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Stunning Images of Birds in Action

Updated on August 24, 2018
chris nddie profile image

Blogger, Photographer. I like to be introduced as Social Activist

I love watching whales when they’re in action, but since I am a Photographer by profession I am more into capturing and collecting nature stills whenever I get a chance. Below you will find shots of various birds and flying creatures, which are mostly captured during my while watching experience. I mostly focus on capturing pictures when birds are in motion instead of their still positions because pictures with them flying, eating, making nests etc. look more natural to me.


Great Blue Heron

In flight. A Great Blue Heron takes off from the north side of the dam after fishing at the culvert.
In flight. A Great Blue Heron takes off from the north side of the dam after fishing at the culvert.

Swallow

A Tree Swallow that was going in and out of a nesting box. It looked so beautiful.
A Tree Swallow that was going in and out of a nesting box. It looked so beautiful.
Tree swallow with a beak full of insects that it was taking by to its chicks in one of the nesting boxes.
Tree swallow with a beak full of insects that it was taking by to its chicks in one of the nesting boxes.

Yellow Throat

A Common Yellow Throat hops along right in front of me across the dry mud bottom. It looks so cute with its black mask.
A Common Yellow Throat hops along right in front of me across the dry mud bottom. It looks so cute with its black mask.

Black Skimmer

A Black Skimmer, three skimmed by us and then we had to wait until the whole group came by.
A Black Skimmer, three skimmed by us and then we had to wait until the whole group came by.

Egret

A Snowy Egret shakes its feathers during preening.
A Snowy Egret shakes its feathers during preening.
This beautiful Egret flew over the bridge and landed next to a small channel. Here it is fishing; looking into the water trying not to be seen.
This beautiful Egret flew over the bridge and landed next to a small channel. Here it is fishing; looking into the water trying not to be seen.

American Wigeon

A male American Widgeon at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.
A male American Widgeon at Bolsa Chica Ecological Reserve.

Wigeon are very common in the Bolsa Chica in the west end of the Pocket Marsh. There are two species, the other is the European Wigeon which has similar body coloration but the head is mostly dark reddish colored with a buffy crown. They are considered rare here. American Wigeon's are the ones that make the squeaky toy sounds. Listen carefully and you will hear them.


Avocet

This is the only time that I have seen Avocets swimming. Normally you see them wadding in shallow water. I was surprised when I saw it. Next to the flood control channel, in the Pocket Marsh, Bolsa Chica.
This is the only time that I have seen Avocets swimming. Normally you see them wadding in shallow water. I was surprised when I saw it. Next to the flood control channel, in the Pocket Marsh, Bolsa Chica.

Black-necked

One of two Black-necked Stilts feeding in the water.
One of two Black-necked Stilts feeding in the water.

Osprey

Osprey flew by me with a Large Fish
Osprey flew by me with a Large Fish

I drove to San Joaquin Marsh to take some pictures. As I walked up to pond E I saw 6 White-faced Ibis feeding. Just then an Osprey flew by me with a large fish in its talons and landed on a telephone pole behind me next to the road. It began tearing apart what looked like a red koi. Somebody is missing an expensive fish. It took 2 hours and 15 minutes to tear apart and eat most part of the fish. It later flew off with a large chunk of meat.


Killdeer

A pair of Killdeer behaving like they were looking for a nesting site.
A pair of Killdeer behaving like they were looking for a nesting site.

Owl

Horned Owl chick in a Eucalyptus tree in the Pocket Marsh of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Preserve. There is a second chick behind this one with the mother.
Horned Owl chick in a Eucalyptus tree in the Pocket Marsh of the Bolsa Chica Ecological Preserve. There is a second chick behind this one with the mother.

Cormorant

The cormorant had its back to us with it wings extended out
The cormorant had its back to us with it wings extended out
A juvenile Double Crested Cormorant dries its wings on top of the breakwater as we look along the inside of the breakwater for the Nazca booby.
A juvenile Double Crested Cormorant dries its wings on top of the breakwater as we look along the inside of the breakwater for the Nazca booby.

As we entered the harbor, the cormorant had its back to us with it wings extended out. As we got closer, the cormorant became a little nervous and turned slowly around and faced us, and watched us as we passed. Here you can see the white neck and the breast and the mottled beak. They also have webbed feed and are excellent diving birds.


Northern Fulmar

One of the many Northern fulmars that were floating around the Minke whale carcass.
One of the many Northern fulmars that were floating around the Minke whale carcass.
A Northern Fulmar that we saw just at the north of the east end of Anacapa Island.
A Northern Fulmar that we saw just at the north of the east end of Anacapa Island.

when we were reaching the end of the island. I have not seen one of these in many years. We used to see them on rare occasions during the Winter Whale Watching sessions on Newport Beach. I did not expect to see one during the summer in the channel.


Western Gull

A Western gull steals a meal from dolphins and a flock of other gulls. There were a lot of Elegant Terns, gull and shearwater flying off and below the harbor today.
A Western gull steals a meal from dolphins and a flock of other gulls. There were a lot of Elegant Terns, gull and shearwater flying off and below the harbor today.

Common murre

Common Murre swims away from the boat as we were watching the dolphins.
Common Murre swims away from the boat as we were watching the dolphins.

Grebes

Two Clark's Grebes swim across our bow as we return to the dock.
Two Clark's Grebes swim across our bow as we return to the dock.

Booby

While returning, we got a call that the booby had returned to the same spot on the end of the breakwater.
While returning, we got a call that the booby had returned to the same spot on the end of the breakwater.

Here is a shot of the Rare Nazca Booby at the end of the breakwater looking directly at us with a California Brown pelican in the background for comparison.


Shearwaters

An immature gull takes flight next to the Ocean Adventure. There were lots of shearwaters, Bonaparte's gull, other gulls and pelicans feeding on anchovies along the coast.
An immature gull takes flight next to the Ocean Adventure. There were lots of shearwaters, Bonaparte's gull, other gulls and pelicans feeding on anchovies along the coast.

Phalarope

A non-breeding adult Red-necked Phalaropes flying in front of the Ocean Adventure.
A non-breeding adult Red-necked Phalaropes flying in front of the Ocean Adventure.

We have been seeing them all summer. Normally we see them in winter but this time I saw them in summer too. There are three species of Phalaropes. The Red Phalarope, the Red-necked Phalarope and the Wilson's phalarope. The Red and the Red-necked are the only one's found in and around the sea. The Red Phalarope as a non-breeding adult has a gray back and white sides.


California towhee

This bird is brown from the top if it's head to the tip of its tail. It is a California towhee. They are common along the Coastal Marine habitat.
This bird is brown from the top if it's head to the tip of its tail. It is a California towhee. They are common along the Coastal Marine habitat.

Night Heron

I saw this Black-Crown night Heron fly into the pine tree behind the Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center, hiding behind the branches.
I saw this Black-Crown night Heron fly into the pine tree behind the Channel Islands National Park Visitors Center, hiding behind the branches.

I drove to San Joaquin Marsh to take some pictures. As I walked up to pond E I saw 6 White-faced Ibis feeding. Just then an Osprey flew by me with a large fish in its talons and landed on a telephone pole behind me next to the road. It began tearing apart what looked like a red koi. Somebody is missing an expensive fish. It took 2 hours and 15 minutes to tear apart and eat most part of the fish. It later flew off with a large chunk of meat.


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