Monday, February 25, 2019

Winter Visitors

One nice thing about living in Lincoln California is the proximity to both urban conveniences and rural habitats.  Jules and I recently took an 18 mile loop in search of the birds that winter in the rice fields west of town.  We were almost too late, last week I heard a flock of sandhill cranes as they flew over my house on their way from Lodi to their northern breeding grounds.
Our first encounter was not waterfowl  but a hawk, hard to tell from the angle but I think it is a red shouldered hawk.

He didn't want to pose so we moved on.
We found a rice field with tundra swans and white fronted geese.  Many rice farmers keep their fields flooded in the winter providing habitat for the wintering birds.
I love looking at the swans but I had also hoped to see a flock of snow geese but all I saw was this lone goose swimming with the swans.
So we said goodby to the birds of the rice fields.  Spring migration is starting and I don't know if we will get out there again this year.

This is a view of my world, you can find more views of our wonderful world at Our World Tuesday.

See more birds at Wild Bird Wednesday.

7 comments:

Penelope Notes said...

You captured some beautiful wing shots ... not easy to get when they're in mid-flight.

Jim said...

Majestic.

Lady Fi said...

Wow - gorgeous!

Hootin Anni said...

I love birds and I LOVE to go birding and phoyograph them ...you have definitely shared some beauties! (I can't wait for Spring migration to be in "full swing".

Hootin Anni said...

Phoyograph=photograph

Sallie (FullTime-Life) said...

Beautiful birds and great photography (I have serious flight shot envy -- I am so slow and shaky, I almost never get one even half as good as your beautiful one). It delights me to know that the rice farmers purposely flood their fallow fields for the birds!

betty-NZ said...

I love your creature photos! Some are so different than what I see here in New Zealand. Thanks for stopping by my blog.