Birds

Brown Pelican Squadron

These pelicans were flying in a formation in a manner that reminds me of a group of fighter airplanes.

Cactus Wren

These small birds are very common in the Arizona desert. They live in cacti, nesting in holes made and abandoned by woodpeckers.

Pine Warbler

This was taken during our stay in a B and B in Cochise Stronghold, near Wilcox, Arizona. The owners put out feeders which attracted many species of birds.

Acorn Woodpecker

This is another bird we photographed at Cochise Stronghold.

House Finch (female)

This in another from Cochise Stronghold.

House Finch (male)

Another from Cochise Stronghold. This is a great place to visit if you like birds.

Bald Eagle Resting on Spruce Branch

This eagle looked so noble I couldn't resist a quick shot.

Bald Eagles Courting Spiral

After the female sings her song and attracts a male, the two fly together, spiraling upward, until they suddenly lock talons. Then the two tumble down from high in the sky until they almost crash into the earth, at which time they separate and fly away. This is courting, not mating. Speculation is that the female finds out just how healthy this male is before accepting him as a mate.

Black-headed Grosbeak Pair (male and female}

It was difficult to get a male and female in the same photo. They were constantly flitting around and rarely stayed on the same branch for more than a few seconds.

Cardinal (female}

This female was much more difficult to photograph than the male. She was shy and nervous so that each time I'd raise the camera she would fly away. Finally, I was able to get this shot before she took off.

Western Gull in Flight

Just a gull, but I like the feather detail and pose, along with the almost completely blurred background.

House Finch (female) with Apricot Blossoms

This little finch struck a nice pose in our neighbor's backyard apricot tree.

Red-tailed Hawk

This was at Coyote Hills in Fremont, California. The hawk was resting on a power pole, just over our heads. We waited in the car for an hour, hoping to catch the hawk in flight, but it never budged.

Broad-billed Hummingbird with Palo Verde Blossoms

This photo was taken next to our little place in Tucson. The bird was so small and far way that I had to blow up the image more than I usually like to. This gives the appearance of being slightly blurry.

Leaping Blue Heron

We were sitting on our porch in Pleasanton when this heron landed on a chimney at the clubhouse across the street. After resting a minute, the heron leapt off the chimney and flew to the ground below. Of a 10-shot sequence I found this pose to be the most interesting.

Mourning Dove in Flight

These doves are very common around Tucson. They spend a great deal of time singing their mournful songs to attract mates.

Anna's Hummingbird (female)

This hummer was quite a distance from the camera, but the light was good and the photo came out sharp.

Allen's Hummingbird (male juvenile)

My only disappointment with this photo is the membrane over its eye, which gives the eye a dull appearance.

Anna's Hummingbird with Australian Flower

There is a section of the Santa Cruz Arboretum called "Hummingbird Row". Several hummers zoomed in and out among these unusual flowers. They were fairly close, so I was able to capture a good amount of feather detail.

Wild Turkey (male) in Full Display

This tom was strutting around and calling for a mate at about 6 AM. There were several females nearby, but they paid no attention to him even though he was large and had a very impressive beard. Maybe he should have shaved?

Male Cardinal

His mate was difficult to photograph because she was so nervous. This male, however, hung around the feeders quite a bit and would perch for several minutes at a time.

Stellar's Jay "Anting"

The jay covers an anthill, causing the ants to become agitated and to release bitter formic acid, making them more palatable to the jay.

Flying Eagle

I really like this picture despite the wingtips being slightly blurred. I'll have to go back to Neah Bay and reshoot.

Kingfisher

I was surprised by the beautiful, colored feather patterns on the this small, energetic bird.

Kingfisher (Side View)

Here is a side view that shows the deep blue color on the kingfisher's head.

Bald Eagle With Nesting Material

During courting and mating season eagles gather materials to furnish their nest in preparation for laying their eggs and hatching eaglets.

Singing Bald Eagle

We were awed and surprised when we stopped to watch this eagle. It began warbling like a song bird. We learned later, from Google, that this singing is a way for the female to attract a mate.

Wren on Red Hot Poker Flower

There were a few of these wrens picking seeds from this flower. This one landed on top to rest for a few moments.

Scrub Jay

Scrub jays are common around Pleasanton. I can't identify the morsel in its beak.

Bullock's Oriole

Taken near Palouse Falls, Washington