Under Clear Skies

Ash-throated Flycatcher – Luke Tiller

A few photo’s from the California trip before I wend my way back to Connecticut. As tempting as it was to play a few tricks on friends back in the Nutmeg State about where I had snapped the Ash-throated pics, I decided that the Canyon Live Oak backdrop probably wasn’t going to double very well for any spot in Allen’s Meadows. I guess i’ll have to see how the Elegant Tern at ‘Grace Salmon’ works out 😉

Checkered White – Luke Tiller

As well as the birds there were plenty of other cool things to photograph including bugs of various kinds, lizards and butterflies. I haven’t even worked out how many ‘lifer’ butterflies I saw but it was safely into the lots category. Most hoped for, but not achieved, was an encounter with a Mountain Lion (preferably from inside a car), a good reason to come back I guess. I knew the odds were long, but they are up in the San Gabriels somewhere.

Wrentit – Luke Tiller

Favorite birds of the trip were the owls in general and the Western Screech in particular for putting on a good show a few times. Pushing the screech hard though would have to be the lifer Spotted Owls, which sound like Barred, but to use the cliche, on LSD. Now back to Connecticut for shorebird madness. There have been plenty of Ruff’s and Stints around so far this year – perhaps it’s time to go find one…