Surf Scoter

11 Dec 2010 -- Salton Sea, Sonny Bono National Wildlife Refuge, Niland, CA















Female - a long way from the surf.

American White Pelican

3 May 2009 -- Ahjumawi State Park, CA




















This boat-in only state park is near Fall River Mills, CA. The horn on this Pelican's beak signifies breeding status.

Burrowing Owl

11 Dec 2010 -- Salton Sea, CA



















Here's looking at you kid.

Blue-footed Booby

29 Dec 2008 -- Loreto, Baja, Mexico

Photo taken on the Malicon at the small boat harbor in Loreto, Baja Californa Sur, Mexico.  There must have been hundreds of Blue-footed Boobies and there was a great commotion as they were all diving and fishing.  Groups of 25 or more would dive into the water together like bullets, going well under water and then all coming up as one.  I was standing on rocks quayside as the Boobies would fly by and gain altitude for another plunge into the sea.

Killdeer

June 20, 2010 -- Taken at Island Park, the Palisades Reservoir in ID. On the ID, WY border near Alpine, WY






Killdeer is in the Upland Plover family.

Western Tanager

21 May 2010 -- Taken at Happy Ilse in Yosemite National Park, CA






















Was on a walk up a very steep climb to Vernal Falls. Lugging a 100-400 mm lens up that hill was not a good idea.

Yellow-headed Blackbird

25 April 2010 -- Taken near Yuma, AZ on the Gila River.





















Gile River was in flood stage. Was kayaking and the river hadn't been this high in 25 years. Usually this river is just a small stream with not enough water to float anything.

Taken with a 8.0 Mega Pixel Cannon PowerShot A720 IS.