The kernel crusher

It figures that the day after I leave California, two birds show up in Bodega Harbor that I haven't seen locally yet — a Brown Booby and a Franklin's Gull.  (Perhaps someone can ask them to hang around for a few more days until I return?)

But I was pleased to see the species below along the Oregon coast.  Although I wish I had better photos, the conditions were pretty stormy (you can tell that the birds were wet).  I hadn't encountered this species since leaving New England.  I tried to find them in Point Reyes Station this winter, but wasn't able to locate them.  They're considered accidental on Bodega Head, so there must be at least one record, but I don't have The Birds of Sonoma County with me right now, so can't look that up at the moment.

We were doing a little indoor work and heard some loud calls outside.  I looked up into the trees to see these birds:

 

This is a pair of Evening Grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus).  The female is on the right, and the male is a little hidden behind the branch to the left.

Eventually the male came out into the open for a few seconds. 

 

Later he moved to a position where you could see the the very large, greenish conical bill and the earthy brown and orange feathers.  Also note the bright yellow forehead and white wing patch.

 

At one point there were also Red Crossbills in the same tree.  Here's a view showing the female Evening Grosbeak with a female Red Crossbill.

 

And another with a pair of Evening Grosbeaks and a pair of Red Crossbills.  Can you find all four birds?

 

The female Evening Grosbeak is in the upper left corner.  The male Evening Grosbeak is in the center at the lower edge of the photo.  The pair of Red Crossbills is at the upper right corner (the yellow female is just below and to the left of the red male.)

I was intrigued to learn that geographically distinct call types have been described for Evening Grosbeaks, just as they have for Red Crossbills.  I now wish I had been able to record these grosbeaks.  Next time!

P.S.  The genus, Coccothraustes, apparently means "kernel crusher," in reference to the massive bill and its function in shattering seeds.

Like water off a...

...tattler's back?

This Wandering Tattler was perched along the rocky shore near Yachats, Oregon on 22 May 2013.

 

Although intermittent, the rain was coming down pretty hard at times.  In the next image, you can see raindrops falling diagonally across the picture and water droplets beaded up on the tattler's back.

 

 

Violet-green

Traveled to the central Oregon coast today and didn't arrive until early evening.  There was a nice flock of swallows (at least three species) feeding over a nearby river mouth.  

 

There were scattered rain showers and the light was very dim, so this isn't a great shot — nevermind the challenge of photographing swallows in flight! — but it still provides a glimpse of a Violet-green Swallow (Tachycineta thalassina).

Morning glory

 

Coastal Bluff Morning-Glory (Calystegia purpurata subsp. saxicola) 

This photograph is from 14 May 2011, but 2013 also seems to be a very good year for this native perennial on Bodega Head.

P.S.  The subspecies name "saxicola" means "rock-dwelling."

P.P.S.  Calflora calls this species the Bodega Morning-Glory!

Revealing

 

American White Pelicans foraging in Bodega Harbor, 19 May 2013

I like this picture because it reveals quite a bit about white pelicans.

About foraging — White pelicans often forage in groups.  They feed by dipping their bills into shallow water, and often do so synchronously.  Note the raised wing posture, which I'm guessing is for balance while reaching below the surface.

About habitat use — You can see that these pelicans are in a relatively sheltered location with mudflats in the background.  Scanning carefully, you will also find strands of eelgrass draped around some of the birds (especially the second bird from the left), indicating use of seagrass beds.

About reproduction — Look closely for birds with gray feathers on their crowns.  This coloration is found in chick-feeding adults.  (White pelicans don't breed on the coast, but they've arrived here after nesting at inland lakes.)  And the large rounded "horn" on the bill of some individuals is also only present during the breeding season (it's usually shed after eggs are laid).

About species interactions — Note the Great Egret in the background.  The egret appeared to be "attending" this flock of pelicans, waiting for fish that the pelicans flushed or missed. 

 

California ovipositing

It was pretty breezy this afternoon, so I checked out one of the more sheltered dune ponds and noticed this dragonfly at the surface of the water.

 

This female California Darner (Rhionaeschna californica) was ovipositing (laying eggs) in the leaves of the submerged vegetation.  At this stage, she has already mated with a male, so the eggs are fertilized.

 

A male California Darner was hovering nearby.  It's likely he was the last male to mate with this female.  The male was actively guarding the female, defending her against visits by other males.  (There's a good reason for doing so, as it's thought that dragonflies can remove the sperm from previous matings.  By chasing away other males, he protects his investment.)

 

Here's a close-up of the male in flight:

 

The eggs that the female deposited will eventually hatch into larvae (dragonfly nymphs).  In large species such as this, the larval stage will often last for at least a year or more.  Then the nymph will undergo metamorphosis, crawl up a plant stem into the air, and break out of its nymphal skin to emerge as a flying dragonfly.  The adult dragonfly may live for a month or two.

To boldly go

 

 

Loki's Chiton (Tonicella lokii), photographed on Bodega Head, 4 July 2011