Lauren's Life Book

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Song Sparrow (Melospiza melodia)

This sparrow was seen foraging on the ground near a lake on a trail somewhere in Bothell, Washington during the last week of May 2011. Very common, the song sparrow is aptly named- you can hear a typical song for this sparrow, and read more about it here.

Caspian Tern (Hydroprogne caspia)

These terns were seen on the beach in White Rock, British Columbia on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 25th, 2011. I actually heard them before I saw them, and their sound cut through the sounds of the gulls that were seemingly everywhere. It was such a dramatic difference that an old lady stopped us on the pier to ask if we knew what was making the sound. A little bit further out there were more terns that were diving into the water. It is a shame that I didn't get any pictures of that- next time! In the United States, chances are if you see a tern it will be a common tern, not a caspian, so Canada was nice to me this day. You can read more about this tern here.

Pictures with Birds: Me + Rock Pigeon (Columba livia)

White Rock, British Columbia May 25th, 2011

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Gadwall (Anas strepera)

Gadwall (Anas strepera) - Male and Female

Gadwall (Anas strepera) - Male

Gadwall (Anas strepera) - Female

Gadwall (Anas strepera) - Male

Gadwall (Anas strepera) - Male and Female

Gadwall (Anas strepera) - Male

Gadwall ducks are amongst the prettiest out there, specifically the males. This pair of ducks was seen in Green Lake in Seattle, Washington on the afternoon of May 31st, 2011. You can read more about these ducks here.

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)

This bald eagle was seen, along with 2 or 3 others, fishing in Green Lake in Seattle, Washington on the afternoon of May 31st. Here in Washington, there are many many bald eagles to be seen- I don't think a day has gone by when one wasn't viewed in some way shape or form. The eagles at Green Lake were fishing, and I wish it wasn't so overcast and that I was closer to the action so I could have gotten the iconic eagle talon shot, but alas, it was not meant to be this time. The neat thing about bald eagles is that it takes them 5 years to obtain their definitive adult plumage, the unmistakable white head and tail. Until then they are some variation of mottled black brown and white. You can see the different plumages and read more about these eagles here.

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)- Chicks

Here are some pics of a few mallard chicks I saw at Green Lake in Seattle, Washington on the afternoon of May 31st, 2011. They are so cute!

Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos)

Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias)

I saw this great blue heron around Green Lake in Seattle, Washington on the afternoon of May 31, 2011. This bird was spotted flying by me, and I rushed to grab and focus the camera, with moderate success. The pictures aren't the best, but several identifying characteristics can still be seen and used to identify the bird. To me these pictures represent half of what birding is- stolen glimpses of birds as they whiz by. Contrary to what pictures make birds look like, they are anything but stationary (for the most part), and one must act and observe quick to get a picture of them or to identify them. These herons are colonial breeders, and I know of a colony in Colorado I am going to try to visit before the breeding season is over this year. You can read more about these herons here.