Migratory Grasshopper

Tuesday, February 26th, 2008

Migratory Grasshopper
Migratory Grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes
McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, 2007-07-27

#398 Greater Roadrunner on the Great Backyard Birdcount

Monday, February 18th, 2008

This year my “backyard” is William R. Mason Regional Park in Irvine, so I figured I’d see quite a few different birds than in past, cooler years in Brooklyn. I was certainly right about that. Over five miles and four hours, I tallied 41 species, over 20 of them the first records for Irvine in this year’s GBBC. (I was surprised at how few other reports there were from here. There are so many great parks and wildlife refuges in the area and not a few birders.) I found some great birds including Red-shouldered Hawk, Osprey, Hutton’s Vireo, Spotted Towhee, Cackling Goose, and four warbler species! However, the biggest surprise for me had to be this Greater Roadrunner:

Greater Roadrunner
(more…)

Prickly Pear

Monday, February 18th, 2008

Prickly Pear cacti
Prickly Pear cactus, Opuntia fragilis? (not sure about the species)
William R. Mason Regional Park, Irvine, California, 2008-02-17

Lesser Scaup

Thursday, February 14th, 2008

Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis
North Lake, Irvine, California, 2008-02-10

This is one of the toughest waterfowl IDs because the Greater Scaup is almost identical, but in good light note the purplish head and the more cornered, peaked appearance at the back of the head.

American Wigeon

Wednesday, February 13th, 2008

American Wigeon male
American Wigeon, Anas americana
North Lake, Irvine, California, 2008-02-10

#395 Great-tailed Grackle at Ace Hardware

Sunday, February 10th, 2008

One of the coll things about moving to a new part of the country is that almost anywhere becomes a potential source for life birds, like these Great-tailed Grackles I found yesterday at the strip mall at the intersection of Culver and Michelson in Irvine:

Great-tailed Grackle male
(more…)