period, and you are likely to see goslings between mid-March and early May (C. Williams, p. 31). | ||||
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 "OH YEAH?!" |
 "Hmmm, lots of yummy algae." |
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 "Got some water in my ear." |
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 "You're bothering me!" |
 "'Clean all the way to the ends,' Mama used to say." |
 "All the wa-a-y…." |
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| Cassin's Finch (Carpodacus cassinii) | Cinnamon Teal (Anas cyanoptera) | |||
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| Cliff Swallows (Hirundo pyrrhonota) | ||||
 swallow nests "When the swallows come back to Capistrano, that's the day I pray that you'll come back to me." —from Leon René's 1940 hit song |
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| Egyptian Goose (Alopochen aegyptiacus; aka Nile Goose, sacred symbol of ancient Egyptian earth god Geb): These birds are native to sub-Saharan Africa and began to appear in Orange County through the former drive-through Lion Country Safari, an African wildlife preserve (source: local birder). | ||||
 This pair was used to approaching students for food. |
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 "Feed me." |
 "Now where did s/he go?" |
 "We're still waiting." |
 feeding on the roof of a park restroom |
 They suddenly were alert. |
 A man walking his dog scared them off the roof. They were noisy and agitated. |
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 at peace once more |
 fluffy goslings Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 mama guards her babies Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.9.29 |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
 Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
 close-up Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
 nice feathers Mason Regional Park 2011.10.20 |
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| European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) | ||||
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| Glossy Ibis (Plegadis falcinellus) | ||||
 Mason Regional Park 2010.4.9 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.4.9 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.4.9 |
 Mason Regional Park 2010.4.9 |
 close-up Mason Regional Park 2010.4.9 |
| Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias) | ||||
 stalking another heron Upper Newport Bay |
 fighting over territory Upper Newport Bay |
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| Great Egret (Ardea alba): This heron has a YELLOW bill, black legs, and BLACK feet. (black bill, yellow feet for smaller snowy egret) | ||||
 San Diego Creek Bike Trail |
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 "Ba bye!" Upper Newport Bay 2011.2.11 |
 Upper Newport Bay 2011.2.11 |
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| Green Heron (Butorides virescens) | ||||
 Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
 Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
 Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
 Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
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 (Did you find the heron?) Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
 "I think I see food . . ." Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
 Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
 Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
 Upper Newport Bay 2010.9.24 |
| House Finch (Carpodacus mexicanus) | Lesser Goldfinch (Carduelis psaltria) | |||
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 female bird |
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