Red Breasted Merganser pair. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. This pair was swimming along close to shore. Just after I snapped this pic, the male tucked his head under his wing and coasted along behind his mate.

Western Grebe. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Three Western Grebes among a group that included the following American Wigeon and a bunch of Scaup.

American Wigeon. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. A little better picture than the one previously posted. Among a large number of assorted scaup and grebes.

Pie-billed Grebe. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Canon 10D. A lone Pie-billed Grebe among some Scaup on Mission Bay late one morning.

Brants and American Wigeon. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Canon 10D

Great Blue Heron in flight. Shelter Island, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005.

Brown Pelican. Shelter Island, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Canon 10D. I had no idea these were perching birds....and not shy, either!

Bufflehead. Shelter Island, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Canon 10D.

Surf scoter. Shelter Island, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Canon 10D. There were quite a few Surf Scoters, both male and female on this particular morning.

Ruby crowned kinglet. Old Town San Diego, San Diego, CA. I was pleased to see the little flashes of red as I was trying to see what kind of bird this little guy was.

House Finch. Presidio, San Diego, CA. Not a rarity, but he was preening so prettily right next to the Presidio, that I snapped this shot.

Killdeer. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005.

Brants. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. These beauties were swimming across the bay early this morning. Brants are neat because they have a gland that allows them to drink ocean water.

Black-crowned Night Heron. Cheetah enclosure, Wild Animal Park, San Diego, CA. February 2003. Sony Mavica. This heron was hanging around the cheetah enclosure during the feeding, waiting for the bits of hamburger that the cheetahs left behind. Obviously not an inmate, but a visitor to the park.

Snowy Egret. Mission Bay, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Canon 10D.

Wandering Tattler. Mission Beach Jetty, San Diego, CA. February 2005. Canon 10D

Northern Harrier, female. Tijuana Estuary NWR, San Diego, CA. Feb 2005. Canon 10D

Birding at Tijuana Estuary NWR, San Diego, CA

We went birding at the Tijuana Estuary yesterday.  It was supposed to be a rainy day, but instead we had bright sunshine!  It was a great day.  We saw (in no particular order--a new bird for this beginning birder is marked by an asterisk *):  redbreasted merganser, american wigeon*, great blue heron, great egret, snowy egret, brown pelican, redwinged blackbird, northern harrier* (male & female), long billed curlew, willets, mallards (male and female), song sparrow, seagulls (of course) of indeterminate type, marbled godwit, western meadowlark, loggerhead shrike*, a savannah sparrow (Belding's?)*, several lizards, two jackrabbits and two small mice.  There were also some finches that may have been purple finches.  And a myriad of sparrows and other small brown birds that wouldn't stay still long enough for me to figure them out.  A great day!   Betsy True Alexandria, VA www.betsytruedesigns.com check out Lynda Prioleau's website www.matlyndesigns.com   see the Black, White and Pink Challenge at http://www.quiltart.com/challenges/pink/index.html

Hawk dinner. Tijuana Estuary NWR, San Diego, CA. These enterprising little guys or girls were waiting for us to drop a crumb from our lunch near the Visitor's Center.

American Wigeon. Tijuana Estuary NWR, San Diego, CA. There were four wigeons, two male and two female along with several redbreasted mergansers.