Tag: birds

Landscape

Fountain Sculpture; Tiburon, California

Photo of fountain sculpture in Tiburon.
Sails or Fins?

I lived in Tiburon for a while in the mid-1970s.   It’s a beautiful location on the north shore of San Francisco Bay.  Thanks to the hilly terrain, many residents have a view of the San Francisco Bay.  I occasionally go there to return to my Marin “roots.”  It hasn’t changed much, which I like.

One thing that wasn’t there in the 1970s is this sculpture.  It’s called “Coming About.”  I’ve read that it represents five sailboats.  When I first saw it I thought of shark fins.  That also seemed fitting given that Tiburon is Spanish for “shark.”     Some think the sails remind them of birds’ wings.  That would also be fitting given the number of seagulls that hang out at several waterside restaurants.  The sails slowly rotate.   The Guaymas and Servino restaurants provide a backdrop to the scene.

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Red-Tailed Hawk, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California

Photo of a red-tailed hawk.
“What do you want?”

A red-tailed hawk perches on a piling.  You might wonder why most of my photos of raptors at Point Reyes are on posts.  The reason is that much of Point Reyes is open dairy or ranch land.  In the farming/ranching area there are few trees or, better yet for the birds, snags (dead trees with no leaves and therefore unlimited visibility).  There are also power poles that they roost on, but I don’t normally photograph birds on them for several reasons (too high, too far, unaesthetic structures and poor (sky) backgrounds).

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Turkey Vulture, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California

A turkey vulture rests on a post.
Turkey Vulture, Point Reyes National Seashore

This turkey vulture is one of a few that were feeding on a skunk carcass on the Pierce Point Road.  Turkey vultures or turkey buzzards get their name because their heads resemble a turkey’s.  When you see them riding the thermals you may think they are using their eyes to find carrion, but in fact they rely more on their sense of smell.  They lack a nasal septum and in profile you can see in one nostril and out the other.  Note the very long front toes.

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Western Bluebird, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California

A western bluebird perches on a fence post.
Western Bluebird, Point Reyes National Seashore

I’ve been looking for a western bluebird to photograph for some time.  It hasn’t been easy.  First, they are hard to find.  Second, they aren’t easy to get a lens on them. They don’t sit still for more than a few seconds, if that.  Third, it’s hard to get a clean background.   This guy accommodated me recently at Point Reyes.  Thank you my friend.

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Bobcat, Point Reyes National Seashore, Marin County, California

Photo of a bobcat running.
Bobcat on the Run

I went out to Point Reyes for a while today.  I saw two bobcats and a coyote, not to mention the more common things like elk, deer, various hawks, a burrowing owl,  and other birds.  When I first saw this bobcat it was lying down in the grass.  I wasn’t sure if it was a bobcat or a tabby cat.  One of our two tabby cats has a face that looks just like a bobcat’s face and there are plenty of farm cats in the Seashore.  Anyway, as you can see from the photo, it was definitely a bobcat.  Point Reyes is a good place to spot bobcats, but they exist in suitable habitat throughout Marin County.