Who Doesn't Love Owls?

Who doesn't love owls? Now that I think about it, probably rodents and other small animals! 

This is a male Great-horned Owl  probably doing security detail for a nearby nest.  I could imagine Clint Eastwood's voice coming out of his mouth-"Go ahead-make my day"

California Condor Landed In My Yard!

How about "Belted Kingfisher landed on a branch?"

Notice the female is the one with extra color in this species with a chestnut-colored belly band and flanks which he male does not have. It's usually the males that are more colorful when it comes to bird species. 

"White-throated Sparrow visits Wadsworth Mansion grounds!"

"Great Egret Arrives from migration trip and is caught standing in the rain!" 

Oh well, sorry my headline didn't live up to expectations but Happy Easter to those who celebrated and since I'm actually posting this on the first of the month: Happy April 1st!
 

Calling All Birds! Spring Has Arrived!

Today is officially the first day of spring! There are always some Red-winged Blackbirds around during the winter but it's around this time of the year that the males really start to make their presence known. Some spring migrants have already started to arrive but they will soon be descending from the skies in huge numbers!
 

Breaking The Birding Addiction

Life is full off potential addictions. There are obvious ones like food, drugs, and alcohol but when you break one addiction another less obvious one can easily take its place

 Birding seems like a healthy and wholesome activity. I think that in most ways it is, but birding can become an addiction too! Usually this applies to listing or having an appetite to constantly see new species. It's happened to me before but at I'm usually able to recognize it when it starts to creep back in. I spent the month of January and February anxious to see new species and adding numbers to my list. That was a fine way to help avoid the winter doldrums but now it's time to move on.

 As March begins, I plan to find balance. I will take the emphasis off of chasing new birds around and instead just take things at a relaxed pace. If I want to go see a rare bird that's close by, it' not a problem. If I just want to sit around taking pictures, that's fine too. I want to enjoy each experience and not worry about any specific goal. There! that wasn't so hard! I'm pretty sure I've convinced myself to buy into my own bs! 

-The photo is of Ring-necked Ducks taken at the Helen Carlson Wildlife Sanctuary. The ring around the neck isn't usually visible unless sunlight reflects off of it. In this case, there was no sunshine. only clouds.