Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

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RobertH
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Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by RobertH »

Since we all seem to agree that herping isn't at its best right now, I hope it's OK if we post some pictures of non-herps, mostly birds, that Nicholas and I took in recent weeks:

By Nicholas:

Brown Pelican
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Great Egret
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Reddish Egret
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Snowy Egret
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Marbled Godwit
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Bufflehead
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Greylag Goose
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White-Breasted Cormorant
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Osprey
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Allen's Hummingbird
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Anna's Hummingbird
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Great Blue Heron
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Green Heron
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Black-Crowned Night Heron
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Belted Kingfisher
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Muscovy Duck
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Wood Duck
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Steller's Jay
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Red-Whiskered Bulbul
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Lesser Goldfinch
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Yellow-Chevroned Parakeet
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Coyote
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Bobcat
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Bobcat paw print
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Black Bear paw print (we think)
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By me (don't worry, it's not nearly as many :lol: )

Red-Tailed Hawk
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Bobcat
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And last, but not least, one (invasive) herp shot we think is kind of funny:
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We hope you enjoyed!

Robert and Nicholas
hellihooks
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by hellihooks »

WOW... absolutely stunning :shock: Nic could indeed have a bright future ahead of him as a photographer, should he decide that's what he wants to do. Yours are pretty dang good too, Robert, but I wouldn't quit my day job... :lol: :lol:
So... what's toughest to get great shots of... bugs, birds, or herps? jim
Jeff Teel
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by Jeff Teel »

The Reddish Egret shot is amazing. Awesome work with the camera there. :beer:
BethH
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by BethH »

Amazing. Thank you for sharing these. I feel like I should throw away my camera after seeing these. Beth
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Calfirecap
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by Calfirecap »

Nicholas has gotten REALLY GOOD! Not only does he have the technique, he's got the eye.
Well done, and thanks for posting these.

Lawrence
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nightdriver
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by nightdriver »

Great pictures as always, but unless it was in Africa or a zoo, the cormorant is a Double-crested.

- nightdriver....bird, herp, repeat as needed :thumb:
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monklet
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by monklet »

Wow, some superb bird images there Nicholas! :thumb: This post might be more appropriate in the bird forum but I assume you posted here purposefully. All good by me:)

Reddish Egret is a significant rarity in SoCal. I'm guessing that's the Ballona bird or maybe Bolsa Chica??? ...or maybe San Diego? Whatever, I love that shot!

The "Greylag" geese are probably immature Greater White-fronted. Greylag is unrecorded in CA. That complex of geese is kind of tough and I don't know enough to say definitively. If Greylag they'd be feral.

Nick, how'd you ever get so close to a Kingfisher :shock: , typically one of the toughest birds to approach. great job there!!! Is that at Sepulveda Basin by any chance? (specific bird locations are fine to advertise:)).

Sure your Allen's isn't a Rufous? I can't tell from that pic. You'd need to see the back and tail, and even then it could be tough with some individuals. Reports of migrants are already coming in and some do winter apparently, and maybe more so in very recent times. We've had some interesting winter hummer records here in Ventura County this year. With Costa's, purported Rufous, and even Black-chinned, which is a real jaw-dropper.

Nick, if you ever get the bird-bug you'll knock 'em out!
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Owen
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by Owen »

Nick, excellent pictures. I had actually bought my long zoom specifically for the Nov/Dec doldrums (herp/insect wise). That pond turtle going medieval on the Red-eared is classic!

Brad, I see Greylag as well, but mostly around man made bodies of water. Like the Muscovy Duck, they're feral imports. I see Greater White-fronted as well and they are like half the size of these beasts and closer to the size of Cackling (Aleutian) type Canada Goose. I was thinking the same about that front shot of the Selasphorus... looks like some of the shots that I have of Rufous. I guess you need to see the back to tell.

Image
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monklet
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by monklet »

Appreciate the follow-up Owen. Inspired more study as I've never paid enough attention to geese (surely don't want to miss a first state record of one in this complex;) )...to me it is somewhat ambiguous but I'd bet on yearling Greater White-fronted Goose (GWFG), or possibly a hybrid, after studying Nat Geo field guide and Google Images.

Just wrote up a long diagnosis that I puffed inadvertently:(

I might write it up again later but don't have that luxury at the moment.

Good little study. Rebuttals welcome:)
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monklet
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by monklet »

Ok, got a little break so...

The birds in question appear to be transitional juveniles or immatures. Both species reach mature plumage in 2 years.

