The Song Sparrow is a very common sparrow in North America and are seen in people’s backyards. Their colors are often russet-and-gray with bold streaks down its white chest but in California they have a more darker tone. The Song Sparrow’s length is from 5.8 to 7.5 inches. You can see the bird living in fields or near water. They eat mostly insects or seeds and forage on the ground. One of the oldest known Song Sparrow was 11 years old.
The Red Tail Hawk is a very common bird in North America. They usually live approximately 21 years and are found in the countryside, woodlands, mountains, plains, and roadsides. The birds are known for effortless soaring and are often seen on roadside poles or sailing over fields and woods. Red Tail Hawk usually have a trademark reddish-brown tail but can also have black, brown, and white plumage. When feeding they usually swoop down on their prey. Their diet includes mammals, birds, reptiles, rabbits, and ground squirrels. The Red Tail Hawks are federally protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and can’t be hunted or bothered.
Unusual winter
creates
surprise of nature
The American Avocet bird is a relatively large shorebird with an upturned bill, long neck, and round head. It feeds by wading through shallow waterswhile looking for crustaceans, insects, and fish. Breeding Avocet’s are brown, black, and white while the non-breeding Avocet’s are white and black. It is found in wetlands, salt ponds, and evaporation ponds. During winter also uses inter-tidal mudflats, and flooded pastures. It’s habitat is from Washington and British Columbia, east to Minnesota, and south to California and Texas.
The Black-necked Stilt has colourful rose-pink legs, a thin black bill, and black-and-white feathers. They are often seen moving through wetlands in search of food while making high pitched yapping sounds. You can often view Stilts on salt-marshes, flooded fields, or salt pans. Black-necked Stilt’s are found in wetlands from North America and the Caribbean south to central Argentina.
Summer days
Day in day out
Design of color
Nature is art
Art is nature
So confusing
Alviso Slough Trail at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
Nature
A mystery
Of life
Alviso Slough Trail at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge in Alviso, San Jose
Birds mostly fly
When they don’t
They hang out
Mallard Slough Trail Alviso (San Jose)
White Pelicans can be some of the largest North American birds with a 9 foot wingspan and weighing between 9.2 to 30 pounds. They are identified by having large heads and yellow huge bills. For feeding the pelicans dip their bills to swallow fish. Historically White Pelicans were threatened with extinction due to DDT pesticides during the 1950s and 1960s but returned back to health due to stricter environmental protection laws. White Pelicans generally live in the lakes, marshes, and salt ponds most of the time. The birds are similar to Brown Pelicans except they are larger and don’t dive from the air for fish.
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/american-white-pelican
Photograph taken at the Alviso Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge
A Black-necked Stilt (Himantopus mexicanus) of one the most colorful of shorebirds with pink legs, long thin black bill, and black and white plumage. They live in salt marshes, flooded fields, or salt pans. Their diet consists of insects and crustaceans. You can regularly see them at the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge.
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