Green Heron in the Afternoon

At the UC Davis Arboretum today.

Common Ringed Plover

We have another national rarity here in Davis. This common ringed plover has been hanging around for a week, very cooperatively. Given the rule of shorebirds that they stay for a day, three, or seven, we may be lucky if it hangs around tomorrow, but who knows.

This bird looks different every time he turns around. A major diagnostic feature is a white supercilium, but this is concealed in many lights. I did get to see a foot with a lack of webbing, separating the bird from the semipalmated plover conclusively.

I was working on illustration board which was not happy about my watercolor washes. But I do love my new watercolors: Schminke. It’s Roz’s fault.

Little Stint

Yesterday I was slammed at work till nearly 6:30, missed all the emails about Todd Easterla’s find of a Little Stint at the Davis Wetlands. It took an email from Linda who’d seen it on NARBA (National Rare Bird Alert) to clue me in this morning at 6. The Wetlands opened at 7: plenty of time to throw on a pair of jeans and take some tea with me.

The walk from the car out to Tract 2 took about 20 minutes. Another 20 for one of the 40+ people there (I was figuring there would be more like 200+) to find the bird. It was obvious, though, very orange head, very easy to see in the beautiful early light.

This is ABA bird # 701 for me. The last ABA bird I got was the Colima warbler 4 years ago. Wow. Fun to have one show up in our back yard!

Turkeys and Jackrabbit

A hen turkey has been hanging around with her three remaining chicks at work, often taking a long break under the walnut tree in the afternoon, where they are often joined by a jackrabbit or two. This one was at lunch, though.

Western Bluebird Chick, Begging

Wilson's Warbler

Cold spring, long migration. Lots of Wilson’s warblers have been singing and eating.

Western Wood-peewee

Western wood-peewees are in suddenly. It’s quite cold here and I don’t know how much they’re finding in the way of insects, but it’s they’re looking!

Canada Goose in Alfalfa

Black-crowned Night-heron

Finally they flooded the field. Finally I’m drawing birds again. (I did a birdathon by bike last week and it was fabulous, but my drawing’s been suffering a little…)

Bullocks Orioles

A pair of Bullock’s orioles was working the walnut tree outside the kitchen window while I had lunch today. Hope they find it a suitable nest tree!