March 31, 2024. Quincy, CA.
Entrance to Leonhardt Ranch Learning Landscape; scenic of American Valley and indicative of heavy fog cover at 9:12 a.m.
It didn’t look good for the morning, what with the fog and all, but I had to go out and try. Know what? I really need to get out more often when it doesn’t look good, I guess, because before I had even walked fifty yards and within fifteen minutes after entering the Leonhardt Ranch Learning Landscape walking path I had seen and photographed a dozen different species of birds.
So! Doldrums dissipated, yeah? Oh, yeah.
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Until this morning I’ve been rather housebound with several past days of rainy weather. This morning it was my decision to take at least one photo of every single different species I saw, if I could. Canada Goose is always obliging, and I don’t take their presence for granted. If they ever disappeared from this valley during this time of year that sure would be a signal that something had gone very wrong with our local ecology.
Tree Swallow, same as in title photo.
Our Red-winged Blackbirds have returned in fine numbers already.
And, yeah, since I’m decided that I will photograph one of every bird species I see and can get a photo of, here’s our bold American Robin.
And oh my, over in the wet depression I spotted this Hooded Merganser couple. Hooded Merganser is not among the waterfowl I frequently encounter in American Valley, so I’m tickled to have these photos to show.
Hooded Merganser female in foreground, Bufflehead male to background.
Hooded Merganser male again, with a blurry something-or-other. Keep scrolling, you’ll find out if you don’t already know.
Black Phoebe, a common friend on the wire along the path.
Song Sparrows are abundant and ubiquitous, but sometimes challenging to photograph as they often don’t stay still for long. I do like the composition of the way this photo came out.
Hee hee, this ain’t Muskrat Love, it’s goosey-goosey good times!
This tire nest is right along the walking path, but well over one hundred yards from where I was standing when I took the photo. I could have walked on down but instead I turned around after getting this snap, leaving them undisturbed.
In getting back near the entrance to the walking path, where I photographed the Hooded Merganser, I managed a better photo of these ducks.
A nice quartet. Cinnamon Teal dude and lady with Bufflehead dude and lady.
A lone Ruddy Duck, female
Now, having saved my best for last, here’s my second-only-ever-in-my-life captures of a Greater Yellowlegs. The previous time was back in 2022, down in the Sacramento Valley at Yolo Bypass Wildlife area, just west of the city of Sacramento. I have never seen this bird up around these parts before that I can recall. What a treat for me today, coming on top of the Hooded Merganser.
Ah! There were two of them, to boot!
This set of three are extracted stills from a video I took. The video itself was pretty crummy so I haven’t bothered uploading it, but when watching I did notice some decent frames. These came out much better than my regular still photos in my opinion. It’s neat that I have this option.
🌈 ☔ 🦋 🎿 🚩 🦚 ⛄ ☔ ⏰ 🌄
*No April foolin’. It’s spring fershure… the Forsythia is a-bustin’ out all over!
Now it’s your turn. What’s been happening in your world, nature and seasonal change-wise? Please share your location and any photos you’d like to.
