Saturday, October 24, 2015

Leucistic sparrow

Unusually pigmented White-Crowned Sparrow

Normally colored flockmate, for comparison

Wednesday, October 21, 2015

Lakeside birds

Coot

More coots

And another coot

Spotted Sandpiper

My old friend Fuzzy Duck

Snowy Egret

An odd duck that appears to be a Mallard/Muscovy hybrid

Note the traces of a Muscovy-like mask (compare the drake here, likely this duck's father)

Iridescence

Monday, October 19, 2015

Sleepy cormorant

At first glance I wasn't sure this was a bird...

...and not a rock or a chunk of wood

Hello there!

Adorable

Who watches the birdwatchers?

Thursday, October 8, 2015

Morning


Neon sky

Scrub Jay awaiting peanuts


Moon and Venus (the tiny pixel at lower left)


Nesting season is over, but bluebirds still use these boxes for shelter

White beauty

Reflection
Funereal Duskywing

Friday, October 2, 2015

Mantis

Though it's not visible in this photo, this bug seemed to have three teeny gemlike vestigial eyes in between its main eyes-- a common mantis trait and possibly a holdover from early proto-arthropods.