Autumn is the season of events. Work, too, is full of conferences and such — I find myself flying around, battling jet lag.
Time to blow off steam in the field.
A flock of Tree Swallows gathered on the trees. It looked like many of them were this year’s fledglings.Occasionally, they playfully chase each other.A Cooper’s Hawk by the campground.I often see juveniles, but this one was a fine adult bird.A Golden-crowned Sparrow.A Black-tailed Jackrabbit dashing away.Here’s a juvenile Cooper’s Hawk. Unlike the previous one, it has distinct vertical streaks and different-colored irises.A White-tailed Kite hovering head-on. I’ve still never seen one actually catch anything.Again, a Golden-crowned Sparrow.A Lesser Goldfinch pecking at seeds.The usual California Ground Squirrel, with a large scar on its belly.A California Towhee feeding by the roadside.A Northern Shoveler — perhaps a male in molt?A group of American White Pelicans. It’s curious how, when one dips its head into the water, the others all follow suit.A Red-tailed Hawk with its prey — perhaps a squirrel. Given how many squirrels are around, it makes sense that raptors are so abundant here.Just as I started to head back after a satisfying walk, I spotted a large raptor through a gap in the brush…To my surprise — a Barn Owl flying in broad daylight! It didn’t seem to be chased by crows, so perhaps it was just moving to another roost. Still, those feet were enormous. What a sight to see.A Red-tailed Hawk flying overhead. There truly were many raptors that day.
