tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-107935002024-03-07T16:40:19.673-08:00Betsy's Bird JournalI'm a birder in Virginia, having way too much fun! This is my birder's journal. I welcome comments and corrections to my bird identifications. I consider this a kind of online "photo lifelist" and I'll add photos taken in the past as I turn them up. Don't forget to go through previous months! Clicking on any photo will in most cases call up a larger version. To leave a comment on any entry, just click on the "0 comments" link!Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.comBlogger598125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-84619595190793047502015-03-07T20:36:00.001-08:002015-03-07T21:26:41.837-08:00San Diego Bird Festival--Lake MurrayPeg and I went on a great half-day trip to Lake Murray today as part of the San Diego Bird Festival. Our guide was Eitan Altman, who did a great job of finding some interesting birds for us and explaining what to look for to make quick distinctions in the field between similar birds. That's Eitan (pronounced "Ay-ton") in the light-colored plaid shirt in the middle of the picture. Peg is in the blue cap and white shirt in the center.<br />
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The bird I was most interested in seeing was the scaly-breasted munia--previously known as the nutmeg mannekin. It's a introduced species that recently was designated as "countable" by the powers-that-be in the birding world. Which means that it's official recognized as a North American bird. It's unclear how the bird arrived here, but it is believed to be cage birds that were either released or escaped. It's also known as a spice finch in the pet market. <br />
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Here's a link for more info:<br />
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scaly-breasted_munia<br />
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We did see some munias, but they are very active little birds that jump around a lot, so no pics. But I did get some nice pictures of other birds using my iPhone and scope! You can tap on the picture to see them larger.<br />
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We saw a lot of California Thrashers. Here's a shot of a California Thrasher having lunch:<br />
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Hermit thrush:<br />
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California Quail<br />
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Redhead<br />
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Osprey having lunch:<br />
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When we got back from the trip, we drove the short distance over to the San Diego River to check out the white pelicans. Most were asleep.<br />
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And one last stop to check out the roosting great blue heron at the exit to the marina.<br />
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Complete bird list from the day:<br />
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Gadwall<br />
Mallard<br />
Redhead<br />
Lesser Scaup<br />
Ruddy Duck<br />
California Quail (San Diego Bird Festival Lake Murray)<br />
Pied-billed Grebe<br />
Horned Grebe<br />
Double-crested Cormorant<br />
American White Pelican<br />
Brown Pelican<br />
Great Blue Heron<br />
Great Egret<br />
Snowy Egret<br />
Turkey Vulture<br />
Osprey<br />
Red-tailed Hawk<br />
American Coot<br />
Ring-billed Gull<br />
Western Gull<br />
California Gull<br />
Forster's Tern<br />
Rock Pigeon<br />
Mourning Dove<br />
Anna's Hummingbird<br />
Cassin's Kingbird<br />
Western Scrub-Jay<br />
American Crow<br />
Bushtit<br />
Ruby-crowned Kinglet<br />
Hermit Thrush<br />
Northern Mockingbird<br />
California Thrasher<br />
Common Yellowthroat<br />
Yellow-rumped Warbler<br />
Song Sparrow<br />
Brewer's Blackbird<br />
Great-tailed Grackle<br />
Brown-headed Cowbird<br />
House Finch<br />
Lesser Goldfinch<br />
Nutmeg Mannekin<br />
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It was a great day--small group, good birds and great weather.<br />
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- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad<br />
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Location:<a href="http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Lake%20Murray,%20San%20Diego&z=10">Lake Murray, San Diego</a></div>
Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-81658636445395273562015-02-28T09:16:00.001-08:002015-02-28T09:26:46.671-08:00Love my new Swarovski adapter for my iPhone 5s!I recently purchased the Swarovski iPhone adapter for my scope from Eagle Optics. Tried it out for the first time, and I'm more than thrilled. Here are a couple of photos I took at Famosa Slough in San Diego:
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Having a good time birding here--though I haven't been working too hard at it. Saw lots of waterfowl at Famosa Slough. A high point was seeing two crows mob a raven at a park in one of the foothills here.
More later!Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-8294749423451403642012-02-16T12:03:00.000-08:002012-02-16T12:03:38.800-08:00Great Egret at Chula Vista Nature Center, Chula Vista, CAFred and I visited the <a href="http://www.chulavistanaturecenter.org/" target="_blank">Chula Vista Nature Center</a> yesterday. It's a wonderful site, run by the city of Chula Vista, and located on the 316 acre <a href="http://www.fws.gov/sandiegorefuges/Sweetwater.htm" target="_blank">Sweetwater Marsh National Wildlife Refuge</a>.<br />
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The Nature Center has a clapper rail breeding program and a wonderful educational exhibit on raptors, consisting of captive birds who cannot be released into the wild due to injuries. They also have several aquatic tanks including one with sea turtles visible from outside the center.<br />
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It was a cool day with rain threatening, so after the tour of the Nature Center, I only got a quick walk around the marsh. I saw a northern harrier, three osprey flying in formation, a northern shoveler and some American widgeons. The only clapper rails I saw were in the exhibit area, but they were calling quite loudly.<br />
