Equipped with rubber boots, better beemers, and a hot tip, we drove the bridges above Stevens Creek County Park in search of American Dippers. We watched them zooming up and down the creek in pairs, and finally managed to catch this bird foraging for a few minutes. It was pretty cooperative, but definitely didn't want to come into the sunlight. Sometimes flash is the only way to go.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Thursday, January 08, 2009
Barrow's Goldeneye!
After many false alarms and mistaken identifications, I finally captured some images of Barrow's Goldeneye at Shoreline Lake in Mountain View. Most times, I'd head up there after reading other people's reports and just not find the bird at all. Other times, I'd come home with what I was sure were images of Barrow's only to be told that I had photographed Barrow's x Common Goldeneye hybrids. So, it's nice to have found the unmistakable stubby, all-orange bill on this female. It's also nice to have had my birding gurus confirm my diagnosis (Thanks, Bob). Whew. Now if I could just get a decent picture of a Sharp-shinned Hawk!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Christmas 2008
How is change treating you, this year? We're about up to our necks in it. Bill is still working with the mighty Reactivity engineering team acquired by Cisco last year - now with a new role and a new product to work on. He manages more than he codes these days and he still likes his work. Mary wrapped up nearly 10 years at Nortel in January and just started a great new gig at Symantec this fall.
And what about national change? On our way to see family and birds, we kept running into the presidential campaign, energy and food politics, gay rights and immigration. It was McCain signs all over Orlando when our niece Sarah celebrated her third birthday in January. By June, when our younger niece Alison was baptized, it seemed For Sale signs had largely replaced campaign lawn signs. We saw the border fence threatening important bird areas of the Rio Grande this spring, farmers' markets in six states, wind farms in three, and hybrid cars everywhere.
In late October, we drove past hand-painted Obama signs in rural Wisconsin, a closed Mexican restaurant in Postville after the raids, and the dark, locked McCain office in Decorah, Iowa. When Mary's Mom visited us in July, our gay friends were legally able to marry. In November, we watched the election returns with Bill's folks and Adam here in Santa Clara and those rights were taken away.
In December, we stayed home and let the news come to us with our account statements. And we were at Erik's San Francisco Boys Chorus concert when they announced they will be singing at the presidential inauguration in January. Change happens and the national story goes on, whether we go to see it or it comes to us. When we're lucky, hope comes with it.We send you all our love at Christmas time and prayers for peace and happiness in the New Year
-Mary and Bill
And what about national change? On our way to see family and birds, we kept running into the presidential campaign, energy and food politics, gay rights and immigration. It was McCain signs all over Orlando when our niece Sarah celebrated her third birthday in January. By June, when our younger niece Alison was baptized, it seemed For Sale signs had largely replaced campaign lawn signs. We saw the border fence threatening important bird areas of the Rio Grande this spring, farmers' markets in six states, wind farms in three, and hybrid cars everywhere.
In late October, we drove past hand-painted Obama signs in rural Wisconsin, a closed Mexican restaurant in Postville after the raids, and the dark, locked McCain office in Decorah, Iowa. When Mary's Mom visited us in July, our gay friends were legally able to marry. In November, we watched the election returns with Bill's folks and Adam here in Santa Clara and those rights were taken away.
In December, we stayed home and let the news come to us with our account statements. And we were at Erik's San Francisco Boys Chorus concert when they announced they will be singing at the presidential inauguration in January. Change happens and the national story goes on, whether we go to see it or it comes to us. When we're lucky, hope comes with it.We send you all our love at Christmas time and prayers for peace and happiness in the New Year
-Mary and Bill
Saturday, December 13, 2008
BirdWalker 2009 Wall Calendar
I'm pleased to announce that my 2009 wall calendar is available now through my on-line store. It features photos I've taken since December 2007 in various sites around northern California, central Florida, and the Rio Grande Valley of Texas.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Assume a spherical turkey...
So, you've got a recipe for Turkey with Molasses Butter. It gives ingredients for a mixture that's to be inserted under the skin of a ten pound bird. We've got a twenty pound bird. How best to scale up the ingredients for something proportional to the surface area of the bird when all we know is that we've doubled something proprtional to the volume of the bird? Well, if you assume a spherical turkey, then doubling the volume is generally slightly under doubling the surface area, so that should be OK. See attached graph.
And that's what I did tonight after the mashed potatoes.
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Wednesday, September 03, 2008
Solitary Sandpiper
We read on our local mailing list about a Solitary Sandpiper hanging around Vasona Lake, and went to see for ourselves. Happily, we found him right where everyone said he would be, and the morning light brought some great colors from the foliage into the water.
