A mostly-sunny, but chilly day is perfect for the 2022 Great Backyard Bird Count. Though the gold-crowned sparrow (above) seems to be saying “say what?”
My total: 30 minutes, 12 species, 45 individual birds. Nothing exotic or out-of-the-ordinary, but fun nonetheless.
- 9 California Quail
- 2 Mourning Dove
- 3 Anna’s Hummingbird
- 1 Northern Flicker
- 3 Steller’s Jay
- 1 American Crow
- 2 Black-capped Chickadee
- 5 House Sparrow
- 2 House Finch
- 11 Dark-Eyed Junco
- 2 Golden-crowned Sparrow
- 4 Spotted Towhee
Whew! I even managed to snap a few photos.
The always adorably-cute black-capped chickadee.
This dark-eyed junco looks like a puffball, all poofed up against the chill.
California quail remind me so much of chickens, the way they move and scratch in the ground.
A northern flicker sitting high up on a branch.
American crow, gleaming in the sun.
A spotted towhee hiding in the brambles over the back fence.
When the sun hits an Anna’s hummingbird just right, the throat colors are spectacularly iridescent.
A couple of male house finches adding some color to the still bare trees.
And closing out the photos with a Steller’s Jay. This is the subspecies Steller’s Jay Pacific since the stripes in the crest are blue. Steller’s Jay Interior have white stripes in the crest. (Sorry, I’m really getting into this bird thing!)
It looks like you are becoming quite the bird photographer.