I’ve seen plenty of American Coots in a number of watery locations, but Clear Lake is the only place I can seem to get anywhere near them. There always seems to be something comical to me about these small birds; maybe it’s just that I’ve come to associate them with the expression “a funny old coot” — what my Merriam-Webster […]
of; there are neighbors nearby who have been without power for nearly seven days now, thanks to broken power poles still waiting to be repaired. Thus far (knock wood) we’ve only lost power one time, for a few hours in the middle of the night. Our county parks are temporarily closed due to the high river levels and storm damage. […]
I always love photographing Common Mergansers; there’s something about these diving ducks, especially the females with their spiky red heads, that appeals to me. The other day I was relaxing in a secluded spot along the river when I heard a lot of splashing nearby and spotted this very busy mom with her single duckling. It made me wonder what […]
The American River is running fast and fairly high right now; as I stood on the shore yesterday morning, mesmerized by the rushing water, there was nothing that could have induced me to dip even one foot into the torrent. But the birds have seen it all before and seemed more pleased than impressed. Like the Great Blue heron, calmly […]