See also the rest of the day's photos
See also the rest of the day's photos
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Checking out Alviso
All the county hotshots have been scouring Alviso for rare shorebirds lately, so I thought I'd better head over there. For shorebirds I found the usual suspects, but I had a lot of fun tracking this Collared-Dove until it landed down low. This isn't the perfect naturalistic background I might wish for, but it does show how these guys are adapting to the urban environment down at the bottom of San Francisco Bay.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
Flight Practice
This morning Ashok and I went over to Hayward Shoreline Interpretive Center and walked out among the shorebirds, trying to capture them in flight. The overcast meant pointing the camera down was best, as with this breeding-plumage Dowitcher. Perhaps our coolest bird of the day was a Peregrine Falcon flying over and spooking several hundred shorebirds into the air all at once.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Snowy Plover chicks at Moss Landing
I spent some time at Moss Landing and Zmudowski State Beach the other week, and I ran into Dave Dixon, who works with the State Park folks banding Snowy Plovers. When I told him I was interested in the Snowy's, he offered to take me to a nest where he'd just banded two-day-old chicks. Well, naturally I leapt at the chance! He not only brought me right close to the nest, but actually put two of the babies in the palm of my hand, where I could feel their warmth seeping into my hand. It was a spiritual moment. Those little birds were amazing.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Chestnut-backed Chickadees in Cupertino
In June, I made a number of trips to our local Audubon office to lurk near the bird feeders. These chickadees were so busy feeding and squabbling that they scarely noticed me.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Sierra Workshop 2008
At the end of May, Mary and I spent three lovely days near Sierra City with Bob Power and his merry band of birders. Thanks to their eagle eyes and kind cooperation, I was able to see and photograph some excellent birds up in the mountains. As always, the Sierra in summer is vibrant and gorgeous.
See the full set of pictures here
See the full set of pictures here
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Texas 2008 Birding and Photography Trip In Progress
Hello all,
Our 2008 trip to the Rio Grande Valley is underway, take a look at this set of photos on flickr for the results as I process them in the field; more detailed notes to follow after we get back
Our 2008 trip to the Rio Grande Valley is underway, take a look at this set of photos on flickr for the results as I process them in the field; more detailed notes to follow after we get back
Tuesday, December 04, 2007
Announcing the Bird Walker 2008 Wall Calendar
I'm pleased to announce that my 2008 wall calendar is ready! Each month features plenty of space for writing appointments plus one of twelve images I made this year while traveling from the marshes of Florida to the alpine meadows of the Canadian Rockies.
If you don't mind spoilers, you can look at a web preview of the artwork, or read these liner notes.
This calendar does make an excellent gift! If you're in the bay area, you can buy them from me directly, send email for more information. If you're out east or would like a calendar shipped directly, please visit my cafepress store.
Note: friends and family should watch their mailboxes for a copy accompanying the christmas letter, like last year.
Friday, November 30, 2007
December, Laughing Gull
Captiva Island, Florida [taken December 2006]
East-coast birders are very familiar with the Laughing Gull, but California birders like me find them fresh and intriguing. The black legs and black bill indicate that this bird is in non-breeding winter plumage. On the sandy beach of Captiva island, with the beautiful blue Gulf of Mexico in the background and puffy clouds overhead, this day sums up the best I can hope for myself and for you in 2008; many wonderful days spent outdoors in the presence of beautiful birds and gorgeous weather.
East-coast birders are very familiar with the Laughing Gull, but California birders like me find them fresh and intriguing. The black legs and black bill indicate that this bird is in non-breeding winter plumage. On the sandy beach of Captiva island, with the beautiful blue Gulf of Mexico in the background and puffy clouds overhead, this day sums up the best I can hope for myself and for you in 2008; many wonderful days spent outdoors in the presence of beautiful birds and gorgeous weather.
November, Acorn Woodpeckers
Guadelupe Oak Grove Park, San Jose, California [taken August 2007]
Acorn Woodpecker colonies gather and store acorns in granary trees. Each of the thousands of acorn they collect has to be fit into the proper-sized hole for the long winter. As the acorns dry, the woodpeckers move the shrinking acorns to smaller holes to keep them from falling out. Acorn Woodpeckers use a hard surface, such as the top of a tree limb or a wooden light post as an anvil to crack open the dry acorns and eat them at times when insects are not readily available. I love the clown-like facial coloring of the Acorn Woodpeckers, especially the round black patch surrounding the bill. In this photo, a male sits a the top of the tree while the female (identified by the black patch on the crown of her head) lands on the same tree, carrying an acorn in her bill.
Acorn Woodpecker colonies gather and store acorns in granary trees. Each of the thousands of acorn they collect has to be fit into the proper-sized hole for the long winter. As the acorns dry, the woodpeckers move the shrinking acorns to smaller holes to keep them from falling out. Acorn Woodpeckers use a hard surface, such as the top of a tree limb or a wooden light post as an anvil to crack open the dry acorns and eat them at times when insects are not readily available. I love the clown-like facial coloring of the Acorn Woodpeckers, especially the round black patch surrounding the bill. In this photo, a male sits a the top of the tree while the female (identified by the black patch on the crown of her head) lands on the same tree, carrying an acorn in her bill.
October, Spotted Towhee
Mount Umunum Road, Los Gatos, California [taken May 2007]
I drove the 35 windy miles to Mount Umunhum in Spring 2007 searching for a Black-chinned Sparrow. It was a lonely, foggy morning at the top of the mountain and I shot photos of several other birds while hunting for the sparrow. One special treat was seeing this Spotted Towhee at the top of a bush. "Spotties" are notorious skulkers, more often heard than seen, but it seemed the birds allowed me to approach more closely in the dense fog of this early morning. Singing is a full-body experience with this bird, and his manic, red eye increases the intensity of the moment.
