Oops, I just realized I haven’t posted about my most recent birding trip. Unlnike the week of 14 May when I went birding 5 times, I only got out once last week, on Monday the 21st, and then only for another drive-by at the Radio Road ponds.
American Avocet (Recurvistora americana)
A foragaing alternate-plumaged American Avocet was very close, make for some good photos, and although the numbers and noisiness of the Forster’s Terns was down compared to Friday, one fellow posed rather nicely for me:
Forster’s Tern (Sterna forsteri)
A single Caspian Tern flew overhead, calling raucously. On the sand bar separating the two ponds, two Black Skimmers sunned themselves. These are funny birds, with a lower mandible that projects well past the upper one, and when they rest, they lie completely flat on the ground, looking rather dead!
Black Skimmer (Rynchops niger)
As I watched a Mallard duckling, I spied a Red-necked Phalarope next to it, my first Phalarope of the season. I’ve seen this tiny sandpiper a couple of times before, but this specimen gave me long, if a bit distant views. It was too far away and too small for great photos, and I had to crop and enlarge by 2x to get this one:
Red-necked Phalarope (Phalaropus lobatus)
Winding up my circuit, a pair of adult Black-crowned Night Herons gave me “stink eye” as I drove by, posing for a couple of portraits.
Black-crowned Night Heron (Nycticorax nycticorax)
This was another good, if brief, swing by the ponds – hopefully I’ll be able to get out more this week!
Birds seen (24 species):
– American Avocet
– American Crow
– Barn Swallow
– Black Skimmer
– Black-crowned Night Heron
– Black-necked Stilt
– Brewer’s Blackbird
– Canada Goose (w/goslings)
– Caspian Tern
– Cinnamon Teal
– Cliff Swallow
– Double-crested Cormorant
– European Starling
– Forster’s Tern
– Gadwall
– Mallard (w/ducklings)
– Marbled Godwit
– Northern Pintail
+ Red-necked Phalarope
– Red-winged Blackbird
– Ruddy Duck
– Snowy Egret
– Western Gull
– Willet
+ = year bird
Adam Paul 
That’s a great shot of the Night Heron! I’m glad you’re posting these: they’re interesting and none of these birds are native to my area. The Black Skimmer is indeed a funny bird!
You sure do get some amazing bird shots. Wow!
I was thinking the same thing about the skimmer – I’m glad you mentioned that this is how they rest because my initial thought was .. wow, is that guy deceased? The coloring on that avocets neck is so lovely! Your photos always make me want to get closer to these guys! Amazing Adam!
Thanks, Montucky, WinterWoman, & Aullori!
Adam, I thought I commented on this, guess I didn’t! WOW, I just love your skimmer and Avocet photo! They are such great birds you are seeing and one of these days I need to get out to see some of those western birds!
Thanks, Tom! If you ever get to SF we’ll have to go for a bird walk 🙂
Hi Jim. Photos i received. Thanks