Owls, Ducks, Wading birds and a Bald Eagle

[Mike McKenzie]

Up until I messed up all my fall hunting by starting a striped bass fly fishin' guide service in the mid-ninties, I used to have a duck blind along Willow Creek between the Delevan and Sacramento Refuges.. Many a memorable shoots there! On my way to Oregon to pick up my Mother for the Holidays, it was pretty early in the morning as I got to the Maxwell turn off on I-5 to the Delevan Refuge, so I decided to take a side trip up 4 mile Road between Maxwell and Princeton Roads for old times sake...Along the way I got these pictures...

Here's Great Horned owl hiding in a Willow tree...I might of got a better shot if I'd of been willing to wade a 5' deep ditch in my tennis shoes but I wasn't about to do that! So here's what I got at sun-up..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/GreatHornedOwl.jpg

Up the road a little further I got some wing shooting practice on these birds..(shootin' with a camera is a heck uv'a lot different than with a shotgun!)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/WhiteHeron1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/WhiteHeron4-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/GBH-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/GBH2.jpg

Next was this backlit Red Tail
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/BacklitRedTail.jpg

Next came this bird! (Eat your heart out JB!:D )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/KingfisherA.jpg

He decided to take off....
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/KingfisherB.jpg

Then circled around and I got these backlit pic's..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Backlit.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Backlit2.jpg

Next comes these Black-Necked Stilts...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/AvocetsA.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/AvocetB.jpg

A pretty Ring-necked male,
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Ring-necked1.jpg

A male BuffelHead...
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/BuffelHead1.jpg

On my way Home on the final trip (after takin' Mom back to Oregon) I stopped a the Sacramento Refuge and took the "Auto Tour" and caught a little excitement as this Bald Eagle came in lookin' for a Duck dinner...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Eagle5.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Eagle6.jpg

Then sat there tryin' to figure out how he missed! Lookin' kinda' mad too!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Eagle3.jpg

Last one of my favorite huntin' subjects 1.- because they're tasty and 2. they decoy easy! White Fronted Geese or as we called them "Spec's".
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Specs.jpg

Maybe one more ...these pretty Pintails,..
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v212/stripermike/Pintials1.jpg

The end!
Mike

[jbird]

absolutely fabulous Mike! Im especially fond of the blue heron in flight shot! Hard to choose a favorite tho! Super jealous of your available species this time of year!

[Larry S]

Mike:
Those are magnificent photos! As great as subjects they make at rest, they outdo
themselves in flight. Always look forward to the efforts of you, jbird, and others.
Thanks and best,
Larry S

[Ed Wahl]

Great shots of great birds there Mike. Well done.

As for the eagle, wouldn't you be pissed if you missed on a flock of Spoonies?:D

Like a lot of outdoorsmen I've seen Great Blue Herons taking flight at close range enough to have the memories burned into my mind, but actually getting an image of that to save is a special skill. Thanks so much for sharing.

Ed

[Mike O]

Great shots of great birds there Mike. Well done.

As for the eagle, wouldn't you be pissed if you missed on a flock of Spoonies?:D

Ed

I have missed many a spoonie, and felt luckier for it.

Mike

[Jgoding]

spoon doggies and gaddies.

[oldtrout]

Thanks for posting, the Great Blue Heron picture is especially nice.

[k.hanley]

Boy Mikey those are some fun pics buddy. Really enjoyed the Kingfisher flight series. Thanks.
Cheers, K