NATURE CLICKS #348 - SAY’S PHOEBE (FIRST SIGHTING!)

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California ----------

I have reported and showed pictures several times over the years of the Eastern Phoebe, the only phoebe in North America that lives in the eastern part of the continent. Back in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, California last Sunday I saw for the first time in my life a Say’s Phoebe. Most of my photos were shot with the bird perched on a barbed wire fence, closer than this picture, but I really like this shot because of light, background, and gesture. Like the Eastern Phoebe the Say’s flies from a perch to catch insects, like many other flycatchers. The bird is not difficult to identify and I was very happy about my encounter, but wait, there was another one…, well, this is for my next blog post. So please stay tuned…

RAPTORS AT BOLSA CHICA

Osprey, Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California

During all my previous visits in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve people were telling me about a pair of Ospreys that nest in the wetlands, but I never saw them. This time I got a little more lucky and spotted actually two birds several times. This one here was perched on a dead tree, not far from the water. The laguna provides plenty of food for all kind of birds and it is not only the Osprey that hunts for fish. I also saw a Northern Harrier soaring along the shore early in the morning. Unfortunately it hit me a little by surprise and I missed the shot. Well, next time…

NATURE CLICKS #347 - BLACK-CROWNED NIGHT-HERON

Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve, Huntington Beach, California --------------

One of the best bird encounters I had in the Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve last Sunday was the presence of some Black-crowned Night-Herons. I have seen and photographed them only once in the Green Island Wetlands here in the Mississippi River Valley. Some other photographers told me that they had seen lately even the Golden-crowned Night-Heron, who is there only occasionally during migration. My luck didn’t stretch out that far but I was very happy seeing the black-crowned. It was already close to mid day when these shots were made and I came back later in hope for softer light, but the herons were gone.

Sometimes we have to compromise, especially if the time to work with a particular species is limited. The background was really critical. The location of these dead trees, where the herons had perched, was near the border of the preserve, just in front of a residential area. Houses are never a great background for wildlife photography but in my second picture I couldn’t hide the fact. Usually I try to zoom with my feet and move around for a better background but more dead trees and other obstructions really limited my chances. Well, I’m still happy…