Yesterday, we spent the morning on the shore of Lake Hodges outside of Escondido. We had a great time birding there last week, and were eager to return and try a different trail that would have the sun behind us for better photography.
Pied-billed Grebe
Clark's Grebe
Courting grebes rushing.
Rushing is part of their elaborate courting ritual.
They literally run across the water without flapping their wings.
I just can't get enough of them!
A cool Double-crested Cormorant dries its feathers. Unlike most waterfowl, they don't produce water repelling oils and can get cold and waterlogged.
There is alternating head bobbing in the ritual, also. Two Western Grebes here. Western and Clark's Grebes were thought to be the same species up until 1986.
Rushing
We noticed a number of times a third grebe would try and join in.
Zoom!
They are in such unison!
Another part of the courtship is lifting their bodies as high above water as possible. They must be treading furiously while appearing to look like they are being effortlessly cool (pardon the anthropomorphizing).
Great Blue Heron
Taking wing
Early in the morning we passed a number of bird species walking along the riparian path to the lake.
Nuttall's Woodpecker
Goldfinch
Great Egret
Black-crowned Night-Heron
White-crowned Sparrow
Purple Finch
Also on the lake
Osprey
Tree Swallows
Cassin's Kingbird
2 comments:
What a day for birds!! You got the running-on-water grebe shots!! But I think that 3rd grebe is getting a little ambitious, don't you?!
So that's where all the birds go for the winter... Great photos. Perfect lighting.
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