Flappy Winged Wizard

09/06/2026

Watching gulls being fed by someone.

09/06/2026

Take a look at this California Thrasher. It’s molting, and if you notice its eyes, they’re a lighter color. That’s a clear indicator that this is a juvenile.

Whenever you’re out birding and notice a bird with lighter-colored eyes, take a closer look. In many species, juveniles have lighter eyes that darken as they mature into adults.

09/05/2026

Two Red-shouldered Hawks appeared today, and they were extremely vocal, calling back and forth from the trees. I suspect they may be a pair I’ve seen in this area before. One landed in a bare tree, calling loudly, and another joined it. After a close flyby, one disappeared into an American Sycamore, with the other following right behind. Then, suddenly, they both went completely quiet and remained hidden inside the tree.

American Sycamores are favored nesting trees for Red-shouldered Hawks, although September is well past nesting season.

09/05/2026

Two Red-shouldered Hawks appeared today, and they were extremely vocal, calling back and forth from the trees. I suspect they may be a pair I’ve seen in this area before. One landed in a bare tree, calling loudly, and another joined it. After a close flyby, one disappeared into an American Sycamore, with the other following right behind. Then, suddenly, they both went completely quiet and remained hidden inside the tree.

American Sycamores are favored nesting trees for Red-shouldered Hawks, although September is well past nesting season. So I’m not sure exactly what was going on, but watching these two adults communicate and then disappear together into the sycamore was fascinating.

09/05/2026

So I’m going to say this California Thrasher was doing a little whisper song before popping up to eat some berries. In the photo I took, the berry looks suspiciously heart-shaped. I’d like to think the California Thrasher was asking me to be his Valentine. ❤️ Anyway, he definitely looks like he’s molting!

09/05/2026

Today I encountered the most hummingbirds I’ve ever seen in California in one area. Walking about six blocks through a neighborhood near San Jose Creek, there were hummingbirds everywhere, zipping across the streets, chasing each other between yards, hovering over flowers, and constantly calling. I literally never stopped seeing or hearing them. September migration and the abundance of flowering gardens must make this neighborhood a hummingbird hotspot!

09/05/2026

Someone dump tomatoes and grape on the ground and left. This ground squirrel popped up and ate one of the tomatoes.

09/04/2026

The Eurasian Collared-Dove is an introduced, invasive species that I used to actively seek out when I birded on the East Coast because they were still relatively uncommon, particularly in the Mid-Atlantic. It was always a fun bird to find because it felt somewhat unusual and out of place. Here in California, though, they are so widespread and abundant that you could easily assume they were a native species.

09/04/2026

🦅 California Wildlife Day — September 4 🦅

Here is a photo of a nesting Bald Eagle I photographed in San Luis Obispo County earlier this year.

Growing up in California, I never thought I would see a Bald Eagle here. The devastating effects of DDT had caused Bald Eagle populations to decline dramatically, and seeing one in the wild in California seemed almost unimaginable. I’m especially grateful that I’ve now had the opportunity to see several Bald Eagles in California. WildlifeConservation DDT BaldEagleRecovery SanLuisObispoCounty BirdPhotography BirdsOfInstagram WildlifePhotography CaliforniaBirds

09/04/2026

Sharing details of my birding experience in Costa Rica - https://kellykrechmer.com/costa-rica-a-solo-birding-expedition/

Costa Rica is a great place to go birding and solo-birding is rewarding. In the summer of 2025, I embarked on a three-month solo field trip through Costa Rica, my first visit to the country. Long b…