On the move

  

A beautiful White Wagtail (Motacilla alba) was found near Gaffney Point in Bodega Harbor yesterday.  I took a short break from work and felt lucky to snap a few quick photos.  The wagtail was feeding along the shoreline, actively chasing after insects.

White Wagtails are accidental vagrants here.  It sounds like this is only the second record for Sonoma County, but feel free to correct me if I'm wrong about that.  

To learn more about White Wagtail records in California, you can check out the Rare Birds of California species account here. 

A dip in the creek?

  

We spent some time watching an American Dipper (Cinclus mexicanus) in a creek along the Oregon Coast today (5 April 2026).  I had trouble deciding which photos to share, so here are a few different views.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Morning sun

  

Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) and a Northern Flicker (Colaptes auratus) enjoying the morning sun in Santa Rosa today (6 January 2026).  [You can click on the image for a larger version.]

Berry gathering

  

Heard some Cedar Waxwings (Bombycilla cedrorum) calling in the parking lot at Oliver's and looked up to see a large flock feeding on berries.  

There was a mix of juveniles (above) and adults (below):

 

 

Other species were attracted to the activity, too.  Here's a Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana): 

 

 

End-of-the-day treat

  

A Bushtit for you!  This one was searching for prey among the moss, bark, and leaves on a tree in the Oliver's parking lot in Cotati. 

Overhead

  

Stopping to pick up sandwiches in northern Sonoma County today and noticed a handful of Vaux's Swifts (Chaetura vauxi) flying overhead.  Photo for the record on 15 June 2025.

Cloaks, admirals, and angles +

  

It warmed up quite a bit in Cotati today — at one point our outdoor thermometer was reading ~80°F (~26°C).  Butterflies were definitely taking advantage of the sun. 

Above, a Mourning Cloak (Nymphalis antiopa).

Next, a Red Admiral (Vanessa atalanta):

 

 

And, a Satyr Anglewing (Polygonia satyrus):

 

 

Also, we checked on the Anna's Hummingbird fledgling.  Eric spotted it very high, about 50 feet up in a tree adjacent to the nest site.  Mom flew in a couple of times to feed the fledgling, but only about every 20 minutes (see below).  In between feeding visits from mom, the fledgling probed nearby buds and leaves and practiced short flights among the branches.

 

 

The female might feed the fledgling for 1-2 weeks after they've left the nest, but it will likely be harder for us to locate them as time goes on and they spend time farther from the nest site.