White-crowned Sparrow #45, Sacramento County California 13 October 2023
Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana)
I can't have too many photographs of Western Bluebirds, and I'll never tire of seeing these gentle little bug-eaters. This is the male of a pair that nested in my yard in the next box I make with my grandson.
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Western Bluebird #84, Sacramento County California 29 September 2023
Black Oystercatcher (Haematopus bachmani)
A resident of rocky shores of western North America from southern Baja California through the most distant Aleutian islands.
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Black Oystercatcher #06, Marin County California 25 September 2023
Yellow-headed Blackbird
(Xanthocephalus xanthocephalus)
One of the most reliable regions in California to find this bird, and one of my favorite areas to photograph wildlife, is the spring-fed marshes of Sierra Valley east of the Sierra Nevada crest. I happened to visit on a day with an abundant insect hatch when the blackbirds were so focussed on their feeding frenzy that they ignored me completely, allowing numerous photographs as they fed.
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Yellow-headed Blackbird #22, Plumas County California 12 May 2023
Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus)
This photograph illustrates why I prefer to stay overnight in the wild instead of finding more comfortable accommodations in a hotel. As I arrived at my campsite I saw a gray/black/white bird fluttering above the ground and because I see them frequently, I initially thought "Northern Mockingbird".
Upon actually looking at the bird I realized its was a Loggerhead Shrike, a bird I rarely have an opportunity to photograph. I made several hundred photos and had a hunch there was something interesting and possibly tasty on the ground. It was not until reviewing the photos later that I saw the snake.
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Loggerhead Shrike #07, Davis County Utah 10 May 2023
Prothonotary Warbler (Protonotaria citrea)
I made a rare (for me) long-distance birding trip to the famous Magee Marsh boardwalk where numerous warblers and other passerine species are often at eye level and close range where they rest and feed before crossing Lake Erie to continue their northward springtime migration. The Prothonotary Warbler is a species I had especially wanted to see and this bird did not disappoint, returning frequently to this perch for many photo opportunities.
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Prothonotary Warbler #04, Lucas County Ohio 08 May 2023
Wild Turkey (Melagris gallopavo)
Wild Turkeys are native to North America but until their introduction beginning in the 1950s they were not found in California. While their population has grown and is self-sustaining, there are some concerns that this species has displaced native herbivores and has increased soil disturbance.
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Wild Turkey #30, Sacramento County California 11 April 2023
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Setophaga coronata)
This is the western subspecies of Yellow-rumped Warbler, Setophaga coronata auduboni, commonly known as "Audubon's" Yellow-rumped Warbler.
Interestingly, the subspecies observed in interior Alaska is the "Myrtle" subspecies, Setophaga coronata coronata which is often thought of as an eastern subspecies. The "Myrtle" subspecies can migrate farther north and then west to Alaska because there are few mountainous obstacles between the Mississippi River delta and the Arctic Ocean.
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Yellow-rumped Warbler #49, Sacramento County California 07 April 2023
all photographs Copyright © Douglas Herr
last updated 20 February 2025