"The Station Fire (2009) was started by an arsonist in the Angeles National Forest, north of Los Angeles. It was the largest fire in Los Angeles County’s recorded history, burning a total of 161,189 acres – or nearly 252 square miles. " The White headed Woodpecker "...prefers to dwell in burned or cut forests where residual, large-diameter live and dead trees prevail; they require the tall, living trees as much as the burned ones. " Jerry and I have hiked Angeles Crest a lot over the years. I don't remember seeing or hearing these wonderful birds. After the fire the area was stark, bleak, and blackened. I had a big lump in my throat looking at the damage done by the fire. On this trip it looked greener.
ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist?subID=S27912635
Tags: station fire chilao visitor's center white headed woodpecker woodpecker pekabo90401 Bird watching Birdwatching Los Angeles southern california birds SX-60 canon canon SX 60 friendship Camaraderie lightroom bird bath bird feeder Angeles National Forest Pic à tête blanche Carpintero cabeza blanca Picoides albolarvatus angeles crest chilao lifer lifer bird thank you Jerry San Gabriel Mountains Angeles Crest Highway adventure los angeles local adventure borrowed camera
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We were hiking in the local mountains when we heard the familiar "bouncing ball" call.
Wrentit!
From what I've read their closest relative might be the Parrotbill. A pretty cool little group. But hardly tidy. Some have cute dainty faces and some look like they were standing behind the door when looks were passed out. And how did they get here? With the Asians that crossed the Bering Strait in the Pleistocene Period? These Early Americans could walk in. But what if you could fly?
Why leave their previous home and move to LA? Well it wasn't LA back then and who knows what was happening at home. But let's say they had a good reason to find new territory. "It diverged from it's ancestors between 6.5 and 8.1 million years ago."http://creagrus.home.montereybay.com/parrotbills.html
So their ancestors braved the challenges of weather and geography. Left home and boldly went without a built in star migration map. Where was the shelter? Where was a reliable source of water and food?
Our strictly local dino descendants. Spooky eye. Comb-over belly feathers. Long legs and tail.
Tags: Chamaea fasciata Cama brune Camea wrentit fossils Pleistocene bird pekabo90401 camaraderie friendship birds of southern california lightroom 80-D 100-400 canon canon 80-D mountain monkey chilao san gabriel mountains angeles crest 鳥 鸟 fugl lind oiseau ibon πουλί 새 avem manu پرنده птица chim นก Bird watching Bird watching Los Angeles singing bird Non-migratory bird
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The water bowl was very popular this day. I am almost at eye level with the Hairy Woodpecker... a bit far away. A comfortable distance for the birds. I have some good photos of him sitting with bright eyes and white tummy but this is the one I chose. This is why we bird watch.
Tags: woodpecker chilao Bird watching Bird watching Los Angeles southern california birds Canon Camaraderie 80D canon 80 D 100-400 bird takes a drink mountain monkey water bowl goober Wesen pekabo90401 san gabriel mountain birds Specht 啄木鸟 pivert キツツキ 딱따구리 te tipu rakau Friendship دندانه دار angeles crest highway дятел hackspett นกหัวขวาน chim gõ kiến check W9 and Lou Orr's photostream Lightroom adventure 鳥 鸟 fugl chim птица นก oiseau lind кълвач fun sized woodpecker Hairy Woodpecker lifer life bird Picoides villosus Pic chevelu Carpintero-velloso mayor
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What is pink and hunts like a treetop flycatcher?
They look and behave differently from our Acorn and Nuttall's Woodpeckers. It has me doubting that they are woodpeckers at all. I think I'll take this up with the experts at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology. (AKA dead bird museum) www.wfvz.org/index.php
Tags: Lou Orr believes the bird was named for him Pic de Lewis Carpintero de Lewis Melanerpes lewis Specht 啄木鸟 Pivert キツツキ δρυοκολάπτης 딱따구리 te tipu rakau дятел pájaro carpintero นกหัวขวาน Angeles Crest Highway chilao treetop monkey Wesen southern california birds Canon Camaraderie 80D canon 80 D 100-400 Lightroom Bird watching Bird watching Los Angeles Friendship woodpecker Lewis's woodpecker Los Angeles day trip pink woodpecker pink 鳥 鸟 fugl lind oiseau Angeles National Forest ibon πουλί 새 avem manu پرنده птица chim นก دندانه دار
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"The Pygmy Nuthatch is a small bird and the smallest North American nuthatch. It is found from southern British Columbia south to central Mexico....The common and species names describe the small stature of this active bird. Like a woodpecker, the pygmy nuthatch may excavate a small hole in house siding. Nuthatches may have additional unmated assistants helping them with nest chores; these birds may be last year’s offspring. In winter, nuthatches may roost communally with up to 100 birds huddled together. A group of nuthatches is called a “jar.”" bendbulletin.com
Tags: Angeles Crest Highway chilao chim Wesen Bird watching Bird watching Los Angeles pekabo90401 southern california birds 80D canon 80 D Canon Camaraderie Friendship Sitta pygmaea Petite sittelle Sittelle pygmée angeles national forest Pleistocene bird Black-eared Nuthatch Californian Nuthatch tiny bird Nevada Nuthatch White-naped Nuthatch Zwergkleiber Saltapalo enano Saltapalos Enano Sita Enana Sita Pigmea Trepador Enano Picchio muratore pigmeo Dwergboomklever Kleine Boomklever Поползень-крошка ヒメゴジュウガラ ヒメゴジュウカラ 小䴓 Lightroom glorious day trip into our mountains bird watching, hiking,and a picnic synergy water bowl monkey mountain monkey nuthatch Lifer Life bird lifer bird 鳥 鸟 پرنده птица นก a jar of monkeys
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