Another Lunchbreak birding

[Teddy Regpala]

Quickie from a short lunch break at my favorite lunch birding site.

How I wish I have a 500mm glass ...

Anyway, as always, not the best time to bird, but I'll take it as this is my only free time for myself.

All of these are taken with a Nikon D300, AFS 300 F4, with TC 1.4, @ 420mm, Aperture priority at F8, ISO 200, -2/3 EV, handheld.

I started with a test shot not far from the parking lot ...

A Mallard?
Anas platyrhynchos

What Goose?

1/400s




And a surprise species that posed for me. The pair flew away from the perch after a few shots.
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus

1/1000s





I've never seen a dozen of these in one place before. First I saw one from a distance, then there's actually two on the same tree. I spooked them as I got closer. Then there's 3, then 4 ... their commotion warned others in the area, I stopped counting. Unfortunately they're aware of my presence and generally stayed, flew, hovered from a safe distance from me. A 500mm with a TC 1.4 would have been perfect.

White-tailed Kite
Elanus leucurus

1/1600s





And a surprise raptor on my way back to the parking lot. I'm totally unprepared for this shot, just grabbed the camera from my side, turned it on, and fired 8 fps burst and hope something will be decent enough ... NOT! Hehehe.
Backlit Red-shouldered Hawk
Buteo lineatus

1/2000s, F9 (I might have moved the dial)


I saw several usual birds, like Black Phoebe, Pied-billed Grebe, Double-crested cormorant, Canada Geese, American Coot, Great Egret, Bushtits, etc. I never bothered with them, as I don't have time to chase them. And some of them are beyond the reach of my lens.
I also saw the ever present from Sacramento sky, the Turkey vulture, and some brewer's blackbirds.
What I didn't see that I'm hoping are kildeers and woodpeckers. And the red-winged and tri-colored blackbirds are not around yet.

[Edu Lorenzo Jr]

Oct 7, 2009 9:50:59 GMT Teddy Regpala said:

How I wish I have a 500mm glass ...

Santa is right around the corner Ted

And me.. how I wish I had these friends during my lunchbreak too!

I love them all! And I love the fact that you are back posting pics!!!!

Congrats on the Flicker! Thanks for sharing!

[Neon Rosell II]

Wow! What a harvest considering you had lunch as well, all wonderful captures Ted!!

Looks like a goose to me

[alainpascua]

Great harvest, Teddy, considering that it's harvested in just a very short time.

[Eric Patdu]

Nice to see your posting again Teddy. The first photo looks like a goose to me but I'm not sure.

[Ed Matuod]

Rewarding lunchbreak, Ted! Nice shots too. What's for desert?

[Teddy Regpala]

Thanks guys.

BTW, I updated my post above.

@edu, Santa? That would be me, literally and figuratively (tummy getting bigger, go figure my figure ... acheche). Unfortunately, Santa is not spared by the recession. I doubt any 500 will be wrapped this coming holiday. I can still wish though.
(Anyway, my brand spanking new AFS 35mm f/1.8 DX will be delivered this afternoon, woooohooo).

@neon and Eric. It might be a goose. A plump of Canada Goose hanging out just a few feet away, and with them are another pair of goose of different species.
This particular goose has a partner that's partially in the frame that i cropped away.

@alain and Ed. Yeah, having a 2-yr and a 9-month old is really lifestyle-changing situation, especially over here. No maids, and you're lucky if you can afford a full time nanny.
Dessert? Well, the french fries that I didn't have time to eat was my dessert driving back to work.

I promise to bird more, time-permitting. I'm getting rusty I know.

[Ely Teehankee]

I like the Northern Flicker best of all. It has spots all over its chest like a Dalmatian. What a way to have a lunch break. Consider yourself fortunate, you have the best way to have lunch. All we see here are buildings around us. Well done Teddy. Mabuhay.

[Ariel Matias]

Oct 7, 2009 9:50:59 GMT Teddy Regpala said:

Quickie from a short lunch break at my favorite lunch birding site.

I liked that first word "Quickie"
But honestly, shots came out very good even if it were quick ones.

Next time I go out on a quick birding trip, I will tell my wife that I will go out for a "quickie" instead of a birding trip ;D .

[Edu Lorenzo Jr]

Well I hope my santa can push through with a Tripod Collar

I also think the first photo is a goose, when I took a second gander at it (sorry couldn't resist )

[Toto Gamboa]

Great set you got here Teddy. I love that Northern Flickr. First time I heard and saw a photo of this bird. Very beautiful.

[Bob Kaufman]

Ted, Your first picture is definitely a goose. Possibly a White-fronted (Anser albifrons) although I can't see any white above the beak. It could be a hybrid between a White-fronted and a Barnacle (the geese that have become domesticated and are found in public parks). Anyway, here's my photo of the White-fronted for reference:

[Teddy Regpala]

Thanks Ely, Ariel, Toto, and Bob.

Barnacle! Yup, that could be the geese I saw with the Canadians.
I already deleted the other shots of the mysterious bird, but I'll check the cropped partner if it looks similar to the one you posted. Thanks.

If only I ID the bird properly, I would have taken more serious shots, as it's a photo LIFER! Yay.

[Bob Kaufman]

Ted, my bad. Probably not a Barnacle. Can you repost showing the companion?