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While we were waiting for the tour to begin, a Fish & Wildlife Service employee pointed out a great egret eating what she thought was a rat and asked me if I wanted to put my scope on it. When I did, we found that the egret was eating, or trying to eat, a white crowned sparrow! Unfortunate for the sparrow, but we were fascinated as we weren't aware that egrets ate birds (nor is it mentioned in my field guide). It took the egret about ten minutes to figure out how to swallow it. He(?) would get it entirely in his mouth and then move it back to his bill. Pictures follow. If interested and not squeemish, you should be able to click on any image to see the full sized version.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1ziyczZI-koYIH5E4LeE89HNzwufscnKQ9NGAXDOqJ8BZ6_IWvfjNHe9HVkW-VTiOrbkIiST2F3b8HTuvDH3QlCRvYBYdiuoE5AMLCds12WNDCpoEbj3LdLslYK36LGkHpB3/s1600/Photo+Feb+15,+6+25+16+PM.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA1ziyczZI-koYIH5E4LeE89HNzwufscnKQ9NGAXDOqJ8BZ6_IWvfjNHe9HVkW-VTiOrbkIiST2F3b8HTuvDH3QlCRvYBYdiuoE5AMLCds12WNDCpoEbj3LdLslYK36LGkHpB3/s320/Photo+Feb+15,+6+25+16+PM.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0Chula Vista, CA, USA32.6377096269528 -117.1123264797851732.5838661269528 -117.20887547978516 32.6915531269528 -117.01577747978517tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-77901539596836662772011-02-27T09:00:00.001-08:002011-02-27T09:00:52.481-08:00Sketching at Famosa SloughI'm taking an online watercolor and sketching class. The idea is to go out on location and sketch and paint what you see. This week's lesson was to do animals. I decided the birds at Famosa Slough woild be perfect!<br /><br />Though the Slough wasn't as birdy as other times, an American Avocet and a couple of American Coots cooperated by staying fairly close, though I still needed my binoculars, which added a degree of difficulty! The Marbled Godwit will be added at another time.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5578415412478183378'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgA69O2DeD51vX2EBbackGaVNHLP-1p1WIciHXdOb9ptL2QdJErcZOWfDQCZme_tA_ktl_LBioQYZYxOfksUT-BFhnq5ssr4HKJOh67mhmKcUfj_BuoMU53FKKBJn5kLHcEK2Vy/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='198' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />It was interesting to learn how many little details I wasn't aware of until I had to draw these birds. No wonder David Sibley is such a good birder--though I'm not in any way comparing myself to Sibley.<br /><br />Betsy<br /><br /><br />-- Posted from my iPad!<br />Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-56140878958380513902011-02-25T21:37:00.001-08:002011-02-25T21:37:00.653-08:00Duck HuntingWhile I'm out in San Diego, I subscribe to and read SDBIRDS, the San Diego Birding List. People post the locations of interesting or rare birds that they see. For the last couple of weeks, people have been posting about a Long-tailed Duck in Mission Bay, right where we're staying.<br /><br />I don't normally "chase" birds, as it's called, but this one was tantalizingly close. And so many were seeing it. And it would be a life bird (meaning I hadn't seen it yet). The long-tailed duck summers and breeds in northern Canada and in Alaska. It winters along both coasts, but I hadn't yet seen one in Virgina. For you old timers, until 2000, the long-tailed duck was called the "oldsquaw."<br /><br />(I think I probably saw it earlier in the week, before I read the reports. I had seen something that generally looked like a pied-bill grebe, way off in the distance, but with a lot more white on the head, swimming with a flock of surf scoters in the bay. Couldn't get a picture and didn't have my binoculars, so at the time I chalked it up to one of those mystery birds I would never identify.)<br /><br />Fred humored me in my quest by going out three times to look for it. The first two searches, in two different parts of Mission Bay, proved fruitless. Chasing one bird in an area the size of Mission Bay is a bit like searching for a needle in a haystack. I pretty much didn't think that I would ever see it, and thought of giving up. But those reports of sightings kept coming!<br /><br />So we went out a third time. I looked for specks of white in the Bay. Lots of loons, buffleheads, surf scoters...wait--what's that white thing? Get the scope! There it is--the long-tailed duck, swimming just a bit too far out for a good picture, but I did get this record shot of a female, winter plumage, long-tailed duck.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5577868097669971458'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ0Aew4nNcHCC5hlrf1ZEwZZEbW236yPiuQ4EqYqsq8MfM03x5cDFEv5DHvynrZAjG16ULj67eYA0F_V07lcPml-D6jKishJXKhB07x-rptZBO8StNaUcA6IWtkcUWxWVWJN1I/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='195' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />I was glad that my hunt was successful. Fred was glad that he didn't have to go out looking for the duck again. It was a good day for both of us!<br /><br />Next: Sketching Birds at Famosa Slough....<br /><br />-- Posted from my iPad!<br />Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-12959918672392871752011-02-22T08:53:00.001-08:002011-02-22T08:53:58.785-08:00Bewick's Wren at Marston House, Balboa Park, San DiegoFred and I went to the Marston House to look for the Hepatic Tanager that had been reported there. No luck, but I did get a couple of record shot of this Bewick's Wren. Not a great shot, but the wren is identifiable! <br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5576558185379014258'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKZJmL6NcBa73m-8HzF_zXZ86i73Ne3WUodBqlFSnMKUAY7rcOwhHRGsKJ9f52y9DAEv9E4d6EcL5xn0C7LvabDnH0V41-4S5fc9DxXTK5Z3frrCAMHVCeFqNWgA0HeC1yx409/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='266' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Also saw a whole mess of bushtits. Where there is one bushtit, there are a couple of dozen more.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5576558204738384498'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimBv8t4t7KwGtWb1Ud_3WwyZJOBeTFwzHszrNEQmrRRmR79LhmoAKVlZtsFOCarDMCl3egPJfVpjbLfL9tmwnQcqLKOCuBSyScz7T4aU2da_5-jsDxX06eArn9hygAI7WESIPA/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />-- Posted from my iPad!<br />Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-51058532016299014992011-02-08T10:28:00.001-08:002011-02-08T10:28:31.963-08:00Famosa Slough, San Diego (Friday, Feb 4, 2011)I've been meaning to post about our trip to Famosa Slough. Here it is, better late than never! For more about our trip to the Slough, see my <a target="_blank" href="http://www.truetrip.blogspot.com"> trip blog</a>.<br /><br />The Slough is one the San Diego's birding hotspots. I can't believe I hadn't been there before this. Here are pics of some of the birds we saw. (I didn't realize some of the settings on my camera were off, resulting in some over exposure, sorry!)<br /><br />Snowy Egret:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387214992771986'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV41AA_ZaQ_h1O09Q4nC1ORTGIk6I3tfyhGA1AAWs94d-KF2zRsbMEL3ynwMqS_87ld25npcETMYw59-ybhMqopMu3XII5hckAt04TgJRZwLddtbkg1MJmnmSfY77mC1lW0BYX/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Belted Kingfisher (female):<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387226915679010'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKERZ-Kr032BpZvR-Lab_LG1LN6sbhH1DozF1-anwFxZrOnPREPEXiKGyC4ezCcQjMcv1Pa2kRDY01M1w-ua3YYPjtFZSNGbpylSw-z_IWfffLwLJdCEL4KBUZqlIPWHeEDtAO/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />A scaup parade led by an American Coot. I <b>think</b> that the 3rd scaup from the left is a greater scaup, the rest definitely are lesser scaup.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387242713462882'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRvp6i6XMN1ZnLQcjUZsYwsHZuN0CjPTPo3L0PlFGR2V7lAYoqJyZasc1YuD8SbquUvYZ8Z0i2T54BAW2m-K3VUxBgOXih1ll9DzT5pMqBFzeQhjrCTSWj2wfBMLYVFJf0HXan/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Black Phoebe:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387253670073154'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdZiHDew87xk2vjI9uVRAJNcQgIkf6ZCcyhPIQ5aBtousCavqLCZIXhUA1NpoOpN66-U6Lvl4AXg3nKInKYk5lozfueO7spJRHf7vhm1OcVug70j1n9TH-xJnPJqTaOjQxWpsX/s288/6.