The ripening of red winter native Toyon berries coincides with the arrival of large flocks of these dazzling beauties. The elegant Cedar Waxwing sports a black mask and sleek pointed crest plus silky beige plumage tipped in waxy red and yellow. Listen for the high-pitched, trilled whistle as dozens descend from the treetops to feast [...]
Swinhoe’s White-eye is a newcomer that is rapidly making a big impact. The sprightly, diminutive songbird native to southern China, Vietnam, and Malaysia has recently established a vibrant, burgeoning presence in Southern California since being noticed in Huntington Beach two decades ago. At first there were only a few, likely arriving as a result of [...]
Thanksgiving morning started chilly and warmed nicely as birds came out in large numbers. Bright sunny skies and great views of snow covered peaks in the distance.James Kendall, Tonya Fannon (camera), Alex Curiel, Brenda and Tom Sabin (scope), Mark Singer (camera), Ann Marshall, Sheila Morgan-DeChellis (camera), with Betty Kanne as scribe [...]
Monthly Urban Forest bird survey. Bright sunny skies, mild temps of 60-72 degrees provided a stimulating fall birding experience with colorful fall flowering plants and falling leaves from deciduous trees. The abundance of newly fallen leaves created a rich food source of insects and seeds for ground feeding passerines.James Kendall (scope&camera), Brian Bleecker (scope&camera), Tonya [...]
The White-tailed Kite can be seen patrolling and hovering over grasslands, open scrub, and agricultural fields where it hunts small mammals like voles and mice using a unique hunting technique known as “kiting”, where it hovers motionless in the air facing into the wind scanning the ground for movement. Once sighted, it rapidly dives, feet [...]
