Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline

Or Should I Say She Once Had Me

December 11, 2013

Another post of local bird pictures?  Sure, why not.  It's really all about that picture above.  I thought is was a lot of fun the way the goldeneye makes a circle with its reflection.

Yeah, I know.  Nerd.

Fruitvale Bridge, Alameda, CA

I also like how the buildings on the Oakland side of the estuary create yellow reflections in the water.  I think it makes for some cool looking pictures.

Surf Scoters -- Oakland/Alameda Estuary, CA

Lady Goldeneye

I took all of these pictures on my way to work Wednesday.  I stopped at Peet's for a cup of jo, then headed South down Doolittle.  I like taking the back roads when I'm not in a hurry, and this particular morning I felt like taking my time.I stopped at the little park on Doolittle just before the airport to shoot some bird pictures.  There's always a decent amount of bird action there.  It's not like one of the Central Valley wildlife refuges, but then again what is?

Greater Scaup -- Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, CA

Silly Scaup

I don't know, I've been enjoying taking pictures of birds lately, and I like to read blogs of a few people who consider themselves to be birders.  I even started an eBird account to track my bird sightings.  I don't think of myself as a birder, though.  I'll definitely take a seal sighting in the estuary over any kind of bird sighting short of a bald eagle or a condor, and what are the odds those would ever happen?  

Ring-billed Gull -- Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, CA

Identifying birds is definitely fun, though.  There's such a wide variety, it seems I'm always being surprised by the types of birds I see.  I'm definitely water-focused.  Ducks are awesome.  Geese are a little wacky.  Pelicans kick ass.  I like the hawks, too.  Eagles may be my favorite, but I've got a soft spot for the vultures and condors.  I dunno.  I guess I do like taking pictures of birds, so maybe I am a birder, or perhaps transitioning into one.  We'll see, I guess.

Ring-billed Gull -- Martin Luther King Jr. Regional Shoreline, CA