Top Five Bird Sightings of 2013
I wasn't planning on having a separate top five list for birds, but when I realized that no birds were going to make my animals list, and considering all the cool birds I've seen this year, I decided a separate list was in order. I took pictures of 203 different species of animals in 2013, and of those 123 were birds. So, here goes, my top five bird sightings for 2013.
5. Brown Pelican
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| Brown Pelican -- Crab Cove, Alameda, CA |
Brown pelicans are just plain goofy looking. Don't tell them that, though, I'm sure they'd take offense. Brown pelicans have become fairly common around here. There are a couple of pilings in the estuary a block from my house where they will often roost.
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| Brown Pelican -- Pacific Grove, CA |
4. Turkey Vulture
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| Turkey Vulture -- Pinnacles National Park, CA |
Turkey vultures are very common in California. It's just about impossible to go for a drive anywhere and not see at least one circling around. They're not the prettiest of birds, but they're one of my favorites. Pinnacles National Park is a great place to see vultures up close. If you're lucky a condor will be around, too. Vultures are big birds, but they don't seem so big when they stand next to a condor.
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| Turkey Vulture -- Pinnacles National Park, CA |
3. Golden Eagle
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| Golden Eagle -- Carmel Valley, CA |
I saw a handful of golden eagles this year. Awesome birds. They're hard for me to distinguish from turkey vultures from a distance. They don't wander around in the sky like a vulture, though, they always seem to have a purpose when they're flying. That was the case for the eagles I saw, anyway.
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| Golden Eagle -- Highway 50, UT |
2. Bald Eagle
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| Bald Eagle -- Octopus Hole Conservation Area, WA |
When I took my trip up to Olympic National Park last month I was hoping to see a bald eagle. I didn't see just one, I saw fifteen on that trip. That was a nice surprise. My dad was telling me there used to be one that lived in a tree just a couple of doors down from my parent's house. I've heard they've even been spotted in California, but I've never seen one.
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| Bald Eagle -- Ankeny National Wildlife Refuge, OR |
1. Barn Owl
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| Barn Owl -- San Luis Wildlife Refuge, CA |
Owls are cool. I've only seen one in the wild so far. It was at the end of what had been up to that point a disappointing trip to San Luis Wildlife Refuge. He/She was standing on a fencepost just as I left the refuge. That trip immediately became a memorable adventure.
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| Barn Owl -- San Luis Wildlife Refuge, CA |
Brown pelicans are just plain goofy looking. Don't tell them that, though, I'm sure they'd take offense. Brown pelicans have become fairly common around here. There are a couple of pilings in the estuary a block from my house where they will often roost.
Turkey vultures are very common in California. It's just about impossible to go for a drive anywhere and not see at least one circling around. They're not the prettiest of birds, but they're one of my favorites. Pinnacles National Park is a great place to see vultures up close. If you're lucky a condor will be around, too. Vultures are big birds, but they don't seem so big when they stand next to a condor.
I saw a handful of golden eagles this year. Awesome birds. They're hard for me to distinguish from turkey vultures from a distance. They don't wander around in the sky like a vulture, though, they always seem to have a purpose when they're flying. That was the case for the eagles I saw, anyway.
When I took my trip up to Olympic National Park last month I was hoping to see a bald eagle. I didn't see just one, I saw fifteen on that trip. That was a nice surprise. My dad was telling me there used to be one that lived in a tree just a couple of doors down from my parent's house. I've heard they've even been spotted in California, but I've never seen one.
Owls are cool. I've only seen one in the wild so far. It was at the end of what had been up to that point a disappointing trip to San Luis Wildlife Refuge. He/She was standing on a fencepost just as I left the refuge. That trip immediately became a memorable adventure.
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