Photography

Birds at California

Birds photographed in California, from the Baylands marshes and Palo Alto Duck Pond to Stanford’s arboretum, campus woodland and Lake Lagunita.

Palo Alto and Stanford, California · 2026 · 40 photos

A Killdeer with two dark breast bands standing on a wet mudflat. — Killdeer (Charadrius vociferus). Runs and pauses on open ground and mudflats, feeding mainly on insects and other small invertebrates. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

An American Crow perched among eucalyptus branches, with its dark plumage lit by filtered sunlight. — American Crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos). An adaptable, social omnivore that forages on the ground for invertebrates, seeds, fruit and other foods. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

A Snowy Egret flying across blue sky, with black legs and yellow feet trailing behind. — Snowy Egret (Egretta thula). Hunts fish and other small aquatic prey in shallow wetlands, often stirring the bottom with its feet. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

A grey-brown shorebird, probably a yellowlegs, resting on one leg beside salt-marsh vegetation. — Probable yellowlegs (Tringa sp.). Long-legged shorebirds that forage in shallow wetlands for aquatic invertebrates. The tucked head and viewing angle prevent a reliable species identification. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

Two Northern Shovelers resting together on a narrow mudflat beside blue water. — Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata). Filters small aquatic invertebrates and seeds from shallow water with its broad, spoon-shaped bill. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

A mixed group of dabbling ducks, including a finely patterned Gadwall at the water’s edge and a slender Northern Pintail farther back. — Gadwall and Northern Pintail (Mareca strepera; Anas acuta). Both are dabbling ducks: Gadwalls feed largely on aquatic vegetation, while pintails eat seeds and aquatic invertebrates. Other ducks share this resting spot. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

Lesser Goldfinch (Spinus psaltria). Often gathers in small flocks and feeds mainly on seeds, particularly those of plants in the sunflower family. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

A White-crowned Sparrow with black-and-white crown stripes and a yellow-orange bill perched on a wire. — White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys). Forages on or near the ground for seeds and insects, often gathering in flocks outside the breeding season. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

A Snowy Egret walking beside a tidal channel, its yellow feet visible against the muddy bank. — Snowy Egret (Egretta thula). Uses shallow marsh edges and tidal channels to catch fish, crustaceans and other small aquatic animals. Photographed on 17 October 2026 near Palo Alto Duck Pond, California.

An American Avocet in flight above green marsh vegetation. — American Avocet (Recurvirostra americana). Feeds in shallow wetlands, sweeping its upturned bill from side to side to catch aquatic invertebrates. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

A Marbled Godwit flying over water with cinnamon-coloured wings extended. — Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa). Probes sand and mud with its long bill for aquatic invertebrates; outside the breeding season it gathers along coastal shores and estuaries. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

A flock of dowitchers feeding across a shallow tidal mudflat. — Dowitchers (Limnodromus spp.). Feed in shallow water by repeatedly probing mud for invertebrates. Short-billed and Long-billed Dowitchers cannot be reliably separated in this photograph. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

An American Kestrel perched on a bare branch against blue sky. — American Kestrel (Falco sparverius). Favours open ground and hunts insects and small vertebrates, often watching for prey from an exposed perch. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

Two American Coots with white bills swimming on blue water. — American Coot (Fulica americana). Lives on ponds and wetlands, feeding mainly on aquatic plants by dabbling or diving; it often gathers in flocks outside the breeding season. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

A Northern Shoveler resting in shallow water beside salt-marsh plants. — Northern Shoveler (Spatula clypeata). Uses its broad, spoon-shaped bill to filter small crustaceans, aquatic invertebrates and seeds from shallow water. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

A Marbled Godwit walking across an exposed mudflat. — Marbled Godwit (Limosa fedoa). Forages along tidal flats and shallow estuaries, probing soft sediment for worms, small molluscs and other invertebrates. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

A Snowy Egret standing among resting Northern Shovelers beside a wetland. — Snowy Egret and Northern Shovelers (Egretta thula; Spatula clypeata). Snowy Egrets hunt small aquatic prey in shallow water; Northern Shovelers filter food with their broad bills and often rest together beside wetlands. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

A Snowy Egret with a black bill and yellow feet standing on a small mudflat. — Snowy Egret (Egretta thula). Wades in shallow wetlands to catch fish and other small aquatic animals, often stirring prey with its feet. Photographed in 2026 at Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve (Lucy Evans area), California.