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='179' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Little Blue Heron:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387265348250162'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbbG-Hr26uU1f1Wae8oV3lg7g_cuXk5RIkYUj0a9xc4TjtUQZqVVrqlLBEawUTFZuSzZ9eh787u884scASKGh7fnjj8iu0afXCgvrpOf2SDEE0shyk0BOR8282V_V1oN-R4Xkf/s288/7.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='174' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Lots of ducks: Coot, American Wigeon, two Gadwells.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387294737743186'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCHotZZ94Cx0MPkifyLK9rbvOHVok1j-fLpaC-oT4Fs0LJ3sBB1bLrAh47I3VUgTs3I98u5It3aFDqCRi3ZSCgRTi1fOMKKp4sxoixCw54otP_LAyVyJfzs-RpoCkr9NQ6p_Wz/s288/8.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='203' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />(We also saw northern pintails, ruddy ducks, blue winged teal, northern shovelers and some mallards.)<br /><br />Say's Phoebe:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387302299482802'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjutWGKkF-HTz_pVuR1Bb-KnZqbkG6SlbGrhml2snx9MPQ_kbO0pqDKZLaoR3IX87OG27bN_XpXg1Gbw8hrtAMaRQXgYu0oOmhTel7w-jcXMNnBdDzjW-055FMCZYfXhCiHhDzh/s288/9.jpg' border='0' width='215' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Red-tailed hawk:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387310155831234'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFjiVXKLDOJMx5u9KBy3pfeazOCcV9yAtpSABiy8dqLvTvooDKp1kWrQp8ohkZ05_RthSL4mj_pDBRoEJmYHlAr_MAfSjRRfL0gEABa0_gtZO_3Nww_xCWaADUVTGZAQg9-HMc/s288/10.jpg' border='0' width='233' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Great Egret:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387333388626866'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcT3clmV2I_nXPKVLSNsfqpHpCl9n60hEnuxCImnrjE-Xmn2rJBrOqWGs0l3VBtKbY5exlTvjn1jfqiP7eOO0OZyts06LeTC7VqPUm2GOWorsxOb0SEIL14EtwrqqQ7HGxdp48/s288/11.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Willet:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387355071838242'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT1c10U1UgiMy8jiI6zDvmHfpTB8SB67EEgznJrCNd5BmvOxAbgggcs0o318ibNPMFOqH-ea8fi7LiGpPeZ5gblIOxxJYqOIny0eJMhjESkAB3dBzBHFV6cIws8mQJt26-19sC/s288/12.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='187' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Greater Yellowlegs:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387361756747218'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJDkJeYlU1viavAhdfQcuasIx1pSt_WGP8coo3dymQ0f0gPq3gwuliw1Y1oOXIIEJNegqtRmGZo237-igl24V5y1oPfai-ltfm8qImy8A51gKhjUl49UTJ0I5n1d36s6KkCq-n/s288/13.jpg' border='0' width='200' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Pied-billed grebe and horned grebe:<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387373733313666'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhm16PVKWxI6UhLv4wyJFWQL5tS98s8QCXe-4GJuaKVgdSKkLTskgsPCU5_zukCez4XvdXnnSHTO6s8TOr_wS8NwRzIOL9TxNQ7qPUwNOKgzu2LKTS65lUkax-nKSE5PigWgO7l/s288/14.jpg' border='0' width='225' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Blacknecked stilts, american avocets, northern pintails among others. The stilts and the avocets have successfully bred in the Slough the last few years.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5571387383090759714'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4X6VuHI0Da-N3QtA6kNrLq9AfRJViJFtlcUTm-DIUURBC3yZzmv-ohJVqdgVRNC0arPa1rPyXNH24EAzROuNM8Xyi1pO9pdcleGRthDo4IhZBdtJbpiYEX4esN3IHuRlzuf88/s288/15.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='81' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />Aside from the birds already mentioned, we also saw:<br /><br />Anna's Hummingbird<br />Marbled godwit<br />House finch<br />House sparrow<br />Song sparrow<br />Orange crowned warbler<br />Yellow rumped warbleer<br />Northern mockingbird<br />Mourning dove<br />Western gull<br /><br />It was indeed birding heaven. If you are in San Diego, definitely worth a visit! See their <a target="_blank" href="http://www.famosaslough.org">website</a> for more information.<br /><br />-- Posted from my iPad!<br />Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-8508872855177847852011-02-03T07:24:00.001-08:002011-02-03T07:24:31.294-08:00Birding San DiegoNo photos to post yet of birds, but I have seen a few of the usual San Diego suspects. I haven't really done any birding yet, these are just in passing.<br /><br />First bird in San Diego (woohoo) was a house sparrow. *rolls eyes*<br /><br />Also:<br />black phoebe<br />double-crested cormorant<br />brown pelican<br />anna's hummingbird<br />brant<br />western gull<br /><br />We've also had fun watching the pelicans dive in the channel outside the condo with a gull in hot pursuit, in case the pelicans surface with something!<br /><br />And, not a bird, but I saw a seal swimming by in the channel this morning.<br /><br />-- Posted from my iPad!<br />Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-12858112364682234642011-02-03T04:40:00.001-08:002011-02-03T04:40:29.177-08:00In San Diego and not a minute too soon!We had a pleasant flight out to San Diego from Baltimore on Southwest Airlines. Our rowmate was a young mother with a 13 month old boy named Adam. He really was quite good. By far not the worst rowmate we've had. (Did I ever tell you about the woman who was concerned that the change to daylight savings time would cause the earth to wobble on its axis?)<br /><br />I won't say much about the weather we found when we arrived in San Diego, because I know you don't want to hear it. But a picture is worth a thousand words, they say...<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5569442161044454978'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA-7iaxvP64rQ9BEzwhlXE73azBHm63iG09K17aD38cnEyQjEUNMbt3gVi2X73bVry1Es3rbE9s-OyeS_SnLkVZ3z1YyZbayGRZI7nlWf9_vn1fNYhuXbc_YLe3fzLhyphenhyphenXCWPIR/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />Above, waiting for the rental car shuttle. Below, after picking up the car, we went off to lunch at the Prado in Balboa Park.<br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5569442189312045026'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi40Pv3Zs9skJ2Vjb13dBc9vt6hKpNS3Uj9naoPAmHBKFf-G7mZnmq_DGMo2R-uZnKTcUxV4aHcffOUJ8syuAw5RrPHFEe_MHUllUozq3civ-W-Uiz9r3wqED1pt-sKdJvkDyp6/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />The Prado has wonderful fish tacos, I wish I'd taken a picture...but here's a picture of the flan we had for dessert.<br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5569442197414488242'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-49AUmZsZ_QJ7thGP3TKTw2h5_Vw_9P826cyyH1O9zYpbUk0VECFhggLAQwTWvp_aoP_TBrCfeMNQV5ZyrM9BeL2aqejeeteojzwqC1J3-ZG59Ollf5cz8dsxhDZ1bBKKU2Z/s288/4.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5569442211775137058'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8SdiAja34KQgkQPqyQ923hwYuHVSkmYnH934P9kJPYiFdg7L8ISyOTev1tHrAY_GjDu26TZ3OGgfNsYpbWpVED9HYW-pY49VWDGwaPidnF9dLDp5vEFdAAoKcus4nk0dz1UyR/s288/7.