Take a Breath and Watch the Birds

It's been a long and grueling week of unrewarding labwork and upsetting headlines. One of my coping mechanisms? Sorting through my recent bird photos. Here are just a sampling of the birds that I saw last month (during the same walk as the bobcat).

This might be my favorite one of the lot, because the background looks a bit like an impressionist painting. This is an American coot, and there are lots more photos of them below, since they're one of the most common sightings in the wetlands.

But first, a tour through some of the other species, including this female ladder-backed woodpecker (Dryobates scalaris).

A lovely hawk, I think a sharp-shinned (Accipiter striatus)?

This little Lincoln's sparrow was posing cooperatively in the cattails.

And another cute sparrow, species unknown.

Perhaps the most interesting to watch, however, were the American coots (Fulica americana). 

The species overview on the Cornell Ornithology site begins "the waterborne American Coot is one good reminder that not everything that floats is a duck", which got a laugh out of me.

One, in particular, was bathing quite thoroughly, which made for fun observing and photography.

Dunk!

The also have rather impressive feet...

And here's a final, less-goofy coot photo, with a nice water reflection.

I went back to Sweetwater today and had an even better morning of birding (although no bobcat), so I look forward to sorting through and sharing those photos!