Sweet Southern Birds!

All the photos in this post were taken by my sister-in-law, Karen, during a trip to Charleston and Savannah.  She and her husband stopped at the Audubon swamp at the Magnolia Plantation outside of Charleston, SC, where they managed to capture this magnificent photo of a Black-crowned Night Heron.  Isn't he a fine-looking fella?  Great photography, guys!  I've never come close enough to a Black-crowned Night Heron to even attempt a picture!

Here's another great shot!  This one was taken at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge in Hardeeville, SC, which is about 6 miles north of Savannah.  If these photos were included on my Bird-a-thon Presentation I'd make sure and point out that these two species can be seen in Massachusetts, also.  I've noticed that people without any exposure to birds and birding get really excited by the prospect of seeing fantastic birds without needing to travel far.  I think that is how fledgling birders are born - pun intended!  :) 

This gorgeous guy is a Boat-tailed Grackle. I've never even seen one of these.  I saw plenty of Great-tailed Grackles in Tuscon, but this species is only found along the gulf coast.  The Cornell Labs of Ornithology describes the species as a, "large, long-tailed blackbird, the Boat-tailed Grackle is found exclusively along the Gulf and Atlantic coasts of the United States. The noisy, iridescent, purple-black male is hard to miss when it displays on power lines and telephone poles. The smaller brown female is much less conspicuous, and might even be mistaken for a different species".  I really like the name, too!

The last two photos have me burning up with blatant jealousy! I have ALWAYS wanted to see an Anhinga!  Since jealously is hardly becoming to a blogger, however, I will try and be gracious and congratulate my sister and brother-n-law for finding this awesome bird, and for capturing it in action!  Great job, guys!

It is even harder to suppress my jealousy when it comes to a Purple Gallinule, but I shall.  After all, there is still a slight chance I might see one for myself one day.  What I find hard to believe is that this spectacular bird is related to the American Coot.  I just couldn't make myself fall in love with coots.  This bird, however, is near the top of my 'desperately want to see and photograph' list.  In any case, though, I am very impressed with Bob and Karen's birding and photography skills.  Thank you both for sharing your pictures!

Click the blue button above to donate to Mass Audubon's Bird-a-thon 2012.  It's a very worthy cause, especially if you enjoy being outside in nature - and who doesn't?

New and Mew Gulls

I love photos of gulls in flight!  It would be far better if I could tell you exactly what species of gull we're looking at here, but I'm not entirely sure!  In the first place, there are many species of gulls in California that we don't have around here (and vice-versa), so I didn't even try to ID all of them.

In the second,place this is not a fully mature gull, and I haven't memorized three or four years worth of different plumages even for the local gulls I know and love.  I like this photo because it caught the gull in mid-landing.  As I've said before, a beginning bird photographer can't choose a better subject than a gull!

This Mew Gull would be considered a rarity here in Massachusetts.  Personally, I think he's a particularly appealing bird.  The Mew Gull can easily be identified by it's small bill, roundish head, and small size.  The fact that he is often described as a a 'cute' gull is another example of humans instinctual reaction to animals with rounder heads and smaller features.  (See this post for another example).

Another gull we don't see at all in New England is the Heermann's Gull, but the Heermann's Gull is also very easy to ID.  This is a juvenile bird, and it's the only uniformly dark colored gull with black legs and feet that you'll ever see.

Here he is actually chasing down another gull in order to steal it's supper - typical gull behavior despite it's atypical appearance.  The adult Heermann's is even more startling-looking; it has a bright white head and a bright red bill!

Stunning Surf Scoters - California Style!

Many birders have seen Surf Scoters on the Massachusetts coast, but I never got a decent look at them until we stayed in Marina, California.  As you can see, they were well worth the wait!  The male (in front) would blow you away!

Check out that colorful and outrageous face!  It is far too exotic to be just another run-of-the-mill sea duck.

The beach by our hotel was teeming with Surf Scoters every day.  Here is an juvenile or first year scoter in the surf.

Her is the same scoter about to dive under a massive wave.

It was the adult males with the brilliant coloring that thrilled me most of all.

Do you see the little Surf Scoter in the lower right corner calmly swimming in the massive surf of the Pacific Ocean?  I liked this photo so much I use it as my Facebook cover page!  They always dived under before the waves could take them and toss them about like so much flotsam, though.  I know I wouldn't have lasted a minute in that violent surf!

Remember, Bird-a-thon 2012 is fast approaching!  If you haven't made a donation yet, please try to scrape up a few dollars for Massachusett's Audubon. Mass Audubon is saving the nature of Massachusetts, and I know you all care about such a worthy cause!