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5569442251484840530'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-A8XL7YB8pHqQxnXcJZhDZOjlv5ckgN83yt03ub-A1-TpqVMG_MEUX5l_rpzw9y2Xu6-wc5nntyfWcX3GhQK26uiPt2bacovBnv6kU1q8olSP16OkMEyq4RyMOz_lYS1QGoNe/s288/6.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='https://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5569442271386824002'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvfut7bbXhtUt91yS9xsxNEW24f37UXYAq1K7YDL3HeK_C2yN2ExQY5LQYvgzUuQyRC4YRgX3-QNQju1SFl0zSnXXzjjr1mpaKW7DMtoqNot2qKb7Ji5sXI0Z0IJZnUvaUw8Zh/s288/8.jpg' border='0' width='210' height='281' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br />-- Posted from my iPad!<br />Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-296559896237235802011-01-30T10:15:00.002-08:002011-01-30T12:55:46.632-08:00More Winter Birding with ReneeThere had been reports of a <a target="_blank" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/28499865@N07/5400167030/">Lapland Longspur</a> (click on link to see a photo by Dave Boltz of the bird in question, at Occoquan) so Renee and I decided to put the long underwear on again to check it out. It was positively balmy by our standards, only 27 degrees when we got out ot the car at the Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge, about 20 minutes south of my house.<br />
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There were lots of birders, but no Longspur in sight while we were there. Renee did find a wild turkey roosting in a tree (digiscoped pic below)<br />
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<center><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5568044321819553346'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeCJL8Mzi3W0OtTzqvzrIrHlfQcGqMXhev4YY7JkztosfOeDV9EjvbMuWOZ-LNt4loJkcLpcI5BVmI5ECJKZjATL4FtGKwtUVxH79u4CNAn_auGE3mPTk10_lUkbRprJnT_8zr/s288/1.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
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It was beautiful and peaceful. We walked to one of the river overlooks and scanned the ice and mud packs. We saw several eagles. Two were roosting in a tree on a little island well out into the river. I digiscoped a picture:<br />
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<center><a href='http://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/MyBlogPhotosFromBlogPress#5568044326317261506'><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwJMUFVmvKfEm9Hy4UTjHs8ADDw2RypnmwqlredEvqSULKfVLbzVA7hJqlnH1_setxDbQo_IraOGy3nbgCPiBGQffFzZquiBkf8pXV3zh9oj1eseAqa_Opinw2zbE_VoonRl8S/s288/3.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='230' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br />
One eagle is at the very top, another is on the right middle part of the trees. A gull is flying by on the left side. The river was incredibily beautiful, snow and ice and all the shades of silver.<br />
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It was a great birding morning. We stopped for a light breakfast in the town of Occoquan (I recommend the Blue Arbor) and did a last bit of birding on the river in town.<br />
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Here's our list for the day:<br />
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Northern Harrier<br />
Turkey<br />
Golden crowned kinglet<br />
Bald eagles<br />
Cooper's Hawk (I think)<br />
Sharp shinned hawk (Certain)<br />
Song sparrows (Renee says I should put this down twice, there were so many of them)<br />
Savannah sparrow<br />
Cardinal<br />
Northern Flicker<br />
Mockingbird<br />
Red winged black bird<br />
Canada geese (one with a almost entirely white head)<br />
Gulls. I'm terrible at gulls.<br />
Red bellied woodpecker<br />
Downy woodpecker (Renee saw these)<br />
Carolina wren (heard)<br />
Great blue heron--several<br />
Kildeer--several<br />
Juncos<br />
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On the way to breakfast<br />
Black vultures--about 30 of them roosting in light poles and a tree just next to Route 1)<br />
Turkey vultures--flying with some BVs in the same area<br />
White throated sparrows<br />
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Occoquan village<br />
bald eagle<br />
Black vulture<br />
Great blue heron<br />
Gulls--Greater Black Backed, Herring, Ring-billed<br />
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-- Posted from my iPad!Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-22385424786873817012011-01-09T08:55:00.002-08:002011-01-09T11:02:31.957-08:00Omigawd it's cold--wait, was that a catbird?My friend Renee and I had arranged to go birding this morning so she could try out my old scope with an eye to buying it. This had seemed like a good idea earlier in the week when we had planned it. Last night, when it was heading to 20 degrees F, it seemed less so. But, given our history of birding together, somehow appropriate. (Renee and I always do a Christmas Bird Count together. Some years, it's the only birding we do together. Last year, it was in the 'teens for the CBC and there was a foot and a half of snow on the ground. This year's CBC seemed balmy, being just under 30. Fred thinks we're both loony.)<br />
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So, when Renee arrived this morning promptly at 8:30, we packed the gear in the boot of her Prius and duly headed off to the Jackson Abbott Wildlife Refuge, a little park about five minutes away on Ft. Belvoir's piece of the local wetlands. Despite it being 24 degrees.<br />
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It was a short walk through the woods from the parking past the small frozen pond to the wetlands Not surprisingly, no one else was at Jackson Abbott. None of the usual dogwalkers, fishermen or friendly winos were there. Can't imagine why.<br />
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There used to be a platform to allow one to study the wetlands, but at some point this summer it was burned rather completely by vandals. Renee and I set up next to the remains of the platform. Here's Renee trying out the scope with the wetlands in front of her and the platform's skeleton next to her. (Click on either pic for a full sized, higher resolution view.)<br />
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<center><a href="http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/09/1970.jpg"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/09/s_1970.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="281" /></a></center><br />
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In between bouts of shivering, we had a pretty good hour of birding:<br />
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golden-crowned kinglet in some pine trees to our left<br />
two red shouldered hawks across the wetlands, digiscoped below:<br />
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<center><a href="http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/09/1971.jpg"><img border="0" height="210" src="http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/09/s_1971.jpg" style="margin: 5px;" width="281" /></a></center>an obliging song sparrow<br />
a downy woodpecker<br />