I drove the 35 windy miles to Mount Umunhum in Spring 2007 searching for a Black-chinned Sparrow. It was a lonely, foggy morning at the top of the mountain and I shot photos of several other birds while hunting for the sparrow. One special treat was seeing this Spotted Towhee at the top of a bush. "Spotties" are notorious skulkers, more often heard than seen, but it seemed the birds allowed me to approach more closely in the dense fog of this early morning. Singing is a full-body experience with this bird, and his manic, red eye increases the intensity of the moment.
September, American Goldfinch
Half Moon Bay, California [taken October 2007]
American Goldfinches are a common subject for photographers and artists in their bright yellow summer plumage, but their subtle winter feathering is equally beautiful and a good sign of the changing seasons. A flock of goldfinches were feeding in thistles near the entrance to Venice Beach in Half Moon Bay. When the flock flew off, I set up my camera to wait for their return. The muted backdrop of dry grasses is another sign that we are entering fall and ready for the winter rains to come refresh the landscape.
American Goldfinches are a common subject for photographers and artists in their bright yellow summer plumage, but their subtle winter feathering is equally beautiful and a good sign of the changing seasons. A flock of goldfinches were feeding in thistles near the entrance to Venice Beach in Half Moon Bay. When the flock flew off, I set up my camera to wait for their return. The muted backdrop of dry grasses is another sign that we are entering fall and ready for the winter rains to come refresh the landscape.
August, Tufted Puffin
Pacific Ocean, off the coast of Bodega Bay [September 2007]
Tufted Puffins wear jaunty breeding plumage from April to September. At the time of this photo, the bird is shifting into winter plumage,when his entire head will be grey-black and his yellow cere (the skin where the bill meets the head ) will turn black to match the head. Our ocean-going birding trip in September out of Bodega Bay with Shearwater Journeys had amazingly calm seas and overcast skies, which allowed me to keep shooting all day. When we found this puffin on the water, the captain cut the engines and allowed us to drift close to the bird -- so close we could see the bird's feet under the surface of the ocean. The two furrows in the bird's upper mandible indicate that this bird is 3-4 years old and will reach sexual maturity in the next year or so.
Tufted Puffins wear jaunty breeding plumage from April to September. At the time of this photo, the bird is shifting into winter plumage,when his entire head will be grey-black and his yellow cere (the skin where the bill meets the head ) will turn black to match the head. Our ocean-going birding trip in September out of Bodega Bay with Shearwater Journeys had amazingly calm seas and overcast skies, which allowed me to keep shooting all day. When we found this puffin on the water, the captain cut the engines and allowed us to drift close to the bird -- so close we could see the bird's feet under the surface of the ocean. The two furrows in the bird's upper mandible indicate that this bird is 3-4 years old and will reach sexual maturity in the next year or so.
July, White-tailed Ptarmigan
Jasper National Park, Alberta, Canada [July 2007]
We traveled to Canada in summer 2007 with Paradise Birding, on a trip led by Steve Shunk and David Wimpfheimer. This was our only day above the treeline at Jasper National Park. We walked from the tramway terminus up a gently-sloping path around the mountain, where we found a female Ptarmigan with her brood. Higher up, at the very top of the mountain, we found 3 males in close proximity. As you can imagine, we were all very excited about this moment and tried contain our enthusiasm so as not to frighten the (nearly oblivious) birds. The ptarmigan males did not really respond to our presence -- they seemed more interested in posturing for each other, taking dustbaths and short naps. Their half-white, half-speckled summer plumage is perfect camouflage for their summer habitat among mossy rocks with splotches the same color as the bird. Photographing these birds was an intense emotional experience, made more intense by a mysterious problem with my camera. As the ptarmigan males ran towards me, my camera refused to take any shots, and I nearly threw it off the mountain! Afterwards, I spent a few quiet moments just observing the birds, freed of the need to make photographs and just able to enjoy them.
We traveled to Canada in summer 2007 with Paradise Birding, on a trip led by Steve Shunk and David Wimpfheimer. This was our only day above the treeline at Jasper National Park. We walked from the tramway terminus up a gently-sloping path around the mountain, where we found a female Ptarmigan with her brood. Higher up, at the very top of the mountain, we found 3 males in close proximity. As you can imagine, we were all very excited about this moment and tried contain our enthusiasm so as not to frighten the (nearly oblivious) birds. The ptarmigan males did not really respond to our presence -- they seemed more interested in posturing for each other, taking dustbaths and short naps. Their half-white, half-speckled summer plumage is perfect camouflage for their summer habitat among mossy rocks with splotches the same color as the bird. Photographing these birds was an intense emotional experience, made more intense by a mysterious problem with my camera. As the ptarmigan males ran towards me, my camera refused to take any shots, and I nearly threw it off the mountain! Afterwards, I spent a few quiet moments just observing the birds, freed of the need to make photographs and just able to enjoy them.
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