An ideal vacation includes birding with a local expert! I was fortunate and excited to find Keith Hansen, both an extraordinary artist and birder.
We started on the bluff overlooking Stinson Beach and progressed down to beach level to look at gulls, grebes, shorebirds, an oyster catcher, double-crested comorant, and a few ducks.
Keith Hansen Photo credit: Wendy Pitts Reeves
We saw four grebe species--horned, eared, red-necked and western. The grebes are not difficult, but when you see them all together in winter plumage, remembering the field marks can be a challenge.
Horned Grebe
That makes a field guide handy!
The view was spectacular even with the early morning overcast. Grays can be beautiful in all their subtlety.
And in the midst of all the neutrals, a few colorful blossums attracted an Anna's Hummingbird. What a treat to be so close when he arrived!
Visit all my posts on Stinson Beach, California
Keith Hansen
Great book! Full of detailed life histories. As you might guess, I brought home an autographed copy!
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