several white throated sparrows<br />
many juncos<br />
a crow<br />
the ubiquitous canada geese, titmice and chickadees<br />
blue jays (heard but not seen)<br />
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and the bird of the day as we walked back around the pond--a catbird, which Renee first spied in a brush with a bunch of sparrows but which I saw too. We are on the far western edge of the catbird's winter range, so that's a pretty good sighting!<br />
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(Renee, did I leave anything out?)<br />
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Our fingers were numb so we called it a day! I was hoping for some bluebirds, we see them often around the pond, but I'll have to settle for yesterday's sightings in our neighborhood.<br />
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-- Posted from my iPad!Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-50333816622988104212011-01-08T12:42:00.001-08:002011-01-08T12:44:30.761-08:00Bluebirds aren't just over the rainbow!Fred and I went out for a walk in the neighborhood today to enjoy the 1/2" of snow while it lasted, and saw three bluebirds hanging out in a yard a few blocks away!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/08/2393.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/08/s_2393.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' align='right' style='margin:5px'></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><center><a href='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/08/2394.jpg'><img src='http://blogpress.w18.net/photos/11/01/08/s_2394.jpg' border='0' width='281' height='210' style='margin:5px'></a></center><br /><br /><br />We've not seen bluebirds in our neighborhood before, let alone in the winter, though we're not far from Huntley Meadows, where they are common. They were with a few house finches, which were what originally caught my eye.<br /><br />So, I learned that they stay here year round (confirmed by the range maps in my birding app.)<br /><br />A good winter's walk!<br /><br />Betsy<br /><br />Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-45128349496755740442010-06-07T17:14:00.001-07:002010-06-07T17:21:48.091-07:00Eastern Phoebe Nestlings, 3-5 days old...Pictures from today...the three nestlings are all sleeping with their heads lined up on the right side of the nest. I'm going to try to get some pictures in the morning of them, maybe they'll be awake!<br /><br />I take these by putting my little video camera on my monopod and holding it up by the nest. The nest is under an overhang, so there's no way to lean out the window above it...<br /><br />Betsy<br /><object style="background-image: url("http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/S9HCBrFQkEM/hqdefault.jpg");" height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/S9HCBrFQkEM&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/S9HCBrFQkEM&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-40912379220312274402010-06-07T04:10:00.000-07:002010-06-07T04:10:40.627-07:00Phoebe Nest -- all eggs have hatched!A picture of sleeping phoebe nestlings from a couple of days ago. This morning I got to see one of the adults feeding the babies, but I had no camera with me!<br /><br /><object style="background-image: url("http://i4.ytimg.com/vi/GxOEc__dt2s/hqdefault.jpg");" height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GxOEc__dt2s&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GxOEc__dt2s&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-86843018073889293662010-06-03T04:33:00.000-07:002010-06-03T04:33:57.214-07:00Phoebe NestNot a great video, but I just put the camera up on a stick and took some quick video each day; we're trying NOT to disturb the Phoebes anymore than we have to. The Phoebes built the nest while we were out of town for five days. I'm sure they were surprised when we started bustling about! It's a beautiful nest, with moss and grasses. <br /><br />I was fascinated to learn that the Eastern Phoebe was the first bird<span style="font-style: italic;"></span> banded in North America. John James Audubon, in 1804, wrapped a silver wire around the leg of a Phoebe to tell if it was the same bird returning each year!<br /><br />I understand it takes about 16 days for the phoebes to leave the nest, I'll keep you posted and try to get some better pictures!<br /><object style="background-image: url("http://i2.ytimg.com/vi/M8V22nbMZkY/hqdefault.jpg");" height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/M8V22nbMZkY&hl=en_US&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/M8V22nbMZkY&hl=en_US&fs=1" allowscriptaccess="never" allowfullscreen="true" wmode="transparent" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" height="344" width="425"></embed></object>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-13009674754083667882010-05-22T04:54:00.000-07:002010-05-22T04:54:24.025-07:00Eastern Phoebe Nest<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AR0E1F4-_XHvJdSjlqqFR8z4WzWnDImK9nF8s-G0H50S1UOUZnzK7GG9yMGAIoqXRHYhAKuQFPPERJW70PTarrLQ6gacDVdKnE_Du_ARmarrjDSEPe2XoPa3rS23htEP3eB6/s1600/IMG_2518.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6AR0E1F4-_XHvJdSjlqqFR8z4WzWnDImK9nF8s-G0H50S1UOUZnzK7GG9yMGAIoqXRHYhAKuQFPPERJW70PTarrLQ6gacDVdKnE_Du_ARmarrjDSEPe2XoPa3rS23htEP3eB6/s400/IMG_2518.JPG" /></a><br />We were gone to New Bern for five days. Apparently the Phoebe built the nest while we were gone, thinking she had found a nice quiet place. Cornell Lab of Ornithologyindicates they build the nest in 3-6 days, and that during daylight hours, the female spends about half the time on the nest. We're trying not to use the front door as much... </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2MMJs6Ur5INBAEq4WX_lYGef6qXpfm-ek8SR5AmUdzEFwleIZWaOGYWRBD4RWfiPaXWc7XfcpNCihE7mLSKkbP_89iLDJnauMMGvlzYregykmkrdaUZFznD_RD3D0vluxnID/s1600/IMG_2555.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQ2MMJs6Ur5INBAEq4WX_lYGef6qXpfm-ek8SR5AmUdzEFwleIZWaOGYWRBD4RWfiPaXWc7XfcpNCihE7mLSKkbP_89iLDJnauMMGvlzYregykmkrdaUZFznD_RD3D0vluxnID/s400/IMG_2555.JPG" /></a><br />She'll fly away very quickly if she sees me, I was lucky to get this shot before she flew! </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-3809536852979731822010-05-11T05:14:00.002-07:002010-05-11T05:24:20.989-07:00Spring is here<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">Several pics from the last week or so. A new yard bird for me, an Eastern Phoebe. Poor pic, I know, but it was through the patio glass door, between the railings to the fence between our yard and the neighbors'. He/she was doing that flycatcher thing, and I didn't have much time to get the shot! I've seen the phoebe since, perhaps we'll have a nest near here!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIAIPShHsbfEcEgH_mYSnlJzYBlRA5zNmWyCv-uPo8PFZyihktcVzAf9xgB9hRItrxlnzlmTzRP6Be5Dv0Td1f1e40fU5lkqjUeCfFWaerTjHh2mikBa2WDvSY1MO8WRyKdna/s1600/CRW_2397.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEIAIPShHsbfEcEgH_mYSnlJzYBlRA5zNmWyCv-uPo8PFZyihktcVzAf9xgB9hRItrxlnzlmTzRP6Be5Dv0Td1f1e40fU5lkqjUeCfFWaerTjHh2mikBa2WDvSY1MO8WRyKdna/s400/CRW_2397.