American Wigeon at Kit Carson Park

I caught this male wigeon in nice warm morning light.

American Wigeon. March 29, 2019. Escondido, California.

Snow Goose at Kit Carson Park

I'm not sure how much longer this Snow Goose will hang around Kit Carson Park. Mid-April should really be about it. However, it is alone, with mostly non-migratory ducks now on the pond. So, when it migrates is totally up to it. At least, many people got to see and photograph this rather rare wintering bird. I caught it in some nice early morning light. In the bottom photo I caught it a bit back-lit.

Snow Goose. March 29, 2019. Escondido, California.

Mallard at Kit Carson Park

Wild Mallards at your local park are almost tame. Thus, they are the perfect practice objects for improving your bird photography. Because they are almost tame I frequently neglect to photograph them as, after all, they are "just Mallards." But when the light hits them just right, and you can get down on their level (which I did not accomplish as well as I ought with these photos), the results can be outstanding.

Mallard. March 29, 2019. Escondido, California.

Mountain Chickadee at Stonewall Mine

Some birds are startled by the shutter noise of the camera. Some birds don't seem to notice. But this Mountain Chickadee actually seemed curious and attracted to the camera's clicking!

Mountain Chickadee. March 18, 2019. Stonewall Mine, California.

Rare Bird: Red Crossbill at Stonewall Mine

I hiked around the top of the hill in the forest at Stonewall Mine for about an hour without seeing or hearing the reported Red Crossbill. The constant piping notes of Pygmy Nuthatches sometimes would give me pause--"Is that a crossbill call?" No.

Finally I heard unusual finchlike singing. It started with an 3-6 loud rising grating calls ("trreeet") along with a jumble of cheery whistled notes. Oh, there it is!

The large head and short forked tail gives the bird its distinctive plump shape. Bills vary throughout its forested range depending upon the cone size, the seeds of which is this species main food. Some have quite small and petite bills and feed on small, soft Sitka spruce cones in the coastal areas of the Pacific Northwest. Others that feed on ponderosa pines have heavy, large bills, as did this bird. The Coulter pines of this area have giant cones of 10-16 inches and are the heaviest of all pine cones.

Thus, although Red Crossbills are highly nomadic--and aren't frequent in San Diego, this bird matches physical characteristics of Red Crossbills found regularly in nearby areas, both north and south of the county.

Red Crossbill. Stonewall Mine, California. March 18, 2019.