Leucistic House Finch, May 13, 2024

This House Finch was visiting the bird feeder at my house. It appears to have leucism. According to CornellLab: “Leucism refers to an abnormality in the deposition of pigment in feathers. There is some disagreement as to whether the condition is genetic or caused by pigment cells that were damaged during development. Whatever the cause, the condition can result in a reduction in all types of pigment, causing pale or muted colors on the entire bird. Or the condition can cause irregular patches of white, and birds with these white patches are sometimes described as “pied” or “piebald.”

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Birdwatching at Griffith Park, January 26, 2020

It was late afternoon/early evening when I headed back out in search of more birds. This time I went to Griffith Park. I hiked the Skyline Trail to the Condor Trail and explored some side trails off the main path. In my travels, I saw plenty more birds including two beautiful red-tail hawks that were high up in the trees scanning the area for their evening dinner. After it became dark and I was hiking back down the Skyline Trail, I saw the silhouette of something big. I knew it could only be one thing… an owl. Sure enough it was a Great Horned. I watched in awe as he perched up in a tree calling before he flew off to hunt. I was able to get a few shots and brighten them up in post later. I was happy to have had the experience of seeing this beautiful owl and being able to capture an image. It was a very special evening and a great way to wrap up the weekend. Here is a list of the birds I was able to ID on my hike tonight: Anna's Hummingbird, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Acorn Woodpecker, California Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Oak Titmouse, Bushtit, Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Yellow-Rumped Warbler

Birdwatching at Ernest E. Debs Regional Park, January 25, 2020

I woke up before sunrise Saturday morning because I wanted to check out Ernest E. Debs Regional Park. I’d heard it was a great place for birding with hiking trails and also an Audubon Center. What a gem it turned out to be! Birds galore! And just like Griffith Park, another beautiful oasis surrounded by our sprawling city. It was a lovely morning. I spent at least four hours hiking the trails and birdwatching. I captured an amazing image of a Common Raven calling high up on top of a pine tree. He (or she) was spectacular! Ravens happen to be my favorite birds. When I’m hiking in the mountains, I see them all the time. They are incredibly smart and the male/females stay together as couples. I will most certainly be back again to this park for more birding and exploring! Below is a list of the birds I was able to ID today:

Mourning Dove, Anna's Hummingbird, Acorn Woodpecker, Nuttall's Woodpecker, California Scrub-Jay, Common Raven, Ruby-Crowned Kinglet, Bewick's Wren , Northern Mockingbird, House Finch, Lesser Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Junco, California Towhee, Yellow-Rumped Warbler