Ring-necked Duck, 12/28/13, Whitewater Preserve, CA

Here's the ring on the Ringed-neck Duck: at the ponds at Whitewater Preserve near Palm Springs, CA

Palm Springs, 2013, Costa's, Large Orange Sulphur

Back in Palm Springs again, and a few pictures of the very common, spectacular hummingbird, the male Costa's; also a new butterfly, the Giant Orange Sulphur, an uncommon visitor from the south.

Costa's Hummingbird, Palm Springs CA, 12/26/13

Costa's Hummingbird, Palm Springs, CA 12/26/13

Costa's Hummingbird, Palm Springs, 12/26/13

Large Orange Sulphur (Phoebis agarithe), Palm Springs 12/26/13 on lantana

Large Orange Sulphur, Palm Springs, 12/26/13 on lantana

4 Western Bluebirds in neighbor's palm, 12/26/13

Oriole, 12/22/13, CBC Milford home

back view, oriole, 12/22/13

A few record shots of an Oriole, presumably Baltimore, but will be checking to rule out Bullock's, first seen in our bird bath on day of CBC (12/22/13).

First view of Oriole, 12/22/13

back view of oriole, 12/22/13

side view oriole, 12/22/13

December 2013 local Milford raptors

A few of the raptors in the period just before the Stratford-Milordd CBC.  The weather has turned warm and many smaller birds (and rodents) are feeding, esp sparrows, larks, and blackbirds.  With food all around, the raptors are out.

adult female Merlin, Silver Sands SP, 12/20/13

N Harrier, Silver Sands SP, 12/20/13

N Harrier, Silver Sands SP, 12/20/13

Cooper's Hawk, home elm, 12/21/13

Cooper's Hawk, home elm, 12/21/13

Cooper's Hawk, home elm, 12/21/13

Red-shouldered Hawk, Silver Sands SP, 12/20/13

Red-shouldered Hawk, Silver Sands SP, 12/20/13

Cooper's Hawk, home elm, 12/21/13

Silver Sands Horned Lark, White-crowned Sparrow, Savannah Sparrow, Snow Bunting, White-tailed Deer 12/19/13

note cryptic Savannah Sparrow

cryptic Savannah Sparrow

Snow Bunting with Horned Lark, Silver Sands 12/19/13

White-crowned Sparrow essaying birdseed on fence post, Silver Sands 12/19/13

White-tails, Silver Sands SP, 12/19/13

Dunlin, Silver Sands, 12/19/13

Horned Lark, Silver Sands, 12/19/13

Horned Lark, Silver Sands. 12/19/13

White-crowned Sparrow, Silver Sands, 12/19/13

White-crowned Sparrow, Silver Sands 12/19/13

Harlequin Duck, CBC 12/12/13,

At the beginning of today's frigid, snowy New Haven CBC,  as we started out with Frank Mantlik at Merwin Point we all spotted a small duck very close to the shore.  After some initial confusion, Frank said, Harlequin Duck."  As so she was.  A few record shots below as she came out of the water and stood on the rocks.

female Harlequin Duck, Milford, 12/14/13