I may or may not have cried - it was so cool to see!

I’ve always been a casual birder but this year I became obsessed after going on my first Audubon trip and learning LA County, CA has the most bird species seen of any other US state. When I started solo birding, photography became the next logical step. It means I can ID later and an eBird reviewer can alert me to any misidentifications. But I started to fall in love with bird photography as well. To get better photos, I have to study bird behavior, which makes me a better birder. I got my camera in October. Nikon D500, Tamron G2 150 mm- 600mm lens. Shot RAW and edited in LR.

1. Cedar Waxwing enjoying Tonyon Berries. City founders mistook them for holly, hence Hollywood.
2. Osprey enjoying a fish at Bolsa Chica wetlands
3. Acorn Woodpecker surveying his granary
4. Northern Mockingbird… I enjoy the fall colors behind and how they bring out the golden eye
5. Great Blue Heron looking like a Dino
6. Northern Pintail in pickleweed
7. Blue Grey Gnatcatcher munching green aphids, which reproduce so quickly because they are clones, already pregnant with themself when born
8. Female Bushtit munching some seeds
9. Yellow Rumped Warbler in my yard. I expanded my feeders in September and since that time, although I live 12 miles from downtown Los Angeles, I have had 51 species visit my tiny yard. Including Amazon parrots and Great Horned Owl.
10. American Robin. If there is one thing I’ve learned the last few months it’s to appreciate the common birds around me.

Tricolored Heron - Collier County, FL

Filmed this in my front yard at the bird feeders. I know some people can be sensitive to dead birds, but I thought it was too cool not to share!!

Apparently 1% of them have this, so I figured I’d share this one I found. (https://www.sibleyguides.com/2011/03/another-clue-for-identifying-downy-and-hairy-woodpeckers/)

NE Wisconsin