In The Wind

 

Western Bluebird, Sunset Parkway

"In the wind" is a term I associate with the likes of Michael Connelly's new police procedural that I'm reading, called Ironwood. (As in "Catalina ironwood," a.k.a. coot-foot tree.) But today, being "in the wind" is what anyone who ventured outdoors experienced.

A red-tailed hawk high above Golden Gate Heights hovered in the wind without a single wing-beat as I began my morning walk. It was chilly, especially in the shade, as I faced headwinds coming off the ocean, but by the time I entered Golden Gate Park around forty-five minutes later, the sunny day had warmed things up a lot.

The highlight of the morning was finding an active downy woodpecker nest at Mallard Lake (home of the dreaded Golden Gate Leech!). I photographed the nest with my compact camera but looked forward to returning later on my bike with the Z8. You couldn't see the chicks yet, but I wanted the better resolution of the full-frame camera to see what kind of bugs the parents were bringing in.

I also spotted a second robin's nest near Elk Glen Lake, but neither is in a photogenic spot, unfortunately. 

Bluebird Showing His Colors on Sunset Parkway

Parkway Phoebe

Another Black Phoebe at Mallard Lake

The great blue heron found a photogenic spot to preen at Mallard Lake.

I photographed this one (maybe the same one) among all the turtles when I returned later on my bike.

This is the male downy woodpecker at the nest hole, shot with the FZ80D.

Here he is again later in the morning, shot with the Z8.

Mama Brings The Birdy Num-Nums

Pretty easy to spot the earwing.

Mama at the Nest Hole
(While I was watching, she flew food to the nest four times to the male's one time.)

You can just make out the adult robin bringing a caterpillar to its young nestling.

One of my favorite little dinosaurs, the bushtit.

It was a beautiful morning to just hang out on a branch.

This is the same nest I first spotted on April 21, well before there was a hatchling, and also photographed last week.

There were two adult robins foraging near the second nest. One of them appeared to be trying to shred a plum down to a size fit for a nestling.

In the Wind

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