January 19, 2005
Photographer's paradise
On Sunday, Marcel Holyoak and I escaped the Central Valley fog to bird in the Bay area. Our first target was a wintering Sedge Wren close to South San Francisco, where we witnessed an appalling bit of birding behaviour. One impatient idiot believed he had the bird confined to one of three bushes, which he proceeded to kick and shake in the hope of flushing it! Needless to say the bird remained hidden in thick cover until said idiot disappeared. Patient waiting on the footpath resulted in good, close views for all present, though photography was all but impossible! Given the skulking nature of this bird, Marcel did very well to get the following two pictures.
My photographic prospects were, however, soon to improve. We visited Candlestick Point in the hope of relocating a Harlequin (we didn't), but instead enjoyed photographing several commoner species in wonderful light. My targets included Great Blue Heron,...
White-crowned Sparrow...
Black-bellied Plover...
Willet...
Spotted Sandpiper...
and Greater Scaup.
I couldn't resist this California Ground Squirrel enjoying a mid-morning snack.
A pit-stop at Coyote Point allowed me to state-tick Red Knot and Ruddy Turnstone, and then we headed to Palo Alto Baylands to dip my umpteenth Swamp Sparrow. The photographic conditions remained excellent, however, and I was able to get this portrait of a streaky-headed Ring-billed Gull at the boating lake.
Perhaps the highlight of my day was photographing this cooperative male Anna's Hummingbird - I was thrilled at how well these photos came out!
