Month: April 2009

California’s Sespe Wilderness

Tyson and Jen have been keeping me busy here in Thousand Oaks, California. I’ve been out hiking every day and enjoying “summer,” or at least what would be summer in the Pacific Northwest, even though it’s cooler than usual here.

Our first trip was to Sespe Wilderness in Los Padres National Forest. There weren’t many birds to be seen, but the rock structures were quite striking.

Climbers on Rocks

I was rather shocked to find several Indian Paintbrush, a plant quite common in the Columbia Gorge and Mt. Hood, but not one I would have expected here.

Indian Paint Brush

Of course, the best part of the day was simply getting out and hiking with this part of the family.

Tyson and Family.

Back to Nisqually

A little afraid that I would the five-mile trail at Nisqually would close before I get back from California, I decided to brave the clouds after finally getting packed for my trip. It was darker than I liked and some of the pictures I thought might turn out didn’t because the camera was too slow to capture motion.

However, I was thrilled to manage to capture two different kinds of Yellow-Rumped Warblers, this Myrtle male in breeding colors

Myrtle Yellow-Rumped Warbler

and this Audubon’s male in breeding colors, one I don’t think I’ve gotten a picture of before.

Audubon Yellow-Rumped Warbler

As I walked out the parking lot, I was greeted by this White-Crowned Sparrow who seemed determined to get his picture taken, and I was happy to oblige:

White-Crowned Sparrow

I hope I get one more chance to walk the loop, but if I don’t at least I’ll have a good day to remember.

Birding in Grays Harbor

It was our third sunny day in a row before rain reappears Wednesday, so, having dutifully spent yesterday working in the yard, I headed out for a day of birding. Ruth Sullivan took me birding in Grays Harbor, and we visited several spots I’d never been to before.

And though birding was a little slow, there was definitely a few highlights in the day. My favorite shot might be this shot of an Osprey building it’s nest on top of especially equipped power poles,

Osprey Building Nest

but I enjoyed watching this little Chestnut-Backed Chicadee defy gravity while eating seed from pine cones.

Chicadee On Pine Cone

Truthfully, it’s hard to go wrong when blue skies hold the day.

Grebes, and More Grebes

It was beautiful weather here Saturday, so we decided to go to Belfair rather than waiting for Sunday as usual. You never know when to trust the weatherman here in the Pacific Northwest.

On our way back, we decided to stop at Port Orchard again, despite the fact that a lot of the seem seem to have left in the last few weeks.

Boy, am I glad we did, for I got my first chance to see two different grebes in breeding colors. I still find it hard to believe that this Horned Grebe I took pictures of a week or so ago

Horned Grebe

has transformed into this elegant dandy.

Horned Grebe, breeding colors

I’m not even sure it’s fully made its transformation into its breeding colors, though I’m afraid the will be gone before I get back from my California trip.

I also got my first shot of a Red-Necked Grebe, at least in breeding colors.

Red-NeckedGrebe in breeding colors