Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Snowy Egret

Subjects like this really reward you for being patient. This Egret was slowly wandering around the edge of the water looking for a snack. We must have looked like quite a site, him stalking lunch, me stalking him. Over about 20 minutes I was able to get really close.

Sunday, February 13, 2005
Isla Vista Hummer

The day I took this I was supposed to be practicing pastels in a class at Island View Nursery in Carpinteria. But once there is a hummingbird around I can't think of doing anything but taking pictures.

Friday, February 4, 2005
Pelican Peak

"You ate my fish!! I can smell it on your breath!!"

Pelicans are pretty comical, they are as fun to watch as they are to photograph.

Thursday, January 27, 2005
Sunset Gull

Here are two different croppings of the same image.

I love trying to catch birds in flight and this one was very cooperative! This was during a walk on Leadbetter Beach (one of the main tourist beaches in Santa Barbara, by the Harbor) at sunset right after feeding the seagulls a little bread. (Hey, I have to pay my models! And these guys are smart enough to get payment up front)

The poles sticking up in the air are the masts of small rental catamarans on the beach. And, if your monitor is bright enough to see it, the rectangle on the pole at the right of the smaller image is an array of lights over the sports field at Santa Barbara City College.

Monday, January 24, 2005
Cattle Egret

I found this guy poking around the stream along the path to Nojoqui Falls near Santa Barbara. I knew he was an Egret, but I was not sure what kind.

Once I identified it, I found out some interesting facts about this bird. Although it is now distributed over the entire world as recently as 1910 there were no records of it in America. Apparently, in the early 1900s this bird migrated across the Atlantic ocean from Africa then spread quickly across South and North America.

USGS Patuxent Bird ID InfoCenter

South American Birds Site, with some interesting information.

Friday, January 14, 2005
Droppin' in for Lunch

I like to feed the Sea Gulls at the beach. This guy was doing his Humming Bird impression.

Thursday, January 13, 2005
Hazy Day at the Beach

Well the rain has been crazy, and as I am writing this I have the news on to hear if we have to evacuate. Strange since we do not live very close to anything that you would think would be a problem. But, it seems there is a culvert in the mountains above here (by State Route 154). Well there was a mud/rock slide into the culvert that blocked it. Now there is a lake building up behind the man made berms on the side of what is left of the highway, and I would guess they are not really made to hold eight million gallons of water.

On the up side, the rainy days make for some interesting pictures. I have always loved taking pictures in odd lighting. Noon on a sunny day is the most boring time to take a picture.

Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Encina Finches

Our area had voluntary evacuations the night before last. So we stayed at our favorite place downtown, Encina Lodge. They have an aviary outside with a flock of Finches. This is a photo from an earlier trip.

Monday, January 3, 2005
Morning Salutation

Humming birds are incredible to watch, this guy was sitting in a huge Bougainvillea above my head. They have a habit of making a sound that makes you think they are dive-bombing you but they are usually sitting still when they make that sound. When they call they put their beak in the air and the feathers on their throat stick straight out. This photo was taken just after he had made the call and he was in the middle of a good post-breakfast stretch.