Tag Archives: Steve Wilcox

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June Wilson watched as these two Western Bluebirds chicks left the nest.

These pretty birds are found near coastal bluffs. I am 1/2 mile back from the ocean, and I never see Western Bluebirds at my place.

Here is a photo taken by Steve Wilcox showing an adult male on the left and the adult female on the right.

Steve also photographed the male at a nesting box, showing his beautiful blue feathers. He has a bug in his beak, about to feed one of his chicks. Yes, Western Bluebirds are cavity nesters. If you are in the right location, putting up a nesting box might tempt a pair to raise their family near you!

Thanks to June and Steve for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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Steve Wilcox was the lucky person who had a pair of Western Bluebirds build a nest in his birdhouse. Here are the parents, with the male on the left.

Western Bluebird male and female by Steve WilcoxHere the father brings a tasty bug to his offspring.

Western Bluebird dad with a bug by Steve WilcoxAnd finally Steve got a photo of the newly fledged chick

Western Bluebird chick by Steve WilcoxWestern Bluebirds are thrushes.  When they aren't breeding they like to travel in flocks, being very social birds! To hear their calls, here is a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Western_Bluebird/sounds

Thanks to Steve for allowing me to share his photos with you here.

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Mel Smith recently counted 121 Tundra Swans near the Garcia River. He took this photo through his spotting scope. You will see Canada Geese too.

Tundra Swans and Canada Geese by Mel Smith

Martin Steinpress also saw and photographed Tundra Swans recently.

Three Tundra Swans and Mallards by Martin Steinpress Tundra Swans by Martin Steinpress

The past four years, during the drought, only a few Tundra Swans returned to overwinter on the Mendonoma coast. So we're happy to see more than a hundred, though that is still a small number compared to the numbers we used to see.

Here is a close-up look at these beautiful swans in flight, taken by Steve Wilcox.

Tundra Swans by Steve Wilcox

Thanks to Steve, Martin and Mel for allowing me to share their photos with you here.

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One of the joys of living on the Mendonoma Coast is sharing the Coast with Ospreys, spring into autumn. Pairs are busy rebuilding nests and mating. Soon the female will be sitting on eggs. The males are busy fishing and Steve Wilcox recently captured a beautiful photo of one passing by with a fish in its talons.

That's a pretty good size fish this Osprey got. And it looks like the Osprey is looking right at Steve, perhaps warning him off his catch. Thanks to Steve for allowing me to share his photo with you here.

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Ferruginous Hawks are migrating into the Mendonoma Coast where they will overwinter. They are our largest hawk. One of the best places to see hawks hunting is between Manchester and Elk in Mendocino County. Steve Wilcox enjoys "hunting" hawks with his camera. I thank him for allowing me to share his beautiful photo with you here.

The favorite food of Ferruginous Hawks is Rabbits and Ground Squirrels. If you'd like to hear their piercing call, here's a link to Cornell Lab of Ornithology: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/ferruginous_hawk/sounds