PHOTOS: CRISSY BIRDS

There's more to life than studying law, so our Bridge Walks provide a welcome respite.

Here are a few images from a recent walk, on which you may click to enlarge:

    Remember that hummingbird I told you about?  That I knew where he and his best gal hung out?  Well, next time I walked by I had the 210 tele lens and tripod.  He's an Anna's Hummingbird, according to my experts, Len and Patti Blumin who volunteer at the Audubon Canyon Ranch, and when the light strikes right, his head and neck appear a bright red.  I had to take several shots before I caught the right angle. 

  Here he is again before I caught the red.

 

  Another of Red, the Green Anna's Hummingbird with only the branch on which he perches and a couple of leaves to add a bit of context putting him in nature.

 

  Unless I'm mistaken, this little guy's a Chickadee.  At least I think he is.  He sounds like a chickadee.  I think.

Whoops!  I was mistaken.  This chickadee is a sparrow, I'm reliably informed.  See below.  He sure sounded like my idea of a chickadee, though.

  This fellow is No Regret the Snowy Egret, head held high.  Once you see a a Snowy Egret and have the camera handy, you don't want to miss a shot, so you start snapping away, hoping to get a keeper.

Here are the results:

  Here he is working for a living.  You don't want to be a minnow swimming in the shallow water with him around.

  He doesn't let up.  It's the dash of black shadow that makes this picture.

 

  Sharp eye, sharp bill, wavy shadow.

 

  Taking off for bluer water.

 

  Coasting along, approaching the runway, flaps down, seatbelts fastened, getting ready to land.  Please remain in your seats until we reach the gate.  For the artistically inclined, note both the black shadow and white reflection on the rippled water beneath our Snowy Egret.  Shall we make sure to incorporate that into our next avian portrait?  I think we just might, if we don't forget.

 

  Landing.  According to Sibley's Field Guide to Birds (which, following Leonard's good advice, I picked up recently), the orange feet denote the adult Snowy Egret in mating season.  Gotta have those colorful leather dancing boots to get into the disco, I guess.

 

  Hunting, spear at the ready.

 

  There's no rule that says I can't post the same picture twice if I like it, is there?

No.  I didn't think so.

  You might also see a duck, especially if you peer through the fence. We had a president named after this duck.  Mallard Fillmore.

 

  You gotta watch out for these ravens, as they're tough critters.  I knew a guy once who had a raven that he named "Livermore."  I thought that was pretty cool, don't you? 

For those dreary midnights when you need a touch of the POEt? 

Sorry. 

I've got more Bridge Walk shots of other subjects, but since this item is for the birds, I'm going to quit while I'm ahead.

The next Bridge Walk is Saturday, May 21, 2005, 7:45 a.m., meeting at the parking lot next to the St. Francis Yacht Club where Marina Green meets the tall trees where the Golden Gate National Recreation Area begins at the Presidio.  Stepping off at 8:00 a.m.  Catch up if you're late.

This just in from Leonard Blumin, clarifying a few items:

Anna's Humminbird is here year round, and starts breeding very early (even January) and can have 2 or more "clutches" of young each year. The female Anna's does not have the black/red head. You'll have to start looking for the courtship flight display, which consists of a rather spectacular series of dives that end with a sharp musical note caused by the wings.

The "chickadee" is a sparrow, and probably the White-crowned Sparrow.

The Egret is the "Snowy Egret". They are also here year round, and breed in treetops (or low bushes if they are on an island). You can tell the Snowy Egret because he is shorter, has a black bill, and of course the "golden slippers" that show so well in your photos. His cousin, the Great Egret, is taller, has a yellow or yellow-orange bill, and black legs and feet.

The duck is the Mallard.

You should also get a bird guide. The Sibley Field Guide of Birds of Western North America covers all you might see in the Western states, and is small enough to tote around.

***

Thanks, Len.  I'll add Sibley to you and try to get both out on another walk.