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">It's always fun to have the hummingbirds back. I didn't have the feeder up yet, but fortunately, these little red flowers were attractive! The feeder is up now, and very busy!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHISYZWVzbuXqNzs9pdCVhPWFzF7WGCsnhLLgx8IQITAYI9aF2rHA5WW6NMA4Wah7l5HbzuA6LekiTu7KQTZ3ie8GbW2kwgOik-bHrU9ADKGURDIE77xwYr4oCG7uqHX2JFzU/s1600/CRW_2396.jpg"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGHISYZWVzbuXqNzs9pdCVhPWFzF7WGCsnhLLgx8IQITAYI9aF2rHA5WW6NMA4Wah7l5HbzuA6LekiTu7KQTZ3ie8GbW2kwgOik-bHrU9ADKGURDIE77xwYr4oCG7uqHX2JFzU/s400/CRW_2396.jpg" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">We heard this little guy (no problem there!) and finally found him in my water garden on the deck. That rock and the flat water made quite an echo chamber for him. If I can figure out how to post an audio file here, I will! We had quite a froggy concert that night between our visitor and the frogs around the area!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9ItPWmdaysO7fTp8e9Ll_VKtL7EvTEKpgJn5fsU4QkEpDdqXZwQ_0XmOLzbWYInrHtICujHo-7xAMsC1nSN6WeXMFsBKYIGigHvpSFBokCMuTDu_Bx5tu5OPPjTVa_s8RekB/s1600/IMG_2400.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjk9ItPWmdaysO7fTp8e9Ll_VKtL7EvTEKpgJn5fsU4QkEpDdqXZwQ_0XmOLzbWYInrHtICujHo-7xAMsC1nSN6WeXMFsBKYIGigHvpSFBokCMuTDu_Bx5tu5OPPjTVa_s8RekB/s400/IMG_2400.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">He was back the next day, but we haven't seen or heard him since. All the other frogs have fallen silent, too, but it's been quite cool at night the last few nights. I believe this is a northern spring peeper.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ09oemL34YxOAXYPDun5EWPzq7WNMqsKE-5Me-V6Atp7KapKkCRo0B03PM4BpNJjMa287n7qOvNEN1CCfSRPo2dAyYJVDb3cBZSuxTdS8ZL-JWtKMZB1V3dCtIEeWmhdtP4Nl/s1600/IMG_2402.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ09oemL34YxOAXYPDun5EWPzq7WNMqsKE-5Me-V6Atp7KapKkCRo0B03PM4BpNJjMa287n7qOvNEN1CCfSRPo2dAyYJVDb3cBZSuxTdS8ZL-JWtKMZB1V3dCtIEeWmhdtP4Nl/s400/IMG_2402.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none; padding: 0px; background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-53082195562824311722010-03-21T09:49:00.001-07:002010-03-21T09:54:55.494-07:00Occoquan NWR part 2--Great Horned Owl nest<div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;">So, this was our goal--a Great Horned Owl nest in a former osprey nest. In a totally open field at the Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge, Occoquan, VA. My friend Renee discovered the nest this winter during one of the huge snowstorms we had. I was thrilled when she said she would take me down to see it!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZP70LzUlme17X4qZmf8OHMWZ2kWV0V0fzyZqu5sspj9r8Qjk9hASu031GwHJ4_cIyisiCyvPSNhmOeAL8OlEJS56laQevzVZh9_Eri0pNEj4NnGMOjImpEPVtfE3MgC9OBbVn/s1600-h/IMGP1669.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZP70LzUlme17X4qZmf8OHMWZ2kWV0V0fzyZqu5sspj9r8Qjk9hASu031GwHJ4_cIyisiCyvPSNhmOeAL8OlEJS56laQevzVZh9_Eri0pNEj4NnGMOjImpEPVtfE3MgC9OBbVn/s400/IMGP1669.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Renee and another birder check out the nest.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0L6lJx4FRZcJzQ3XRqesajJrgCWIwWNxtaGv6MQT51-BHPnuQB8XAUo_QKBiQpcjF2Wbt6iFGECFpg3sFG4Mij38zQRBpHNYobRk8WtvNAi8LvoLfZwD-YYzTnOW2gf0m6oMr/s1600-h/IMGP1670.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0L6lJx4FRZcJzQ3XRqesajJrgCWIwWNxtaGv6MQT51-BHPnuQB8XAUo_QKBiQpcjF2Wbt6iFGECFpg3sFG4Mij38zQRBpHNYobRk8WtvNAi8LvoLfZwD-YYzTnOW2gf0m6oMr/s400/IMGP1670.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Mama and an owlet. Another owlet is to the right, behind the sycamore branch.<br /></div><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4Ph-djWaKyj3tAwV3lB0m8fjkXvfEDWOXp5HkQKm4_3owdbCKJr84Dj0L7HVvxd2fFW0J6UdTR3PLENPN9V9GXKMYTTzCoN-p4_EJ32WuBRkiC760YSyeQGODklXP69q6Qx2/s1600-h/IMGP1672.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEin4Ph-djWaKyj3tAwV3lB0m8fjkXvfEDWOXp5HkQKm4_3owdbCKJr84Dj0L7HVvxd2fFW0J6UdTR3PLENPN9V9GXKMYTTzCoN-p4_EJ32WuBRkiC760YSyeQGODklXP69q6Qx2/s400/IMGP1672.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="text-align: center; margin: 0px auto 10px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1u6FwbAm9Tyl8IeWpMH85D-kyItjUdUbKb-55atFY3KXlEV3liGfFGCb_sD4vw3gs7gLV9MnUu5J2QRDfJR2mcV0PxUn18NJpa1xRU7CPPAiWOeTe-7iIObrPEpQr7EaRKK0/s1600-h/IMGP1673.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEik1u6FwbAm9Tyl8IeWpMH85D-kyItjUdUbKb-55atFY3KXlEV3liGfFGCb_sD4vw3gs7gLV9MnUu5J2QRDfJR2mcV0PxUn18NJpa1xRU7CPPAiWOeTe-7iIObrPEpQr7EaRKK0/s400/IMGP1673.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />We went on to see some wild turkeys (previous post). It was a great morning! Not a huge number of birds but some very cool ones. And the weather was great! Nothing better than to be out with a friend birding in good weather. (Much better weather than the last time I birded with Renee!)<br /></div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none; padding: 0px; background: none repeat scroll 0% 50% transparent;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-9876210681992661002010-03-21T09:23:00.000-07:002010-03-21T09:24:11.328-07:00Occoquant NWR--Wild Turkeys<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px">My friend Renee and I headed down to see the Great Horned Owl nest at the Occoquan National Wildlife Refuge. More on that later. We were driving out of the park after seeing the owls and saw some wild turkeys near the road and had to get some pictures. They were just beautiful, and there were about a dozen of them strung out along a ridge.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy3nVChOekz-MIpQhyNcbbD9s3lRES0RiSC0ACLMbxE1-K4G5-MY_CMd2lVjCFe1phvTod6taOOvIerPgRurcYfTHNRlOAf21YkKpbUorGNotEmn00a4kqnWS_jfrx1XTs4k8/s1600-h/CRW_2329.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNy3nVChOekz-MIpQhyNcbbD9s3lRES0RiSC0ACLMbxE1-K4G5-MY_CMd2lVjCFe1phvTod6taOOvIerPgRurcYfTHNRlOAf21YkKpbUorGNotEmn00a4kqnWS_jfrx1XTs4k8/s400/CRW_2329.jpg" /></a> </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEugSWWH4FUcpYf5igvk1kivt8HhZ06DUxQB2WRpk2JrsuM_oSPi5qKeGKCA5vxwxbUOtsl_8G1OzeopNQH57yXT00LwB23vVC1Hwl3tISxoZACYH0GIhnq1mAnfhRVNPnJXP/s1600-h/CRW_2333.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEugSWWH4FUcpYf5igvk1kivt8HhZ06DUxQB2WRpk2JrsuM_oSPi5qKeGKCA5vxwxbUOtsl_8G1OzeopNQH57yXT00LwB23vVC1Hwl3tISxoZACYH0GIhnq1mAnfhRVNPnJXP/s400/CRW_2333.jpg" /></a> </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcAZFb8YWIvD5bimzJUkSqApvHYDrJLdxmQkn4eY9lCfL5FWhxunFGx6N84zphpwlYOxaIolXxVoOM7bWlbaL2zIm0BWosk3h2dLqbNUr7jTor9Whz8v_BrwuRxQ4vgEt6fY_/s1600-h/CRW_2340.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTcAZFb8YWIvD5bimzJUkSqApvHYDrJLdxmQkn4eY9lCfL5FWhxunFGx6N84zphpwlYOxaIolXxVoOM7bWlbaL2zIm0BWosk3h2dLqbNUr7jTor9Whz8v_BrwuRxQ4vgEt6fY_/s400/CRW_2340.jpg" /></a><br />It was a beautiful morning with some special birds.</div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-64278506775850626672010-03-08T22:17:00.003-08:002010-03-08T22:30:19.192-08:00San Diego Bird Festival 2010<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px">I went on three trips on the San Diego Bird Festival this year: Birding by Bike around Mission Bay, "Local Favorites" which went to Lindo Lake, Santee Lake and Old Mission Dam, with my sister-in-law Peg, and a trip to the Camp Pendleton marine base. Here are some pics from those trips and from a trip my husband Fred and I made to Lake Murray.