Bird Spotlight - Red-Tailed Hawk & White-Faced Ibis - 6/30/19 Lower Klamath NWR

Photos taken June 30, 2019

Three Red-tailed Hawks sitting in a tree.  K.I.S.S.I.N.G.  Actually, they looked pretty ferocious, so the opposite of kissing.  Feathered murder machines. 

White-faced Ibis

xoxo

Nikon D600

More Exciting Birdwatching at Merced National Wildlife Refuge!

Another clear, gorgeous morning down in Merced, California.  I love this National Wildlife Refuge for it's beautiful, calm waters as much as for the birds that gravitate to them.  

On this morning, there were two pods of American White Pelicans on the Refuge.  One of which was quite large, but both were also a pretty good distance from the auto tour road.

Breeding plumage!

Pied-billed Grebe

I've never seen such beautiful mirrored waters before!  No adjustments or filters necessary. 

Here's that second, larger pod of Pelicans behind all the Snow and Ross Geese. 

I LOVE to see Ibis!  And this mirrored shot got me in my feelings!

Another stunningly beautiful Ibis!

Right after I snapped the photo, he took flight.  Such a colorful beauty!  Look at those wings!

Sometimes I feel like, somebody's watching me!

Me after another wild birding adventure...

...feeling that empty nest syndrome!

xoxo

Nikon D750

Birdwatching! Merced National Wildlife Refuge January 2018

Didn't get to do many birding trips this year but one of the few times I did get out was very early in the year - January 6, 2018, to be exact.  I had to go down near Merced so I made it a point to run to the wildlife refuge.  I got there at the end of the rainy day and the timing was perfect as the clouds parted, the sun started to set, and the birds and squirrels came out in force.  

I got some great landscape shots and saw some beautiful birds, including a juvenile or non-breeding adult White-Faced Ibis which I don't see too often.  

The Sandhill Cranes were not cooperating and were in a field full of cornstalk fragments.  So here is a shot of them flying in for a landing!

Did I mention how gorgeous the sky and water was after the rain?  

I love that clean glow and can still smell the fresh air. 

Northern Shoveler

Of course I had to take several shots of the beautiful, greenish Ibis!  

Killdeers always look so worried that they break my heart!  It's okay little beauty.

And a little Pied-billed Grebe with his American Coot buddy!  Another rare (for me) sighting. 

So many birds in flight!

And here's one of the chubby ground squirrels that were running around.  

Of course there was a flock of beautiful white Snow & Ross' geese.

I'll leave you with one last shot of the cranes flying around the gorgeous purpley-blue sky.

If you love nature and birds like I do, there are many more posts about adventures birdwatching!  Some even have good photos!  

Feel free to give it a search because I'm too lazy to do links right now.  ;-)

I purple you!

xoxo

Nikon D3300