cazalea
[Seiko Moderator]
20933
Morning with my bird friends at the estuary
We went south to the border and walked along the Tijuana Estuary (mud flats, swamp, bayou, etc.) on dry ground after this last week of rain and high tides. And we saw plenty of our bird buddies hanging out in the sunshine.
View from the road before entering the State Park. From this view we are looking straight south into Mexico; the border is about where the hillside begins.
Mexico to our left from here, Pacific Ocean straight ahead past the apartments, and Park HQ to the north (the right side)
Black-crowned Night Heron on alert
Lots of them.
Any fish in the stream lined with these guys will have a very short lifespan.
Other birds too.
This snowy egret decided to move north 100 yards as I was about to take his picture, so I was able to catch him in flight.
Waiting his turn anxiously in the background...
As we turned back towards dry land, I spotted this kestrel on a bush top.
It seem to deliberately accompany us about half a mile, flying ahead in
little spurts
I was surprised that he flew within inches of the ground.
And then a swoop up and landing on a fence post, waiting for us to catch up.
It looked around as if to say "come on now, get up to me"
It went off the path onto a bush, then launched a sudden attack.
This literally took no more than 10 seconds...
and it was back on the bush munching on a large flying insect.
"Aren't I a good boy?" it seemed to say to us.
We moved up to another level and spotted some smaller birds perched on a tall bush (hoping the kestrel wasn't coming for them).
I know everyone would be disappointed if I didn't post a hummingbird shot, so here are a couple of them:
with totally different color schemes.
We left the park
and went to the ocean just to see if the waves have subsided. This is the Imperial Beach pier.
Mexico is this way, looking south -- the Coronado Islands in the distance, in Mexican waters.
And here's where we are, in case you want to locate and visit yourself someday.
Cazalea
Morning with my bird friends at the estuary
We went south to the border and walked along the Tijuana Estuary (mud flats, swamp, bayou, etc.) on dry ground after this last week of rain and high tides. And we saw plenty of our bird buddies hanging out in the sunshine. View from the road before enteri...
7, 13, 18....
stand out to me here along with the last few landscape images! Thanks Mike, Filip
Thanks, and here's one I meant to put in
The term "Pecking Order" comes to my mind: The duck was clearing out when this fierce bird got too close. ...
