michelepix
@michelepix.bsky.social
Avid avian photographer
A Great-tailed Grackle seems to show a bit of appreciation for a wildlife preservation area. Such places are important, but they are not enough. Over the past 50 years North America has lost some 30 percent of its bird population, a decline that is still very much in progress. #birds_matter #birds A Red-winged Blackbird chases a Great Egret away from a prized feeding area - a flooded agricultural field. There is plenty of space for everyone. Can’t we all just get along? Evidently not. #birds_matter #birds A White-breasted Nuthatch throws up a mini-shower of debris as it forages for a snack. Even if it finds something tasty it may hide it away for later - perhaps even later today. This bird plans ahead! #birds_matter #birds Lewis’s Woodpeckers aren’t regulars in my area so it was worth a drive to see them. They are more avid flycatchers than other woodpecker species and the flock I saw was making the most of the bug buffet in the sky. #birds_matter #birds Our winter resident birds are arriving! Here, a Ruby-crowned Kinglet freshens up after the journey. Only males have crowns and it is displayed when they are feeling agitated, aggressive or sexy. This bird is just enjoying a relaxing spa day so - no crown in sight! #birds_matter #birds I consider the Common Yellowthroat a nemesis bird. So easy to hear their distinctive call and catch glimpses of them among the marshy grasses. Seeing one clearly enough to photograph is cause for celebration - especially if his mate also appears. Yay! #birds_matter #birds This was fun! I typically see Wilson’s Snipe in groups of one or two. So I was astonished to see a flock of 30 or 40 rustling about in tall marshy grass. A passing harrier inspired this flyup. #birds_matter #birds Fall is here! And these little Red-breasted Nuthatches - present in our valley in irruptive numbers this year - provide the perfect autumn color accent. #birds_matter #birds Yellow-rumped Warblers have arrived and in impressive numbers. Suddenly they are everywhere. Most are of the yellow-throated Audubon variety we typically see in the west, but there are also plenty of the white throated Myrtles which are usually seen more in the east. #birds_matter #birds Warbler migration season may be at its peak with nearly two million birds crossing Sacramento County in one night alone this week. But warblers are shy and tiny, typically hiding in dense foliage. So it was a treat to get a good look and photograph this MacGillivray’s Warbler. #birds_matter #birds The Phainopepla is a favorite of mine, with that striking crest, red eye and such a great name. It can consume up to 1,100 mistletoe berries in a day, which pass through its system in just 12 minutes. Yikes. #birds_matter #birds A Western Flycatcher permits a portrait. Its scientific name is Empidonax difficilis. Empidonax is part of a genus of flycatchers. Difficilis because it is easily confused with other species, has a disconcertingly irregular range. Let’s forget all that and just enjoy the photo. #birds_matter #birds A Black-throated Gray Warbler takes a time out for some preening. Gotta keep those feathers in tip top shape for migration! #birds_matter #birds Red-breasted Nuthatches are usually unusual in the Sacramento Valley. This year is different - they seem
to be everywhere. It’s an irruption! #birds_matter #birds The quotidian routine of a migrating Townsend’s Warbler - a bit of foraging on the ground, a treetop hunt for more edibles and finally, a relaxing bath. It all adds up to a good day! #birds_matter #birds Northern Yellow Warblers gather for a bath in an accidental puddle. Keeping those feathers in tiptop shape for their long migration is all important. But no real excuses needed. Spa days are always fun! #birds_matter #birds A Yellow-rumped Warbler observes as a Northern Yellow Warbler enjoys a hearty dunking. Is there no privacy? The little yellow warbler, seen before and after bath, has its priorities in order. Keeping feathers in tiptop flying shape for migration is all important. #birds_matter #birds A Wilson’s Warbler interrupts his migratory journey for a bath. Keeping those feathers in top shape for the journey is all important. The little pond appeared to be the result of a case of overwatering, but it suited this tiny - less than five-inches long - bird just fine. #birds_matter #birds A Long-billed Curlew forages across a flooded agricultural field. That long bill is ideal for poking about to find its favorite edibles in the muck. #birds_matter #birds An Acorn Woodpecker pauses on a granary tree. A community of these woodpeckers may drill thousands of such holes, creating acorn storage space that can be used for generations. Alas, they don’t restrict this activity to trees, as homeowners with wooden eaves are well aware. #birds_matter #birds How many Cedar Waxwings did I see my recent river walk? Surely a few hundred - too many to count precisely. These were not eating berries but