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVtpIIB4o2qKnFAC08VjHDYMCB0PaQ_Ik-JPDBk9FviocX4INhcCvlzURCB2gTEnsHnLKE-sOeyRc0oxXHYH7R_WLDznE_1FC_SVuLvgw9q6CNXBqcw-lBtS_uE-lAik0Nt_W/s1600-h/IMGP1637.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpVtpIIB4o2qKnFAC08VjHDYMCB0PaQ_Ik-JPDBk9FviocX4INhcCvlzURCB2gTEnsHnLKE-sOeyRc0oxXHYH7R_WLDznE_1FC_SVuLvgw9q6CNXBqcw-lBtS_uE-lAik0Nt_W/s400/IMGP1637.JPG" /></a><br />Cactus Wren. This was digiscoped through the leader's scope. The coastal Cactus Wren is a separate subspecies from say, the Cactus Wren found in Arizona.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7l3RN07k6tMa9eIQEubOsBp9c6y6Ze_6myDg-rRBG83PqgZbDgfjgUjTa1m1wiLZ4DBuGsDZAaNzhKeAO0eFf-mUCGxD1SVledqN5zLDguOlWZeR5Ttt9oErBJoaTL62Nunf/s1600-h/IMG_2006.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEho7l3RN07k6tMa9eIQEubOsBp9c6y6Ze_6myDg-rRBG83PqgZbDgfjgUjTa1m1wiLZ4DBuGsDZAaNzhKeAO0eFf-mUCGxD1SVledqN5zLDguOlWZeR5Ttt9oErBJoaTL62Nunf/s400/IMG_2006.JPG" /></a><br />Little Blue Heron at the San Diego River from the Birding by Bike trip.<br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA9ESuXfAF69FcITTOYSq5_9BTrYlj5UpHCtR7JmCrpKCJOPWRjLcnxSAWWqNpYsx1vgXa7BqYU84-FWb6iwhZ3M4nZmb5T0C-fGOvByBxioM_oXA4GgHqtr2JHCUckE9kYGb/s1600-h/CRW_2112.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzA9ESuXfAF69FcITTOYSq5_9BTrYlj5UpHCtR7JmCrpKCJOPWRjLcnxSAWWqNpYsx1vgXa7BqYU84-FWb6iwhZ3M4nZmb5T0C-fGOvByBxioM_oXA4GgHqtr2JHCUckE9kYGb/s400/CRW_2112.jpg" /></a><br />Western Meadowlark, also from the Birding by Bike trip</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJV-tVONIMmn5c5LYBnvdNcN7EX6B5DUM-69t7CKGkhZDUXLXMhk1zfKIOiK2C7qR8fmOAheq7tLfXbvLJY_Ua0CAJXyqn4TEt6wcTGKzKsPucXOp9A5TRzz-g326RNyfHhhk/s1600-h/CRW_1611.jpg"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMJV-tVONIMmn5c5LYBnvdNcN7EX6B5DUM-69t7CKGkhZDUXLXMhk1zfKIOiK2C7qR8fmOAheq7tLfXbvLJY_Ua0CAJXyqn4TEt6wcTGKzKsPucXOp9A5TRzz-g326RNyfHhhk/s400/CRW_1611.jpg" /></a></div><br />Brown pelican. This was also a trip by my hubby and me to the Ocean Beach pier. This handsome fellow was waiting for scraps from a fisherman.<br /><br />I've got a lot more pics, you can see them here:<br /><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://picasaweb.google.com/s/c/bin/slideshow.swf" width="600" height="400" flashvars="host=picasaweb.google.com&hl=en_US&feat=flashalbum&RGB=0x000000&feed=http%3A%2F%2Fpicasaweb.google.com%2Fdata%2Ffeed%2Fapi%2Fuser%2Fbetctru%2Falbumid%2F5446458721519322721%3Falt%3Drss%26kind%3Dphoto%26hl%3Den_US" pluginspage="http://www.macromedia.com/go/getflashplayer"></embed><br />or <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/betctru/SanDiegoBirds2010?feat=directlink">here</a>, with captionsBetsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-10720307709486013432009-08-06T00:34:00.001-07:002009-08-06T00:41:05.901-07:00Birding Hyde Park, part 2<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">This mother and duckling (just one!) were stars as people came and went along the Rond Pond.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQ9MHqyzd5XRp343SXqnasXT7lUplKQWCrilFFsG-S3lHaedLZ-8v4Uiz2ilJWTLSPPBji_19lkwZlx94nX9J8NTcYt1ZwIlVQZUAPOTc4e1q76HXbEbwmrhIwBf6zOkmwDa_/s1600-h/IMG_0221.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDQ9MHqyzd5XRp343SXqnasXT7lUplKQWCrilFFsG-S3lHaedLZ-8v4Uiz2ilJWTLSPPBji_19lkwZlx94nX9J8NTcYt1ZwIlVQZUAPOTc4e1q76HXbEbwmrhIwBf6zOkmwDa_/s400/IMG_0221.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">OK, it's just a starling, but you have to admit it's beautiful. Check out those spots!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9vI-FAa1hMLs13eS5b4oRjZxlFtZPAoPtqsjvpLEv2nIGKG6CZ9GPjsg4c3cioJ1d15HrqsmUyYWIX0Ixv6C1P6fppFu7OcNO3h4LcTd443x-5tdlnPI1dL7EQuYD82t69er/s1600-h/IMG_0224.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS9vI-FAa1hMLs13eS5b4oRjZxlFtZPAoPtqsjvpLEv2nIGKG6CZ9GPjsg4c3cioJ1d15HrqsmUyYWIX0Ixv6C1P6fppFu7OcNO3h4LcTd443x-5tdlnPI1dL7EQuYD82t69er/s400/IMG_0224.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">This lone shoveler amongst the nmallards did not get much attention from most people but I was delighted to see her.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpABcLKcLRqjXqoRTsFNIyimaEtiznN9Qr71R7pfG9Z6UfRlrMdVp0X29o4rDrFfErsKN4Z-eC-k_TpxhQKLbSCZVxKiKBVZ99pXIU1UEi8oQb5pQpCUpgf02u4Ci8bQOtiWm/s1600-h/IMG_0218.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKpABcLKcLRqjXqoRTsFNIyimaEtiznN9Qr71R7pfG9Z6UfRlrMdVp0X29o4rDrFfErsKN4Z-eC-k_TpxhQKLbSCZVxKiKBVZ99pXIU1UEi8oQb5pQpCUpgf02u4Ci8bQOtiWm/s400/IMG_0218.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><br /><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;">This is the goose that fascinated me. Again, most ignored it. This is an Egyptian Goose, part of a feral population established now, mostly in the eastern part of England. Some have a bold patch around the eye; too, this one just had a hint. There are various morphs. The pink bill and legs, yellow eye, neck ring, fox-colored back, bold white stripe and black flight feathers all confimed the ID.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpO6B-rxfg4dcFYiuPQxJrjw41V5rtFUBUbNBtrVtnPg5XHojlUeCtOoOKIUDoWd224YGTvdiqmZuBhAFLDImqtnUzUoXqp9n0ZupbAc5QViVqDLIOjqvxWFzocQT4BCpZnfM/s1600-h/IMG_0262.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKpO6B-rxfg4dcFYiuPQxJrjw41V5rtFUBUbNBtrVtnPg5XHojlUeCtOoOKIUDoWd224YGTvdiqmZuBhAFLDImqtnUzUoXqp9n0ZupbAc5QViVqDLIOjqvxWFzocQT4BCpZnfM/s400/IMG_0262.JPG" border="0" /></a> </div><div style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" alt="Posted by Picasa" style="border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-origin: padding; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous;" align="middle" border="0" /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-14784871462109348292009-08-06T00:26:00.000-07:002009-08-06T00:27:05.476-07:00Birding Hyde Park<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px">Fred and I spent a quiet morning at Hyde Park. We walked over to Round Pond as there are usually some good birds there.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwLCK-ZOWa3P3oyljzyjm-AlXPDBSl-3pZGTDmt2myoKhhvysz9sNNmJmHhkuazecJUGBTR2s3yIK9mqdfceIKO1eYUt1YxrJWKQbb6o6SXpDQEPGw9_LcPZ2gvVoniH4xTNj/s1600-h/IMG_0174.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUwLCK-ZOWa3P3oyljzyjm-AlXPDBSl-3pZGTDmt2myoKhhvysz9sNNmJmHhkuazecJUGBTR2s3yIK9mqdfceIKO1eYUt1YxrJWKQbb6o6SXpDQEPGw9_LcPZ2gvVoniH4xTNj/s400/IMG_0174.JPG" /></a><br />Female Tufted Duck, above, and male, below.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92V5H_d9vHd_-psF0PWfnsKb5Sd0tAGsF-GLxxVOT39ssT54x3GtSZT5iX2Tm52JCW9Xkua-Dq2IHjdjxCH0-DAfA5AmjuFmk8FQr4ByLF-1J0GLe1cQI-7fVl0uLB5xq2g-O/s1600-h/IMG_0186.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh92V5H_d9vHd_-psF0PWfnsKb5Sd0tAGsF-GLxxVOT39ssT54x3GtSZT5iX2Tm52JCW9Xkua-Dq2IHjdjxCH0-DAfA5AmjuFmk8FQr4ByLF-1J0GLe1cQI-7fVl0uLB5xq2g-O/s400/IMG_0186.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br />Mute Swan, there were tons of these!<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsmOz02-qszSiKgWVYNF_1xi5G8HfJL0l-Hngp2HR1AnG2GvfZzaC9nJAwf8QbhwuIPpE-0E1Ie8CoO8MuQS9WoV818drR-0idqqk-AJ48Et1YIOWGQWA2R_AYiE_qFtX0kGJ/s1600-h/IMG_0185.