Fred the Greater Yellowlegs Returns

Fred the greater yellowlegs returned to Lake Murray to fatten up for his long trip to the far north.  These birds nest just south of the tundra line.  Fred loves the little minnow fishes in the lake and the flies along the shore.  

The phoebes have a new, completed nest and I think they have eggs in it, too.

Mom phoebe was very upset that about 40 grackles and blackbirds were hanging around the roof above her nest.

Dad wasn't too happy about it, either:

Spoonface says hello and that he still has that orange ring around his neck.  You can see it under his feathers.  He still doesn't have his main primary feather on one side, so he still can't fly off.

The scaups are leaving, but a few are hanging around hoping to fatten up on some human-fed treats before they migrate.  Though they don't fly as far north as the yellowlegs, they do have a long ways to go to get to their breeding grounds.

Sorry about the next photo, but I thought this duck was cool.  He looks a lot like Buffy, but more mallardish.  I'm betting he's one of Buffy's many offspring.

Killdeerland:

I came across a weird sight early in the morning.  Shy's mate seemed to be protecting a chick.  I only hear one chick nearby and he was emphatic about protecting it.  I wonder if he adopted the Mom and Dad's lone egg and are raising the one chick.

Junior doing a good job at hiding from me.  I didn't even see him until I was really close.  He needs to quit this act because, one day, I am going to step on him.

Squeak's dilemma:

Squeak (George's daughter) was seen with a brand new male.  He looked like ones I've seen in the Mission Bay and San Diego River areas of San Diego.

Squeak

Here is the new beau:

I think this is George III who was Squeak's closest friend and nephew.  He seems a little put-out now.

In geese news, Louie won't leave Jill alone and follows her around, constantly.  She doesn't like him at all and tries to stay near her Canada goose friend who does little to protect her.

Also, the dove's nest I saw last time is no more.  I don't know what happened to it.

'Til next time!

Birds in love

  Nesting season is in full swing!

Dove on her nest

Cinnamon and her 5 boyfriends (plus another pair)

Jill and her Romeo

 

Wood duck pair

The next photo is of a female killdeer that I can't identify.  She looks a lot like George III and even acts the same, but has different markings and is a female.  I think she might be Killer and Dee's only daughter.  Maybe she was looking for Squiggy.

Baby Bob isn't ready to nest, yet.  She doesn't have her spots, yet.

Update on killdeer egg:

The killdeer egg was missing two days later.  However, the parents as well as Shy and her mate have all left the area.  I don't think it was the first egg to be laid, but the last to hatch.  I thought I heard chick sounds on Saturday and on Monday when I found the egg.  I think the first egg probably hatched on Saturday, more chicks hatched Saturday/Sunday, and the egg hatched Monday.  If this is the case and there were chicks hatched, they will probably return to that area in the next few weeks.  I have looked all over and the only killdeer I have found around there are Shy, Secret's son, and perhaps Shy's mate.  

New goose dropped off:

A new goose was reportedly dropped off at Lake Murray a couple days ago.  I tried my best to find it, but haven't.  People say it was hanging around Louie, but I still can't find it.  If I do, I will post a photo of it.  Someone said it was a baby and really friendly.

Junior's back; new killdeer eggs

Junior came back very early.  This is the earliest I've seen him since he hatched.

The Beautiful Dad has a new egg.  I almost stepped on it.  I sure hope my scent doesn't lead predators to it. It's near where the nest was last year.

George's daughter seems to really like Pollux.

Here is Pollux.

I saw a black phoebe building a nest:

I'm not sure, but I think this is the gull that I saw the vultures picking on last week.  He looks better, but still sick.  He's watching the other gulls fly over him.

Two doves on a roof, one was coming in for a landing (or taking off):

For some reason, Jill's Canada goose and all the other geese abandoned her.  She screamed for a long time, but they ignored her, so she spent the day alone.  I think they will all gather again at night.  

