30 Jan 2015 - Lucky Ducky Days

January. Another overly warm month. One small snowstorm, a week of wind and cold, then back to warm days. Days that were 20 to 30 degrees higher than normal. While it wasn't t-shirt and shorts weather, it was warm enough to go look for a bird or two. And I found some pretty gorgeous ducks. 

I was tickled to find three beauties--a  Barrow's Goldeneye 

and a Common Goldeneye.

It was a day for black and white ducks. Next up was a Bufflehead.

Followed by a Ring-necked Duck. 

 

On the way home I stopped to see what was happening at a local wetlands where I saw a Harrier. Naturally, I had to send a picture to my brother. 

I was immediately informed I needed a better bird book because this was no Harrier, it was an Osprey. He always manages to make me laugh while at the same time one-upping me. So funny. This "osprey" was a lifer for me in the mechanical bird species.

The day after seeing these ducks I was back in San Francisco. I spent some time at Heron's Head Point where I saw yet another duck, a Surf Scoter who has a most amazing bill. 

 As long as we are talking about amazing bills, I was really happy to see a Brown Pelican in his breeding plumage which consists of the bright red on the pouch and the dark stripe down the back of the neck. Stunning.

San Francisco was good to me birdwise. I added quite a few to my list while I was there.

Anna's Hummingbird

Allen's Hummingbird

Lincoln's Sparrow

Red-bellied sapsucker

Varied Thrush

 Townsend's Warbler -- did not want to pose for me.

Purple Finch

Golden-crowned Sparrow

And like any good fish story, there are always the ones that got away.  I got some really great looks at a Pacific Wren,  Pygmy Nuthatch and a Bushtit. But they are so tiny, fast and furtive, I could not catch up with them with the camera.  I'm looking forward to another chance. 

And while this is not a new bird to me, it did give me a chance to get a nice shot.  

Yellow-rumped warbler