A dark-hooded Dark-eyed Junco perched on a lichen-covered branch. — Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon form (Junco hyemalis). Forages mainly on the ground for seeds in woodland, parks and gardens, often joining small flocks in winter. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler with a yellow throat perched among leaves and berry stalks. — Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon’s form (Setophaga coronata). Searches woodland foliage for insects and also eats berries, which help sustain it through the winter. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A grey-headed Dark-eyed Junco perched among oak leaves. — Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon form (Junco hyemalis). Lives around woodland edges and gardens; it eats many seeds, with insects becoming more important during the breeding season. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

An Acorn Woodpecker with a red crown and pale face resting on a shaded branch. — Acorn Woodpecker (Melanerpes formicivorus). Lives in oak woodland, often in cooperative family groups, and stores acorns in holes drilled in granary trees. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A Red-tailed Hawk standing on dry leaf litter, with its reddish tail visible. — Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). Hunts mainly small mammals in open habitats, using elevated perches or soaring flight to watch for prey. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A Western Bluebird with blue-grey wings and a rusty breast perched on a dead branch. — Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana). Watches the ground from a low perch and drops down to catch insects; fruits become an important food outside the breeding season. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler with a yellow flank patch standing on lichen-covered bark. — Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon’s form (Setophaga coronata). Forages on insects in trees and shrubs and also eats fruit; outside the breeding season it often joins mixed feeding flocks. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A Golden-crowned Sparrow with a muted yellow crown standing among fallen leaves. — Golden-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia atricapilla). Winters in western scrub and woodland edges, foraging on the ground for seeds and other plant material. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A California Towhee with rusty undertail feathers standing in dry leaf litter. — California Towhee (Melozone crissalis). Common in California scrub and shrubby gardens, where it scratches through leaf litter for seeds and insects. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A White-breasted Nuthatch moving headfirst along a pale eucalyptus trunk. — White-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis). Climbs along trunks and branches, often headfirst, searching bark crevices for insects and caching seeds for later use. Photographed in 2026 at Stanford University arboretum and campus woodland, California.

A Chestnut-backed Chickadee with a dark cap and white cheek perched among sunlit green leaves. — Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens). Found in Pacific Coast woodlands and wooded gardens, where it searches bark and twigs for insects. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A White-crowned Sparrow with black-and-white head stripes perched on a dry seed stalk. — White-crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys). Look for it in low shrubs and weedy fields, where it forages on the ground for seeds. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A grey-brown California Towhee standing among dry fallen leaves, with rusty colour beneath its tail. — California Towhee (Melozone crissalis). Common in California scrub and shrubby gardens; it scratches through fallen leaves to uncover seeds and insects. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A large brown hawk, tentatively identified as a Red-tailed Hawk, resting on a branch against blue sky, partly hidden by foreground branches. — Probable Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis). Usually found in open habitats, hunting mainly small mammals. Identification is tentative because branches obscure key features. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A Chestnut-backed Chickadee twisting between branches with its wings open among curled dry leaves. — Chestnut-backed Chickadee (Poecile rufescens). In winter, it often joins mixed flocks with other small birds while searching trees and shrubs for food. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A small Yellow-rumped Warbler with a yellow throat and side patch standing in sunlight near the base of a large tree. — Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon’s form (Setophaga coronata). In winter, look for it in parks and open woodland with fruiting shrubs; it eats both insects and berries. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A Dark-eyed Junco seen from behind on a fallen log, showing a dark hood, brown back and pale outer tail feathers. — Dark-eyed Junco, Oregon form (Junco hyemalis). In winter, it often feeds on seeds on the ground in open woodland, parks and gardens. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A Yellow-rumped Warbler viewed from below, perched on a twig with a yellow throat and yellow patch on its side. — Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon’s form (Setophaga coronata). It searches foliage and bark for insects and can fly out from a perch to catch them in midair. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A Nuttall’s Woodpecker clinging to a tree trunk, with black-and-white plumage and red on the back of its head. — Nuttall’s Woodpecker (Dryobates nuttallii). Often found in California oak woodlands, it probes bark for insects and excavates nest holes in dead trunks or branches. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A Brown Creeper clinging upright to a tree trunk, with a slender curved bill and mottled brown-and-white plumage. — Brown Creeper (Certhia americana). It spirals up tree trunks, probing bark for insects, then flies down to start another climb near the base of a tree. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

Yellow-rumped Warbler, Audubon’s form (Setophaga coronata). Its ability to eat bayberry and wax myrtle fruits helps it spend the winter farther north than many other warblers. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

A round Western Bluebird with a blue-grey head and rusty breast perched among branches covered in pale lichen. — Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana). It scans the ground from low perches and drops down to catch insects; fruits and seeds become important foods in winter. Photographed in 2026 at Lake Lagunita, Stanford University, California.

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