2008/11/17

First time to Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary: Part 2

This is the continuation of yesterday's post on my first time to Reifel Migratory Bird Sanctuary. Here were the birds that I saw and photographed.

A male Northern Pintail (Anas acuta). The supposedly evident black central tail feathers are not clearly seen in these pictures; thus, you got to identify the male by its chocolate brown head with a long and slender neck, and the white neck extends in a thin line onto the head.

Female Hooded Merganser (Lophodytes cucullatus).

American Wigeon (Anas americana). These birds are so cute-looking.

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). Quite solitary and sad-looking.

Unknown accipiter. If I have to guess, I think it's a Northern Harrier.

Spotted Towhee (Pipilo maculatus).

A female of a hybrid species? But what exactly? Perhaps a father Goose and mother Mallard?

A female Greater Scaup (Aythya marila) that I thought was a Goldeneye in the first place. Terrible. Thanks to the posters here that I realized my mistakes.

There were several times when my family and I were amazed by the sound and sight of thousands of Snow Geese taking off in the distance. Spectacular!

After we left Reifel, we headed to several places before going to Richmond Nature Park to sign-up for their special program "A Night For Owls" later that night. But apparently the class was full already. Shoot! I was really disappointed about not seeing any owls and birds of prey at Reifel today, so I was really looking forward to this opportunity. Disappointed but not discouraged, we walked around the Nature Park, and we saw these two mammals in the day all about birds: Douglas's Squirrel (Tamiasciurus douglasii) on the right; and House Mouse (Mus musculus) on the left.

House Mouse (left) and Douglas's Squirrel (right) pretending to be birds.

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