Tag Archives: soaring

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Rozann Grunig photographed this Great Blue Heron soaring over rocks at The Sea Ranch.

Great Blue Heron soars by Rozann GrunigYou can see this big bird's reflection on the rocks below. Great Blue Herons are year round residents of the Mendonoma coast.

Thanks to Rozann for allowing me to share her photo with you here. To see more of Rozann's nature photography, here is her website: http://highway1designs.com/

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Pepe Alvarez photographed a Brown Pelican soaring. They seem to fly so effortlessly, using updrafts near the bluffs.

A Brown Pelican soars by Pepe Alvarez An adult Brown Pelican by Pepe Alvarez

This year Brown Pelicans did not breed in great numbers. The estimate is only 1% of the normal amount of eggs were laid. The theory is the burgeoning El Nino is to blame. Their normal food source down in Baja was not available this year and most Brown Pelicans did not successfully breed. As they are long-lived birds, taking one year off is not a cause for worry.

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

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Allen Vinson got this closeup photo of a  majestic Red-tailed Hawk, Buteo jamaicensis. Red-tails are our most common Hawk and they are here year round.

Seeing this big hawk soaring you can catch a flash of its red tail.

I love the raspy scream of a Red-tailed Hawk high above me. To hear it for yourself, here's a link to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology website: http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/red-tailed_hawk/sounds

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