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| Allen's Hummingbird Inside The Bison Paddock |
I was lucky enough to spot the Allen's hummingbird again at Mallard Lake this morning, but I still hadn't seen one anywhere else until today, when I spotted one inside the fence of the Bison Paddock. The light wasn't ideal, but neither was trying to shoot between the holes of a chain-link fence.
Allen's hummingbirds migrate north from Mexico to breed, typically arriving in San Francisco in mid-February and leaving in mid-June. Observing the two birds today I noticed the Allen's hummers are smaller than Anna's. A typical weight for an Allen's is just 0.11 ounces, and 0.14 to 0.16 ounces for an Anna's. Another thing I noticed is the different buzzing sounds the two species make when flying. Even with your eyes closed, you could tell which species buzzed by.
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| As the fog burned off, I was better able to see that the waves were bigger than usual at Ocean Beach. NOAA was forecasting waves of 9-12 feet, which doesn't seem that big considering how far out the waves were breaking. |
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| The Allen's hummingbird at Mallard Lake had just been bathing in the little creek, then perched in this small tree to preen. |
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| This was the only shot I got of it in a brief moment of stillness. |
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| After another quick dip, it returned to the same tree but landed a little bit closer. |
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| A golden-crowned sparrow was munching on the watercress leaves. |
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| Here's another mallard with unusual coloration. |
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| I couldn't tell if this female Anna's hummingbird was gathering cobweb for nesting material, or eating insects too small for me to see. Very nearby I watched another Anna's picking off tiny winged insects that were flying in the warm rays of sunshine. |
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| Red-eared Sliders at Mallard Lake |
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| Inky Cap Mushrooms at Elk Glen Lake |
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| Red-shouldered Hawk In the Open Near Elk Glen Lake |
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| Liftoff! |
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| And Away She Goes |
Sound of Red-shouldered Hawk Calling Out
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| House Finch in a Plum Tree |
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| Another View of the Allen's Hummingbird at the Bison Paddock |
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| This monarch butterfly was at North Lake, very near the place I recently photographed my first one of the season. With so few monarchs these days, I wonder if it could be the same individual. |
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| I suspect the white-crowned sparrow was nibbling on the nutritious pollen of these cherry blossoms at South Lake. |
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| This guy was the last of several sparrows in the tree to take cover after I approached with my camera. |
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