Say's Phoebe

This Say's Phoebe landed in my lap sort to speak. I was in my car taking pictures of a flock of American Pipits in a grassy field at Paramount Ranch in California when a bird landed on a post right next to me. To my delight it was a Say's Phoebe, the only one I saw the whole time I was in California last week.

Black Phoebe

A Black Phoebe at Paramount Ranch in California played cat and mouse with me for a while until I finally got a close look from my car as I drove past a log fence.

Western Scrub Jay

This Western Scrub Jay was much more cooperative that most. I almost missed out on this opportunity as I was walking away from having photographed a Western Kingbird at Paramount Ranch when I decided to go back for some more. I didn't get any more Kingbird photos, but I did get some of my best of this Scrub Jay.

House Finch

After the Lark Sparrows flew off just outside Paramount Ranch, I noticed some more birds in the brush further up the hill. Many were bright red and I was hoping for another new life bird. It turned out to be a flock of House Finches with males ranging from orange, like the one above, to bright red. I didn't get very close to them, but I like how this one straddled two branches and caught the late afternoon light.

Lark Sparrow

I've been on the road again for work; this time just north of Los Angeles at King Gillette Ranch Park. They are opening a new visitor center and the company I work for is installing a new lighting management system there. Since I am the only one that knows how to program the system at this time, I got elected to go on site and commission it.
It was a beautiful area, nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains. When I arrived on the first morning there were parrots squawking in a tree. I wanted so badly to go exploring and take pictures, but I was committed to the job from sunrise to sunset.
On Friday, after completing all I could, I left the site at about 3:00. I immediately went to the adjacent Malibu Creek State Park in hopes of seeing some interesting birds. I eventually made it to Paramount Ranch were I noticed some small birds along the road. There was off road parking there so I stopped and made my way across the road to were I had seen them.
It turns out the was a flock of possibly 50 Lark Sparrows. I only saw a few at a time, but as they started to flush it was obvious that there were many out of sight in the grass.
A very striking bird.