Birds, Birds, Birds

 Seems like so far this year it's the year of birds for me.

Not really but I have been lucky several times. I've decided to post

the bird photos from several outings in this one post.

I've visited the Tule Lake Wildlife Refuge, Shasta Dam and Shasta Valley National Wildlife

Refuge. I'll let the Merced Wildlife Refuge birds remain in my prior post.

The Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge is in far Northern California and I visited

it about two weeks too late for optimum birding. Not complaining.

This is one of the smaller ducks, don't think I've ever seen one before. The contrast

between the dirty water of the canal and the black and white of the Buffalo Head

is quite stark.

Most of the Bald Eagle shots I've made are from a great distance. This one was very

accommodating.  It stayed perched while I slowly approached getting as close as I 

could across a canal.

I believe this to be a Juvenile Red Tail Hawk by the size of it's beak

and of course feathers.  If there had been any foliage on the tree I would

have missed it entirely.

Great Blue Herons are actually a fairly rare bird for me. However I learned

that they roost at the Tulelake Wildlife Refuge. There were several nests

along the side of the road, but off some.  I was able to catch this one

guarding it's nest.

On the way out of the Refuge I came across this adult Great Egret and

three young'uns. The third one is hiding behind the second one.

Visiting Shasta Dam (will post those images later) I was surprised to come across 

this juvenile Bald Eagle. It took a lot of looking but I think this is a three year old.

Even making some weird sounds I couldn't get it to turn around.

Not so pretty, but just a little further along the dam abutment  was this

Turkey Vulture. I'm not sure, but maybe it and the Bald Eagle were eyeing the

same carrion among the rocks or in the water.

Lastly I was very late in visiting the Shasta Valley National Refuge. Most of the

flooded areas were dry now and there were only a few birds around. This Meadowlark

was the most accommodating. Please forgive the misspelling.

Go, See, Enjoy, Stay Safe and Photograph

Dave