Mokka mit Schlag » 2008 » February

Migratory Grasshopper, Melanoplus sanguinipes
McCormick Place, Chicago, Illinois, 2007-07-27

This year my “backyard” is William R. Mason Regional Park in Irvine, so I figured I’d see quite a few different birds than in past, cooler years in Brooklyn. I was certainly right about that. Over five miles and four hours, I tallied 41 species, over 20 of them the first records for Irvine in this year’s GBBC. (I was surprised at how few other reports there were from here. There are so many great parks and wildlife refuges in the area and not a few birders.) I found some great birds including Red-shouldered Hawk, Osprey, Hutton’s Vireo, Spotted Towhee, Cackling Goose, and four warbler species! However, the biggest surprise for me had to be this Greater Roadrunner:

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Prickly Pear cactus, Opuntia fragilis? (not sure about the species)
William R. Mason Regional Park, Irvine, California, 2008-02-17

Lesser Scaup, Aythya affinis
North Lake, Irvine, California, 2008-02-10

This is one of the toughest waterfowl IDs because the Greater Scaup is almost identical, but in good light note the purplish head and the more cornered, peaked appearance at the back of the head.

American Wigeon, Anas americana
North Lake, Irvine, California, 2008-02-10

One of the coll things about moving to a new part of the country is that almost anywhere becomes a potential source for life birds, like these Great-tailed Grackles I found yesterday at the strip mall at the intersection of Culver and Michelson in Irvine:

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