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIsmOz02-qszSiKgWVYNF_1xi5G8HfJL0l-Hngp2HR1AnG2GvfZzaC9nJAwf8QbhwuIPpE-0E1Ie8CoO8MuQS9WoV818drR-0idqqk-AJ48Et1YIOWGQWA2R_AYiE_qFtX0kGJ/s400/IMG_0185.JPG" /></a> </div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"> Greylag Goose. There were a lot of these. There were also a lot of Canada Geese. There was one that looked like a Cackling Goose (like a Canada but with a very short neck), but I suspect was a Canada x Graylag hybrid instead. My picture was not good.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrc8IX18-_7QUx6OKy9JhkA9cS7fvv2nCoqc-H000pGVBTHf_8gRS0yoMEp8OKli_f53Iq132kStRpG1nuvk1LFabTPkbuIdD84r8H4MrEroumnqCE9qD3Rx8USXRKggeM9vl/s1600-h/IMG_0195.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBrc8IX18-_7QUx6OKy9JhkA9cS7fvv2nCoqc-H000pGVBTHf_8gRS0yoMEp8OKli_f53Iq132kStRpG1nuvk1LFabTPkbuIdD84r8H4MrEroumnqCE9qD3Rx8USXRKggeM9vl/s400/IMG_0195.JPG" /></a> </div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-2965601616050658772009-07-24T21:53:00.000-07:002009-07-24T21:54:16.645-07:00Whooper Swan in Heinola<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dzNArjR92lddLlDQY7w3cqoYJ-LWNbdAlMgQE1a7T9KFlMDgOSWmqVkN24uQ-ugjvocfUiZxOMy2e-PvCqVaZPUw5nCZa91OL-iauiPI1I-OCdhUtJjlYJqTk3XpZnHJAJBZ/s1600-h/IMG_8683.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1dzNArjR92lddLlDQY7w3cqoYJ-LWNbdAlMgQE1a7T9KFlMDgOSWmqVkN24uQ-ugjvocfUiZxOMy2e-PvCqVaZPUw5nCZa91OL-iauiPI1I-OCdhUtJjlYJqTk3XpZnHJAJBZ/s400/IMG_8683.JPG" /></a><br />Outi took us to visit the Bird Sanctuary, actually a bird rescue facility, in Heinola. At the pond just outside the sanctuary, these two whooper swans floated tranquilly. They apparently are there all the time. There used to be a black swan, too.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIe5Df6Xate-pi21IPZ7RYR938V6Z8YyrsZklSgKHJ5ty_qrigO9xx4sdoS1zvJMID8Jqr1b876RS0mlmqklFIcLPZ2ukKopZ6misFasSBurXmZLw4RVW2vPDTd1-2sXdhNZVc/s1600-h/IMG_8674.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIe5Df6Xate-pi21IPZ7RYR938V6Z8YyrsZklSgKHJ5ty_qrigO9xx4sdoS1zvJMID8Jqr1b876RS0mlmqklFIcLPZ2ukKopZ6misFasSBurXmZLw4RVW2vPDTd1-2sXdhNZVc/s400/IMG_8674.JPG" /></a><br />A line of black headed gulls, with one common gull amongst them. There was also a herring gull on the fence.</div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-2354041647023016322009-07-23T22:14:00.000-07:002009-07-23T22:14:54.805-07:00Birding, Heinola, Finland<div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcnOc21r4ssOjzBI_ekuyzMkwfEFJsar911Acj9SRQNGi4hlRZY-Mv0_VyBj9y6rP3VAKIRHb00-jhq_xdhSLq11qCAv2mCRXf1ReKhjun-ocI1Xz6YbKHZyuNP6H3TSaRCgJ/s1600-h/IMG_8657.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWcnOc21r4ssOjzBI_ekuyzMkwfEFJsar911Acj9SRQNGi4hlRZY-Mv0_VyBj9y6rP3VAKIRHb00-jhq_xdhSLq11qCAv2mCRXf1ReKhjun-ocI1Xz6YbKHZyuNP6H3TSaRCgJ/s400/IMG_8657.JPG" /></a><br />We're staying at the Hotel Kumpelli, along a river whose name I don't know yet. Here are an adult and juvenile Hooded or Carrion Crow, the juvie exhibiting classic "FEED ME" behavior.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7sIV672-HMP9AOW8uZiRIf0RWjvxfupUDnC4Ng2SeQQerAz1WCoGV2YPSQS5f9PI8NVRvBoGD0nDC_9TIBefhBYi6VD1xDIB5UEzMc7Be-vG7gg_UJZYkUK0MlEPQ6dG-OKb/s1600-h/IMG_8640.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgG7sIV672-HMP9AOW8uZiRIf0RWjvxfupUDnC4Ng2SeQQerAz1WCoGV2YPSQS5f9PI8NVRvBoGD0nDC_9TIBefhBYi6VD1xDIB5UEzMc7Be-vG7gg_UJZYkUK0MlEPQ6dG-OKb/s400/IMG_8640.JPG" /></a><br />Mergansers aren't listed in my book, at least I haven't found them yet!<br /></div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpL1exWn-j8sDbnDQJl7STmrdx__18pQJm-pRyyCCbMy_6RY6Tltu0OEimQAl_l5q-uO-1IDnaxBqDFJ8SMR5Kz8EPvUbJq85WTfJ8cXqnSsgIoeWm2-kkyrVIoYuhe4JXgEK/s1600-h/IMG_8643.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzpL1exWn-j8sDbnDQJl7STmrdx__18pQJm-pRyyCCbMy_6RY6Tltu0OEimQAl_l5q-uO-1IDnaxBqDFJ8SMR5Kz8EPvUbJq85WTfJ8cXqnSsgIoeWm2-kkyrVIoYuhe4JXgEK/s400/IMG_8643.JPG" /></a><br />White Wagtail.</div><br /><div style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTjPP_1-qp_Ue55zzy4b9riC10_AQYyma0gzgsus3_t_zQ89mOoBahqJH9mw5yKVVrlPFkYbellN8g54WqsDNU-zVG6cF02aEznKh92xqpjur8z1vqXGvSoFI4-ipG1ycCh2D/s1600-h/IMG_8663.JPG"><img border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbTjPP_1-qp_Ue55zzy4b9riC10_AQYyma0gzgsus3_t_zQ89mOoBahqJH9mw5yKVVrlPFkYbellN8g54WqsDNU-zVG6cF02aEznKh92xqpjur8z1vqXGvSoFI4-ipG1ycCh2D/s400/IMG_8663.JPG" /></a><br />Well, I know it's just a mallard, but she was posing very prettily and the baby was just behind her in the water, so I had to snap a pic!</div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10793500.post-25029192462734549062009-04-28T12:48:00.000-07:002009-04-28T12:48:52.224-07:00Birding Great Marsh<div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center">We birded the Great Marsh Trail on Thursday. This is on Mason Neck, but it is part of the federal wildlife refuge, not the State Park. We enjoy walking out to the overlook and enjoying a quite afternoon. There's usually something worth looking at.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3utN822UKRBnf6cr9kJTcFIchYBVGCnDoSzZnqu5ftvhwihI0CjYffqebEqWRDHBlHHxyAR02eOwhFu9ChQPr1etbtDgdfxkukgW2IbDnFxX-tMWoN0QG7L9ONrua3Hr9wzkl/s1600-h/IMGP0942.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3utN822UKRBnf6cr9kJTcFIchYBVGCnDoSzZnqu5ftvhwihI0CjYffqebEqWRDHBlHHxyAR02eOwhFu9ChQPr1etbtDgdfxkukgW2IbDnFxX-tMWoN0QG7L9ONrua3Hr9wzkl/s400/IMGP0942.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Yellowlegs convention. I believe almost all Greater Yellowlegs with one Lesser on the far left, horning in!</div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yBTFfOGu1QQGgNcXyg7jc3I1YjMbwSC2b9KN7aFPg-nrDz_oqUcalUCyQjSoZu_XB6qgG5-60aku39e_QY_Z8k3Buuj0jcE9PL2xHCeSgmztZaBze3XXW7fPgNvL43r2RQP8/s1600-h/IMGP0944.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yBTFfOGu1QQGgNcXyg7jc3I1YjMbwSC2b9KN7aFPg-nrDz_oqUcalUCyQjSoZu_XB6qgG5-60aku39e_QY_Z8k3Buuj0jcE9PL2xHCeSgmztZaBze3XXW7fPgNvL43r2RQP8/s400/IMGP0944.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />Eagles' nest, Great Marsh Trail, one adult and two fledglings. The other adult was also nearby.</div><br /><div style="MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; TEXT-ALIGN: center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwCSEZguIeh_atYaWc6-wUg6h-ZC72vVQ52Y7ox7g2eHKz5A8ulGTErThJrI95VbFuDdsiPzQ0BYxCud0iwSrVqdo033ipkOnYS88CahMQxWDhjPD-334q9JTjecegJNc-bBm/s1600-h/IMGP0952.JPG"><img alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirwCSEZguIeh_atYaWc6-wUg6h-ZC72vVQ52Y7ox7g2eHKz5A8ulGTErThJrI95VbFuDdsiPzQ0BYxCud0iwSrVqdo033ipkOnYS88CahMQxWDhjPD-334q9JTjecegJNc-bBm/s400/IMGP0952.JPG" border="0" /></a><br />One of my birding companions.</div><div style='clear:both; text-align:CENTER'><a href='http://picasa.google.com/blogger/' target='ext'><img src='http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif' alt='Posted by Picasa' style='border: 0px none ; padding: 0px; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; -moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial;' align='middle' border='0' /></a></div>Betsy Truehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12597041485243321074noreply@blogger.com0