Saw one gadwall:

Hurt-wing was in a great mood, bright eyed and seemed happy:

Latte (Buffy2) and the crested duck:

San Diego Birding Festival

Today was the free Family Fun Day at the San Diego Birding Festival, so I went down there to take one of the art classes and view some birds in the San Diego River channel.  They had a "Big Sit" down by the bike path.

There was a large flock of California gulls there, but not as large as there was about a week ago.  There's some royal terns, heermann's gulls, and a mew gull in there, too.

Here is a marbled godwit and a least sandpiper.  I didn't even know the sandpipers were there until they flew off.  I'm glad I got one in the photo:

Gulls and royal terns:

A willet.  It looks like his bill is deformed:

Here is a whimbrel:

Compare that photo to a long-billed curlew.  Many people confuse the two unless they're side by side:

Here is a ring-billed gull.  They were grabbing mussels and dropping them on the hard ground to open them. This one was expecting us to feed him.

Bufflehead and northern pintail:

Lots of ruddy ducks:

And, an American wigeon.  We looked for the Eurasian wigeon, but didn't see him.

Lots of herons and egrets there today, too.

Jill and Pollux in Love

Jill professes her love to the Canada gander

Love is in the air all over the lake.  Jill seems to be hopelessly in love with the Canada gander.  She was across the lake (probably visiting Waddles who hasn't been seen in a week) with another gander and started screaming for this guy.  However, he ignored her.  She the came on land and was bowing and vocalizing to him, but he just slowly walked away.  At least he's not chasing her off like he used to.

All the remaining domestic ducks were doing well.  And, so was Spoonface (Bossy):

Ducky was seen without his mate who might be on a nest now:

Bigboi, I think, might be molting.  He looks less green:

I had a surprise today.  I thought, at first, this was a blue-winged teal, but noticed it had a stiff tail like a ruddy duck and it was very small.  Now, I know it's a female ring-necked duck.  First time I've seen one there, though they aren't uncommon in San Diego.

In Killdeerland, when I saw these two killdeer I thought it was Dee and her son, George III who was flirting with her.  It was kinda dark, so that's why the color is strange.  When I looked at the photos, it almost looked like Firecracker was the female, but not exactly.  I think it is one of George and Martha's daughters.

I thought the male was George III at first, but now that I look at the photos, I think it's Pollux.  I thought Pollux had a mate, but something must have happened.  She may have been caught by the hawk, or chose another mate.  She was a full-grown adult, perhaps she didn't want to deal with a juvenile and wanted a more experienced mate.

Baby Bob made a rare late morning appearance.  She is still pretty much spotless.  Her mom was already getting new spots at this time last year.

And, finally, the Cooper's hawk sees all.  I don't think this is Big Mama as she looks too brown.  But, she is an adult. I'm thinking she might be the female chick Big Mama and her mate had last year.  There was an older hawk seen courting her, later.

My Squidoo Lenses

I thought I would share a few links to my Squidoo lenses that are on the same topics of this blog.  Squidoo is a site where you write about things you like or promote your business.  Instead of being a straight article or blog, it's set up with "modules" and you write a little bit about the subject in each module.  Or, you can pick out other features for that module such as a photo slideshow or recommend Cafe Press items, etc.

Here are my Squidoo lenses that relate to this blog:

Dumped Duckies
All About Killdeers, the Two-Ringed Plover
Wild Baby Ducks!
Guide to Birding Blogs
American Avocets and their Chicks
Help Scientists by Counting Birds
Ever hear the call of the willet?
Tom the Muscovy Duck
George the Killdeer and His Family
Doodle T. Woodduck for President!
Lake Murray, San Diego, California

Check them out for more photos and information.  I may put them in the sidebar to this blog.

I made an impromptu visit to the lake, but didn't bring my camera.  Half the geese were gone and I don't know where they went.  I came a little later than usual, so I don't know if they go to a different spot at that time.  All the domestic ducks except three were seen, but they're probably OK.  Mom and Dad killdeer were in the ballfields and running around in the parking lot there.