The Ash-throated Flycatcher is a welcome local breeder to Southern California each spring. The eight inch Flycatcher spends the cold winter months in coastal Mexico and Central America before its annual return to breed in the arid southwest. It nests primarily in tree cavities excavated in previous nesting seasons by enterprising woodpeckers. The mated pair [...]
Springtime in the Western States heralds the welcome return of the sky-blue headed Lazuli Bunting and its bubbly springtime song. The Lazuli Bunting is named for a vibrant blue gemstone, lapis lazuli. During its breeding season, a male Lazuli Bunting has bright cerulean-blue head and back, white wing bars, a rusty breast, and white belly. [...]
Barn Swallows return! The diving and darting Barn Swallows overhead have returned to Orange County to breed after spending the winter in the tropics. Watch for their long streaming tail and rusty-orange breast and throat as they devour 60 insects per hour on the wing. The Barn Swallow is a long slender swallow with glittering [...]
Red-Winged Blackbird The Red-winged Blackbird is a common spring & summer breeding bird in Huntington Central Park favoring the dense reedy edges of Lake Huntington, Talbert Lake and Blackbird Pond where boisterous males atop cattails and bulrushes vigorously defend breeding territories with their trademark vocalization, a loud, ringing conk-la-REE!! that culminates in an intimidating trill. Male Red-winged [...]
Dark-Eyed Junco The Dark-eyed Junco is a dapper-looking, ground feeding sparrow with a distinctive charcoal black head resembling a hood extending to its breast, contrasting with a rusty back and white belly. Its dark head is offset with a small, startlingly pink bill. Females display a more muted, grayer black hood. The Junco has a [...]
