ento0502's Favorites

Lifer Gyrfalcon that day, after a number of very close calls across many, many years: "should've been here 5 min. ago!," "As soon as you guys left, it came by and grabbed a Ruddy Duck!!," "It flew right over those willows behind you, and then...," etc. Long story why I didn't have my scope, but nevertheless, I spotted her at the very edge of my binocular range, and lo and behold, it was the bird. And oh what a bird! Got to spend a good while watching it preen and dry heave and fly around a bit, too. Happy birder.

Drama. These guys all normally get along pretty well, but here a squirrel decided to start something and nearly got kicked in the head as reward. Moments later they were back to munching sunflower seeds side-by-side again.

Say Hello to 'Bubba.' This magnificent, adult, male Mohave ground squirrel (MGS; Xerospermophilus mohavensis) was captured and released near Coso Junction, California, on June 6, 2019. It was a bit late in the year to capture an adult MGS, especially one so obviously well fed, above ground. That is because this species not only hibernates through the winter months, but it estivates through the hottest months of the summer; they hibernate or estivate for ~7 months of the year. Sadly, because of the pandemic, I could not return to my field site in 2020 and it does not look very promising either for 2021.

This Bump-head Mola was spotted feeding on the surface. There was plenty of food in the water at this time, salps, ctenophores, jelly fish etc. Additional sightings were noted
on this day by other fishermen and water craft, however no identifications received.

We noticed 3 crows pecking at something about 30 feet up a large tree. Turned out to be a Rat Snake. The crows kept trying to peck at the snake, but each time it struck back. They gave up after about 5 minutes.

This roadrunner was at a bird feeder at Sandia Crest (~10,678 feet elevation!) and was first observed lying flat in the seed tray of the feeder. After it was disturbed by me and left, a few Mountain Chickadees arrived at the feeder. When I returned to the spot sometime later, the roadrunner was back in the feeder tray and then was observed on the ground under the feeder swallowing a bird -- perhaps a chickadee it had caught. Unfortunately I missed the actual capture of the prey bird.