NevadaWolf, 16 days ago to Birds

As I was driving around Carson Lake, I spotted a Loggerhead Shrike giving a solo performance. So I stopped for awhile to watch them sing and snapped a few pictures.

The look that I got! "No photography during the concert!"

#CarsonLakeAndPastureWMA #LahontanValley #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #Birding #BirdWatching #Wildlife #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #Loggerhead Shrike

A small grey and white bird with black wing tips and a long black tail is perched on a bare branch. Its head is turned to look directly into the camera, the black face mask arched lines giving it a fierce look. Small black eyes can be seen amid the black feathers on either side of a closed beak.

NevadaWolf, 21 days ago to Birds

Last day of the month so wanted to see if I could add to my bird list for April. I was able to do so with one addition, a willet. Lifer!!

#CarsonLakeAndPastureWMA #LahontanValley #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #Birding #BirdWatching #Wildlife #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #LongBilledCurlew #GreatHornedOwl #GreatBlueHeron #Willet

A large brown owl perches in a tree, it's brown patterned body perfect for blending in against the bark of a tree (though not so much against the dull blue grey of early twilight). Though the body is facing away from the camera, showing the large wings and full tail, the head is turned completely around and staring into the camera. It's wide yellow eyes set back in the large oval face with the narrow black beak. The twin feathered "horns" are blowing in the breeze, the only part of the owl that is moving.
A Great Blue Heron appears small as it stands on the top crossbar of a corral entry. The bird's long thin legs are spread wide to support the large grey body. Its long neck is curved into an S with the bright yellow bill pointed off to the left.
A small brown and white speckled bird moves through the shallow water of a flooded grass pasture. Yellow legs come down from a white underbelly. Its wings have dark brown patterns while it's light brown head surrounds a gleaming black eye ringed in white. A long narrow beak extends straight out and glisten in the setting sun light.

NevadaWolf, 1 month ago to Birds

This is too pretty to keep in a reply. Was standing by this lovely pink blossom tree that smelled simply divine and caught movement above me. A male house finch was perched near the top singing. Got a little video and a photo before he flew off.

#Fallon #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #BirdWatching #BloomScrolling #Spring #HouseFinch

A red headed house finch perches amid the pink blossoms under a clear blue sky and sings a few notes before flying away.

NevadaWolf, 3 months ago to Birds

The first picture was identified as a sharp-shinned hawk by iNaturalist. It was about the size of a kestrel and I didn't think hawks came that small! Also here's a pair of red-tailed hawks, an American kestrel, and a greater yellowlegs (per Merlin listening to it).

#LahontanReservoir #LyonCounty #Genoa #CarsonValley #IndianLakes #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #Birding #BirdWatching #Wildlife #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #SharpShinnedHawk #RedTailedHawk #AmericanKestrel #GreaterYellowlegs

A pair of red-tailed hawks at the top of a grain silo. They've built a nest where the ladder opens up to allow someone to access the top. One, a darker hawk, is down in the nest of sticks and branches, the other is perched on a yellow hand rail where it landed carrying a large branch, it's tail still held upward balancing the bird.
A silver and bronze kestrel grips onto a power line, the wind blowing the small bird around and causing it's back feathers to lift up giving it a ruffled look. Bright sunlight from the clear blue sky makes the white chest, silver sides, and bronze back shines. The two distinct black marks down it's cheeks are visible.
A white and brown bird wades through the shallow water of a small lake, it's long yellow legs shining in the sunlight. The oval shaped body supports a long neck with a long straight beak, all made to feed in the mud below the water.

NevadaWolf, 4 months ago to Birds

Holiday today that I didn't make any plans for, so just went out to look for more birds. Sunny and mild temps this morning let me drive around slowly with my window down. Stopped by two hot spots, the cemetery and a reservoir that was mostly iced over.

Did spot a lifer today, a Red-naped Sapsucker hammering away at a crack in a tree.

