December 26, 2021
My last two bird outings of 2021 were to a couple of highly regarded spots in Santa Barbara, CA.
The first was to Lake Los Carneros. Easy-peasy with a meadow, a lake, and a nice assortment of birds. Love it. A parking lot is available for visitors which leads to a nature path circling the lake.
A male Common Yellowthroat was quite literally the highlight of the day with his highlighter-yellow feathers. He was shy, spontaneously disappearing into a shrub before I could photograph him. Fortunately, an elegant Black Phoebe came to the rescue.
There was no shortage of California Scrub-Jays in the area. What’s for lunch today, Mr. Scrub-Jay?
The Red-shouldered Hawk above caused quite a stir amongst visitors walking the path. He stood motionless, his gaze locked on potential prey in a field of tall grass. Eventually he took his shot, gliding just above the grass with his talons extended. The poor feller wasn’t holding anything when he flew back up.
On the way back to the parking lot, I found myself on a residential road off the beaten path. There was a church to my left with a few trees planted in a vast grassy area. You can imagine the look of sheer glee on my face when I realized that the trees were filled with Cedar Waxwings.
If there were ever a “cool guy” of the bird world, I think Cedar Waxwings would be a major contender. Between their flashy pops of color, ninja-like masks, slicked back crests, and overall airbrushed appearance, they have prom king written all over them.
To cap off the day, a Western Bluebird– my first love.
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Gone Birdin' 