bird-nerd-a-rama

During the last big wind and rain storm, I happened to stand up from my engraving bench to get a good stretch, and I saw a kestrel clinging to the dead tree outside my windows!  I grabbed the camera and took a bunch, this one's my favorite.  I'd just accidentally knocked the lens lightly in the window, and he turned and looked right at me for a moment.

And then I went down to Wilton for Thanksgiving, of course.  I've really been missing the sight and sound of birds migrating, specifically waterfowl.  There are some flocks of geese that pass over the ranch up here in Oak Run, but they're generally so high they can barely be seen.  I heard cranes once, but couldn't see them.  This time of year down in Wilton, there are so many cranes.

So I loaded up the cameras one morning when I was down there and headed out right around sunrise for the Cosumnes Wildlife Preserve.  Turned out to be a lot foggier than I anticipated, oh well.  I still got some interesting shots, and the fog did clear out mid morning.  Later that day I took my mom out to the delta to see the "fly in," when the Sandhill Cranes fly in for the evening.

House Finch

Canada Goose

Savannah Sparrow

Sandhill Cranes

Greater White-Fronted Geese

Tundra Swans

Tundra Swans and Aleutian Canada Geese

Greater White-Fronted Geese and one Ross' Goose

Tundra Swan

Great Horned Owl

Birds are awesome.  :-)