Greylag Goose - Anser anser

The Greylag Goose is the species where the domesticated geese originally came from. Most of these birds seen in urban parks are most likely offsprings of the domestic variety that became feral. I've seen them in California and in Sydney, Australia.

Frank Bonelli Regional Park
San Dimas, California
March 2016

Canon 5D Mk III, Tamron 150-600 @ 600mm
ISO-800, 1/100, f11

Sydney, Australia
October 2016

Canon 5D Mk III, Tamron 150-600 @ 450mm
ISO-1250, 1/100, f11

Snow Goose - Chen caerulescens

Snow Geese migrate by the thousands to Southern California, particularly at the Salton Sea. It was strange that we saw one at the Almansor Park (which is a small urban park) in December 2009.

Almansor Park
Alhambra, California
December 12 2009

Canon 30D,  100-400 @ 160mm
ISO-800, 1/320, f6.3

Ross's Goose - Chen rossii

It was at Prado Dam that we've seen this species - first in June of 2007 then in April of the following year. Since it was supposed to be a migrant, we were surprised to see it at that time of the year. Perhaps thinking that the long voyage to the Arctic would be too tiring, it just decided to stick around with the locals.

Prado Dam
Corona, California
April 5, 2008

Canon 40D, 100-400 @ 390mm
ISO-400, 1/800, f10

American Kestrel - Falco sparverius

American Kestrels are not difficult to find in Southern California. We saw them in the different parks and nature reserves. For a raptor it has a beautiful coloring, especially that of a male. They are the smallest members of the Falcon family in North America although their range extends all the way to South America. It's diet consists of grasshoppers, lizards, mice and an occasional small bird like a sparrow.

American Kestrel - Falco sparverius
Peck Road Water Conservation Park, Arcadia, California
December 3, 2005

Canon 20D, 300mm+1.4X (420mm)
ISO-200, f/8, 1/500, handheld

Allen's Hummingbird - Selasphorus sasin

Sycamore Canyon is a small park in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains in Whittier, California. Despite its proximity to urban areas and to the freeway, it harbors a number of bird species.  One of these is the Allen's Hummingbird.

Allen's Hummingbirds always pose an identification problem because of its similarity with the Rufous Hummingbird which shares its range and habitat. Both have the striking rufous coloring and bright red gorget. However, Allen's have green feathers on its head, upper back and rump. They also have a more limited range in the western USA and Mexico. It is not unusual to find these colorful birds in urban areas. Next to the very common Anna's, Allen's are probably the other hummingbird one can easily find in southern California.

Allen's Hummingbird - Selasphorus sasin
Sycamore Canyon, Whittier, California
April 30, 2005

Canon 20D, 300mm+1.4X, handheld
ISO-100, f7.1, 1/400

Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivora

Acorn Woodpeckers are the most common woodpeckers in California. They were so named because of their habit of storing acorns in crevices and holes of trees, most of which they themselves drill. These birds are quite noisy with their parrot-like croaking. Another peculiar habit of Acorn Woodpeckers is their communal nesting. Several females lay eggs in a single nest and the whole community - including the males and juveniles - take turns in raising the chicks.

Acorn Woodpeckers live year-round in oak and pine-oak woodlands of western and southwestern USA all the way down to Central America.

Acorn Woodpecker - Melanerpes formicivora
Irvine Regional Park, California
February 9, 2008

Canon 20D, 300mm lens, handheld
ISO-400, f8, 1/1000

Anna's Hummingbird - Calypte anna

Although Anna's Hummingbirds are very common in Southern California, it is very seldom that you see the gorgeous gorget of the male. It was sheer serendipity that I saw one at the San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. For the full story please visit my other blog: Anna's Hummingbird

Anna's Hummingbirds range throughout the Pacific Coast of the United States. They are the most common hummingbird one will encounter in this area. They readily come to hummingbird feeders and even cultivated gardens. They are mostly green and grey but the adult male when seen in the right light shows off an iridescent reddish pink gorget.

Anna's Hummingbird - Calypte anna
San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary, Irvine, California
January 19, 2009

Canon 40D, 300mm+1.4X, handheld
ISO-400, f5.6, 1/160