05 January 2012

Phainopepla

I'm still in the phase of "learning what's around" here in the Central Valley.  For example, I was working  today on private land near Modesto when I stumbled on a PHAINOPEPLA.  Now, I've seen this species in foothill areas in the Central Valley before but never on the valley floor.  If this is actually notable or not, I haven't a clue.  Either way, I snapped a couple of pics just in case:

Nothing else around was too crazy.  Here is a standard RED-TAILED HAWK:

... and a KILLDEER:

Today I had more WESTERN BLUEBIRDS than usual.  In fact, a couple even perched within shooting-distance:

That's all for now.  I hope to put together a post about my year list from 2011 eventually.