GWFG Juv. http://www.pbase.com/image/88248144
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GRGO Juv./Imm. http://www.avianweb.com/greylaggeese.html
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What Nat Geo says:

Head/neck vs. body color (this feature is not apparent in either of the two example images above, but I do discern a subtle contrast in Nick's pics):
GWFG: head/neck darker
GRGO: matches body

Black flecking on belly: Not evident in the pics due to submersion:
GWFG: Present in 2 year birds
GRGO: none

White base of bill:
GWFG: Develops with age, black/dark brown proximal edging varies but often very apparent (apparent on one of Nick's birds)
GRGO: Some pics show thin white base on young birds but virtually no black proximal edging

Nail or tip of upper mandible (apparent on both of Nick's birds):
Black in both species and fades with maturity

Relative size:
Nothing to compare to in the images.
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by hellihooks »

i saw a duck today... but it flew away. :roll: :lol: :lol:
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gopher
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by gopher »

Great shots! I actually have been showing people Nicholas's Flickr account, very impressed with his shot.
The Brown Pelican is such a good photo! Bird photography is fulling when get when you take a great photo because you can't pose them and they most certainly don't cooperate :lol:

My camera is no good for birds hence why I never post any of my birding trips. Would have loved to have a good camera when I saw my San Gabriel Bald eagle last month :?
Seeing your pictures Nic is good enough for me :thumb: Keep up the excellent work!
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monklet
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by monklet »

Bass wrote:i saw a duck today... but it flew away. :roll: :lol: :lol:
Are you sure it was a duck? :roll:
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by hellihooks »

Not only am I sure it was a duck...I even knew what kind it was... a Mallard Hen. I was scouting the beaver ponds along the West Fork of the Mojave for suitable WPT habitat. Saw a Red Tail as well... but it too flew off before I could even think to get my camera out... :roll:
I SO SUCK at getting bird pics... which makes RobNic's all that much more astounding, in my book... :shock: :D jim
RobertH
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by RobertH »

Hello Nicholas here. The portrait of the supposedly Greylag goose I think is a greylag goose because on Ebird at Puddingstone reservoir, There is a sighting 2 days before we went of one.Brad, after you pointed out the differences I agree that the double shot is of a GWFG. It was at santa fe dam.

Here is a shot of the same hummingbird that shows the tail.
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The reddish Egret was at bolsa chica wetlands. King fishers are hard to approach? This was about 15 feet away no crop. I don't no why my dad didn't post this shot.
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Nicholas

P.s Found this yesterday
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:lol: :lol: :lol:
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monklet
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by monklet »

Thanks Robert and Nick:)

I am astounded by that KF and that you got within 15 feet :shock: :shock: :shock: NEVER heard of such a thing!

I once set up a floating bait tank in a farm pond with a blind set up at approx. 25 feet with two off camera strobes and a nice stick above the bait tank. It took a few days before the regular KF started using it. Then I got in the blind before sunrise and waited till I heard it fly overhead and perch on the stick to which it became habituated. It was a serious thrill to hear it come in the appear by magic full-frame in the viewfinder. :crazyeyes: One of the shots made the cover of WildBird Magazine for which I was shooting at the time. ...closest I've gotten otherwise, (and I've really tried) is about 100 feet and even that is very tough. ...but every situation is different. They are a notorious nemesis of bird photogs! GREAT JOB!!!

A semi-pro videographer friend of mine would really like to know where that bird is ...PM welcome (generally birds are sensitive but you don't want to blitz something like that).

Thanks for the confirmational Allen's pic ...no problem there. But even in hand the experts can't be sure sometimes without seeing the tail feathers. Each can have green on the back but generally very little if any on Rufous ...I'd decline ID in any marginal cases ...and I think a lot of birders are over confident at times just as they are with Empidonax flycatchers. I've decided that the Gray/Dusky/Hammond's/Least mess is really dicey out of nesting habitat. ...bet even the "experts" get it wrong more than they'd admit.

As for the Graylag at Puddingstone ...I assume it is assumed to be feral or the whole state and then some would be there mobbing it ;-)
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by hellihooks »

RobertH wrote: P.s Found this yesterday
Image
:lol: :lol: :lol:
AWESOME Nicholas... and QUITE a looker... :thumb:
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MarcLinsalata
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by MarcLinsalata »

That 4th pic of the bird with its head in the water is spectacular
RobertH
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by RobertH »

Jim, I hope you realize that it's my pet. I staged it in my bedroom. :D :lol: :crazyeyes:

Nicholas
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by hellihooks »

Ya got me Nic... :oops: :lol: :lol: Watch your back Boyeeee... :lol: :lol: :lol: jim
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Chad M. Lane
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by Chad M. Lane »

Image
Fantastic shot Nicolas!

Man that cote looks beat!



Cheers,
Chad
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JAMAUGHN
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by JAMAUGHN »

Wow, I missed this completely when it was originally posted. Great shots, all around!

For whatever it's worth, here's a domesticated Greylag (with a bit of Canada thrown in) with normal Canada Geese:
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Here's a GWFG with a little Cackling Goose:
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JimM
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Re: Some recent non-herps for anyone who is interested

Post by hellihooks »

Here's them ducks I saw, Brad...I think they're Baja's... :crazyeyes: :lol: :lol:
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driving home past my local golf course, I saw these geese and figured "what the heck...see if I could get close enough for a shot"
don't know what kind of geese they are, but it's becoming increasingly obvious that my camera's not up to par, for shooting birds... :roll:
I think I got close enough for this shot because I THINK these stupid geese are guarding a golf ball... :lol: :lol: :lol:
BTW... it is currently raining at my house... :D jim
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