Osprey

Walking back from one of the local brackish ponds, we saw an Osprey soaring about our heads. The presence of this fish-eating raptor and the moon made for a shot I could not refuse.

Black-headed Grosbeak

Black-headed Grosbeaks 8” x 8” acrylic

Black-headed Grosbeaks 8” x 8” acrylic

This has been a banner year for spotting Black-headed Grosbeaks near our home. A pair has even been coming to our feeders. This little painting is one of the first I’ve been able to finish during this quarantine.

Evening Grosbeak

We try to make it into the high Sierras in early June. Many of the migrants have made their way to breeding grounds there or are passing through. Most are in bright breeding plumage and are singing which makes them easier to find. The Evening Grosbeak, however, is not a migrant in Sierra County, it is there all year long.

Of the four years we have trekked into the area between Sierra City and Yuba Pass, California, we have seen a few of this species at a time. This year (2020) there were many at road sides and in in the woods eating the young buds of conifers. The bird in the photo was in the process of eating young buds. The roadside birds were apparently consuming a coarse volcanic ash that occurs in the area and I suspect this is to provide abrasives for their digestive systems.

White-headed Woodpecker

This Woodpecker is found only the the higher elevations of the Far West United States. In California, it occurs mostly in the Sierra and Cascade Mountain Ranges.

One year we had one drilling a hole in the side of cabin we were staying in and it sounded a lot like someone knocking on a door. The bird made it past the exterior wall and started pulling insulation out from between the inner and out walls.

Cassin's Finch

We have just come back from a 4 day birding trip to the Yuba Pass area of the Sierras. We plan to post some paintings and photos of birds we took during this trip over the next several days.

You know you are in the western mountains of the United States when you see Cassin’s Finch. The bright red bird is the male. This species is similar in appearance to the Purple Finch, but note the distinct red patch on the crown of the male’s head. The female is identified by the crisp, high contrasting stripes on the breast and belly. The female also has stripes on the under tail coverts. The female Purple Finch has solid white under tail coverts.

Hooded Orioles

Hooded Oriole Study 8” x 8” acrylic

Hooded Oriole Study 8” x 8” acrylic

Although we have to work to find Bullock’s Orioles, Hooded Orioles are again nesting in our neighbor’s yard and are coming regularly to our feeder. The male and female have been here for a few weeks now and we recently saw our first juvenile. This painting was a study for a larger piece.

Bullock's Oriole

Today we decided to brave the crowds and drove to Joseph D. Grant County Park, aka “Grant Ranch”. This has always been a special place for us because of the birds and the beauty of the area, at least in the spring and fall when it is not too hot. While walking on one of the dirt roads in the park we came across a group of oak trees that were alive with Bullock’s Orioles. This species has a distinct chatter-like call so it’s easy to find them when the are vocalizing. The contrast between the oak leaves and the yellows and oranges of the bird is striking.

Pacific-slope Flycatcher

One of my favorite local flycatchers. They spend their winters on the West Coast of Mexico and migrate into California and north into British Columbia in the spring. Their "chew-wee" call is often heard in local forests. This one was catching bugs at the same place where we saw a Northern Parula which is rare for California. This flycatcher was transporting the bugs to its nest that was nearby and in plain view. I saw it on a fence or low tree branches with bug in mouth for several seconds at a time. I am sure it was wary about entering its nest with so many people around who were looking for the Northern Parula.

The Pacific-slope Flycatcher.

Wrentit

This species is only found on western coastal areas of the contiguous United States. It has no relatives in North America. They are normally difficult to photograph because they like to stay hidden in brushy areas. Today we say and heard several of them. This one posed for us, bug and all.

Covey of Quail

Covey of Quail 8” x 24” acrylic

Covey of Quail 8” x 24” acrylic

I started this painting just before our lives got disrupted by the pandemic. Social distancing was not an issue so I could depict quail close together!

Yellow-headed Blackbird

This blackbird is common in the western half of the United States and occurs from Mexico into Southern Canada. Its song starts with a flute-like whistle and becomes a metallic buzz like metal scrapping on metal. They inhabit marsh areas and sometimes occur in very large flocks. When in flight, large flocks show flashes of yellow as the heads of the male reflect sunlight.

Wilson's Warbler

On the Central California Coast birders know that spring has arrived when we hear Wilson’s Warbler singing in the damp brush of forested areas. This perky warbler is often seen flying around in brush capturing insects and stopping a few seconds for a photo op.

The Elegant Trogon

It always amazes me to see a trogon in the United States because I associate this bird with the warmer parts of Latin America, especially Central America. This one was photographed near Portal, Arizona in a riparian area. When they are executing their “barking” song, they are relatively easy to find. When they are quiet, they are difficult to find in spite of their bright red breast.