foraging for insects among the trees and in the sky. What a sight! #birds_matter #birds Green Herons prefer a solitary lifestyle and are fiercely protective of their territories. Ergo, the kerfuffle you see here - which may be an adult reminding a juvenile of its status. No doubt who’s boss here! #birds_matter #birds A female Bushtit - differentiated from the male by the pale iris around her pupil - clings to a twig in a stiff breeze. With bodies tinier than an Anna’s Hummingbird, Bushtits can be easy to miss. But here in the western US they are all around us, if one only looks. #birds_matter #birds An FOS White-crowned Sparrow - First of Season - is a sure sign of season’s change. The return of our wintering birds to the Sacramento Valley is always an exciting time! #birds_matter #birds A young male California Quail and a female appear to confer. The question is - is it safe to jump down from this fence to partake of the seed on offer in a bird friendly backyard? The answer is an easy yes. #birds_matter #birds Canada Geese fly across a rising sun - it’s one of those scenes that keep me inspired to get up and get out early. #birds_matter #birds #sunrise Just six inches long, the Least Sandpiper is the smallest of all shorebirds. Normally they forage in shallow waters, but this group was feeding along a rocky trail. When I sat for a low angle it was as if I had disappeared. This one came almost too close for my camera to focus. #birds_matter #birds Those Barn Swallows fly so fast - it’s truly sporting to try and photograph them as they pluck their prey off the water’s surface. Can you see the bug this bird has targeted in the first frame? #birds_matter #birds The Snowy Egret sometimes fishes by shuffling along in shallow water, stirring up the tiny fishies below. It then spies its prey, a quick lunge and ….lunch is served! #birds_matter #birds A young Ring-necked Pheasant looks wary and with good reason. Hunting season is not far off. These birds are originally native to China. Ironically, it is their popularity as a game bird that has stimulated their population growth via introduction to more than 50 countries. #birds_matter #birds The Western Wood-Pewee (named for the sound it makes) hunts by sallying out from a favored perch as it spots prey, then returning to the same perch. That pattern was very helpful in making this photo! #birds_matter #birds A Bewick’s Wren, normally so shy, perches prominently despite the nearby human presence. It appeared to have an important agenda that superseded its normal impulse to quickly hide. I wonder what it was. #birds_matter #birds A young American Goldfinch peers at me from behind a pastel palette of foliage. Fine bird portraits aren’t supposed to have such busy backgrounds but I like this one anyway! #birds_matter #birds Sitting out in the colorful grasses, dock and wild sunflowers, a Western Meadowlark isn’t easy to spot. Its lovely song gave away its presence. #birds_matter #birds The Snowy Egret and Great Egret are often confused, but here’s a photo for comparison. The snowy is more than a third smaller, has a black bill - versus the Great Egret’s yellow/orange one. And, the snowy has those marvelous “golden slippers”, alas, not visible here. But now you know! #birds The Blue-gray Gnatcatcher is mostly seen in my area as it migrates through. It doesn’t actually eat gnats, but uses that impressive tail to stir up the slightly larger insects it prefers. #birds_matter Through a small “window” in the leaves and branches I was able to spy on this Black-headed Grosbeak -either a female or immature male - enjoying a fine breakfast of elderberries. I didn’t want to interrupt! #birds_matter #birds This Green Heron was totally fixated on its hunt when I first saw it, and so it didn’t notice me. I waited, it waited, and at last the moment was right. Lunch was served! #birds_matter #birds We so often see hummingbirds hovering as they feed on flowers, but this little Anna’s lady found a nice perch. Energy saver! And cute to boot. #birds_matter A Black-chinned Hummingbird finds a grevillea bush a fine place to fuel up for its coming migration, even if it does have to share the flower with a Western Honey Bee. Luckily these two pollinators get along pretty well. #birds_matter #birds A Snowy Egret catches a tiny fishie. It will take a lot of those to make a meal! #birds_matter #birds Fall migration is in full swing and the Wilson’s Warbler is one of the participants. This tiny bird can be hard to see, but this little cutie gave me a good opportunity. #birds_matter #birds The Yellow-throated Warbler is very rarely seen in California and last recorded in Sacramento in 1996. That changed yesterday when Dr. Jeri Langham spotted this gem on one of the bird walks he leads. I was lucky to be with him and luckier yet to get a lens on this little guy. #birds_matter #birds A Horned Lark meanders in my direction. He’s not showing those horns off today - I’ll have to hope for another time. #birds_matter #birds 
