Are we absolutely sure that it is May? The torrential rains I woke to in the San Bernardino Mountains this morning seem to suggest otherwise. Also, can you spot the Western Bluebird?
The Squirrel Cuckoo runs along branches and leaps more than it flies, pursuing large insects through the canopy. All the while, it drags that super long tail and truly does resemble a squirrel hopping through the trees. This conspicuous behavior is unique for a cuckoo and was just incredible to watch! This was one of three lifer cuckoos I got in Honduras (also Mangrove Cuckoo and Lesser Roadrunner), thanks to @elmerescot . 👉 for a better look at that impressive checker-patterned tail! I am determined to sort through my photos of what has been an incredible spring before my summer adventures begin, so I’ll be sharing a few more of my favorites from my March Honduras trip. #squirrelcuckoo #picobonito #birdsofhonduras #ebird365 #outsideofmy5MR
Whether its the foxes or endemic jays, Santa Cruz Island never fails to put on a show. But this spring, the wildflowers are the stars! We were in Lily heaven, finding 3 of the 5 species of Liliaceae on the island. 1 and 2) Calochortus catalinae added a pop of color to the dramatically green north-facing slopes of the island’s South Ridge. 3) Fairy lanterns clung on to the morning fog (Calochortus albus) in the shade of a Santa Cruz Island Ironwood grove and 4) mixed in with bright Goldenstars (Bloomeria crocea). 5) Towering Humboldt Lilies were juuuust about to bloom (Lilium humboldtii ocellatum).
#santacruzisland #ucnrs #calnat #calnatshare #liliaceae #calochortus #ivcfieldstudies #santacruzislandreserve #uccalnat #outsideofmy5MR
I think I’m finally ready to commit: the Woodpeckers may very well be my favorite family of birds. I was reminded of this last night while covering the family in Sylvia Gallagher’s “Western Mountains and their Birds” class. And, although we have some spectacular species of woodpeckers out here in the west, I was immediately reminded of the amazing encounters I had with some lifer peckers in Honduras. This Chestnut-colored Woodpecker is a showstopper. This species ranges from southern Mexico to Panama, where it tends to forage low in the midstory of lowland rainforests. This male, and the equally impressionable female, quickly made their way through some Miconia trees before disappearing into the forest. I included the third picture to show how effective those tough tail feathers are at bracing the bird against a tree as it whacks it’s bill against the hard wood.
#birdsofhonduras #ebird365 #outsideofmy5mr #chestnutcoloredwoodpecker #woodpeckers
