Monterey/Pacific Grove/Carmel, California 2013
Pacific Grove in Springtime
One of my favorite places was
George Washington Park in Pacific Grove...
A forested area with a good mix of ancient trees strewn with Moss...
I couldn't resist photographing this Calla lily!
On this trip I often used the tiny Canon SX50 HS, seen below.
More information regarding this camera FOR BIRDING can be found
by clicking:
My primary reason for birding there was the large colony of
Acorn Woodpeckers...
and this...
These birds were spectacular to me!
They store acorns in holes they drill, so tight that squirrels are unsuccessful in extracting them!
Trees such as this are called, "Granaries".
It is said the birds rarely use the acorns...
they prefer to catch insects!
The tiny Canon camera is capable of 13 frames/second...
great for BIF.
Here we see a pair of California Towhees in
a "Classic" pose!
A California Towhee showing excellent detail...
More examples of California Towhees...
Another...
Mixed with California Towhees were a favorite of mine,
Spotted Towhees!
Another...
a third example...
and a 4th...
Dark-headed Juncos were represented...
Along with a Red-Shouldered Hawk, having robbed an American Crow's
nest of baby crows!
The above hawk was being shadowed by American Crows, keeping
their distance while the carnage ensued.
Back to my featured birds, the Acorn Woodpeckers,
an example, up close and personal...
One out in the Sun...
This one nearly filled my frame...
I often saw several of these woodpeckers at a time, but rarely
close together as seen here.
2 last images of the striking Acorn Woodpeckers...
featuring plenty of detail!
NOTE:
These 2 images show coloration differences for the sexes:
This is a MALE Acorn Woodpecker;
This is a FEMALE ...
What difference can you see?
(The female has a black band on her head, separating the red
from the white at the 'forehead'.
Birds of the Coastline, from Carmel, north and east to Monterey, California...
Lovely, spectacular country!!!
Carmel by the Sea...
The area is punctuated by the presence of
spectacular Cyprus Trees...
And stunning ocean breakers...
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN VIEWING MORE OF THIS SPECTACULAR
AREA OF OUR PACIFIC COAST?
SEE IT AS A SLIDESHOW!
(with original music composed by my friend, Ken Foster)
CLICK
With birds, let's begin with a group of
Black Brant Geese,
photographed in the flat light created by the
"Marine Layer" that rolls in from time to time...
Up closer...
And, now a single example...
Now in direct sunlight...
An interesting series of events began with a single goose on a
tiny piece of real estate...
Another pair were swimmng by...
and decided they wanted the perch for themselves!
The original goose left with any fanfare...
Leaving the pair comfortable, without any resistance...
There are 3 species of Cormorants in this area...
The image above and below are Brandt's Cormorants, distinguished by
having fluorescent blue gular sacs!
Brandt's Cormorant in flight...
Again, showing its blue gular sac...
Perched...
Up close...head shot.
The Pelagic Cormorant is the 2nd species...
Perched...
Swimming...
Perched again...
Close head shot...
Air-drying its feathers...
The shoreline at Asilomar...
Heavy use prompted the installation of boardwalks...
To help protect native plants being re-established there!
Humans and their pets do not deter some shorebirds, such as this
Whimbrel...
An adult White-crowned sparrow
provided these images...
Captured an insect...
and finally came to rest on an old, rusty strand of cable...
Lunchtime at a high-end restaurant in Monterey...
In the bright sunshine on Monterey Bay...
also makes room for birds...
A Brewer's blackbird insisted on being waited upon!
Up close...
A walk, back to the cottage, saw the beginning of the marine layer
encroaching...
But some sunshine helped to illustrate shorebirds on my walk,
Black Turnstone...
again...
Black turnstone
Black Oystercatcher...
again...
Feeding on mussels...
Its bill is similar to a butterknife...
broad from this perspective.
but narrow and flat straight on...
A wandering tattler...
again
In the diminishing light of evening...
last of the Wandering Tattlers, as the light continued to fade...
With a Black Oystercatcher,
saying,
"goodnight!"
A REMINDER,
I POSTED OTHER IMAGES FROM THIS AREA, TAKEN IN 2011, WITH EXTENDED DIVERSITY.
YOU CAN SEE THEM