#ChurchillCountyCemetery #HarmonReservoir #Fallon #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #Birding #BirdWatching #Wildlife #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #RedNapedSapsucker #BlackCrownedNightHeron #BeltedKingfisher #NorthernMockingbird #Lifer

A grey and white Black-crowned Night Heron stands on a grey rock with one bright yellow leg, the other tucked up into the loose fluffy feathers of its body. The dark grey cap that gives it it's name stretches over the head and down the back and upper wings. A bright red eye with black spot in the middle looks out over a yellow and grey bill. Tan reeds and grasses with grey rocks lining the edge of the empty canal fill the background.
A slate grey, white, and brown Belted Kingfisher perches on the end of a grey stick used as a fence post. The black eye looks out over the long black bill, both gleaming in the sunlight. The grey-blue head feathers are all spiked upward, and a distinctive brown band across the upper part of the white chest and rust-red colored under the wings. This rust color on the flanks (and also across the chest on adult birds) indicates the female Belted Kingfisher.
A small grey Northern Mockingbird briefly lands on a narrow red twig within a winter bare bush. The bird has a short black beak and shining gold eye, white striped wings, and a long thin tail. The top of the head and back are a dark grey, while the throat and chest are a light grey.

NevadaWolf, 4 months ago to Birds

Yesterday I found a nearby neighborhood that had a lot of Mountain Bluebirds flittering between the trees and roof tops. Today, I went to go get their picture and the pics of anyone else I saw along the way.

#Fallon #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #Birding #BirdWatching #Wildlife #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #MountainBluebird

A bright blue Mountain Bluebird clings to the bare red branch of a tree, black feet gripped around the wood. The sunlight shines on the bright blue wings, blue back and head, and pale blue-white chest. A black bead of an eye glints in the light. The clean blue desert sky fills the background, highlighting how blue the bird is.
A blue Mountain Bluebird stands on the top of a copper sign post, thin black feet spread wide on the sloped metal. The bird is turned towards the camera, the pale blue-grey chest topped with the blue head and only a small portion of the bright blue wings visible over the shoulder. The long white underside of the tail extends back. A black eye glints in the sunlight as it looks out over the narrow black beak. A pale blue desert sky filled the background, almost the same color as the chest feathers.
A brilliantly blue Mountain Bluebird stands on the sloped roof of a house, it's bright blue wings, blue back and head, and pale blue chest lit by sunlight. A black eye glints in the light, while the narrow black beak extends forward. The clean blue desert sky fills the background, revealing how blue the bird is in comparison.

NevadaWolf, 4 months ago to Birds

I took over a hundred pictures today as I drove around the Carson Lake area looking for Snow Geese (reportedly over 500 somewhere in the area) and I'm not happy with, really, any of them. So very few are actually in focus. And I can't tell when looking at the preview on the back of the camera cause the image is so small and my glasses make it hard to focus up close (it's easier to see under the lenses when looking up close. I think I need trifocals or something).

So, here's one of the few good ones, though I really wish the vertical ones I took with the reflection had come out.

#CarsonLake #CarsonLakeWMA #Fallon #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #Birding #BirdWatching #Wildlife #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #Juvenile #BlackCrownedNightHeron

NevadaWolf, 6 months ago to Birds

Spent the morning out at Stillwater National Wildlife Refuge taking pictures of who I could see.

A lovely Great Blue Heron and Great Egret.

#StillwaterNWR #ChurchillCounty #Nevada #Birds #Birding #BirdWatching #Wildlife #NaturePhotography #WildlifePhotography #BirdPhotography #BirdsOfMastodon #GreatBlueHeron #GreatEgret

A great blue heron glides low over the reed filled shallow lake, it's long grey neck contracted against it's body while the long thin black legs rest straight out. Long grey wings are held parallel. The blue water and tan reeds stretch out into the distance.
A sunlit large white Great Egret stands in the low grass along the edge of a shallow lake, it's large white body held up by thin black legs. The long white neck is stretched upwards, a green patch around its eye and yellow bill the only other colors on the bird. The background is filled with a tangle of tan reeds and bard bush branches.
A large white Great Egret glides low over the shallow grey water of a marsh, reeds and brush growing along the shore and out in the water. It's long white neck is pulled back against it's body while the long thin black legs hang out behind it. Large white wings are held down mid stroke.