Ready for a bunch of photos?

Memorial day (and the following day too) I spent my mornings at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary in Irvine. there were not that many birds- compared to winter when many birds stop over for the warmer weather, but the quality of the birds was wonderful! There were avocet, stilt and mallard chicks, which was a true treat.

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) chasing mallard chicks (Anas platyrhynchos)!

Female ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)

Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor)

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) with chick and a photo-bombing tree swallow.

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) with a chick

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana) drying off.

American avocet (Recurvirostra americana)

American avocet chick (Recurvirostra americana)

American avocet chick (Recurvirostra americana)

Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus)

Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) with chick

Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) with chick

Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus)

Mallard mom and chick (Anas platyrhynchos)

Mallard chick (Anas platyrhynchos) drying off. Or maybe doing a little dance.

Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

Ring-necked duck (Aythya collaris)

Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) chasing mallard chicks (Anas platyrhynchos)

Black-necked stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) chasing mallard chicks (Anas platyrhynchos). Mom mallard was not thrilled and would chase the stilt away when possible.

Western fence lizard (Sceloporus occidentalis) soaking up some sun.

Spring is chick season

Here are some photos from 2 weeks ago (I'm getting a little better with the posting speed!) I spent some time at the bird refuge in Santa Barbara and was in love with the mallard chicks. I was borrowing a 600mm F4 lens for the week and this was my first day using the lens. It was my "practice day".

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) drying off.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) chick looking for some food.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) chick.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) chicks feeding on an emergent pole.

Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis).

Here is a photo of the lens I was using:

Winter Birding

These photos were taken on Feb 4 and 6 at Los Gatos Creek Trail. Bird names are listed in the captions.

Male and female greater scaup (Aythya marila)

Male greater scaup (Aythya marila)

male mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) fishing

Male and female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

Male and female mallards (Anas platyrhynchos)

Female mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Male mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Pied-billed grebe (Podilymbus podiceps)

Red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus)