Not as common or as widespread as Western Bluebird this male Mountain Bluebird was at the base of the Puite Mountains on the way too Butterbredt Spring.
California - November 2009
Passerines: page 2
Northern Mockingbird
American Buff-bellied Pipit
Loggerhead Shrike
Marsh Wren
Hermit Thrush
Western Bluebird
Cedar Waxwing
Mountain Bluebird
Phainopepla
Pygmy Nuthatch
Oak Titmouse
Say's Phoebe
Clarke's Nutcracker
American Crow
Yellow-billed Magpie
Brewers Blackbird
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Townsends Warbler
House Finch
Song Sparrow
Sage Sparrow
Black-throated Sparrow
White-crowned Sparrow
Fox Sparrow
Several flocks of Cedar Waxwings were present in the tall trees at Big Morongo Canyon Reserve where the were difficult to get any decent images of. Note the whitish under-tail coverts.
Fairly widespread but not overly common Phainopepla were most numerous in the semi-desert areas of the south with this approachable individual being at Finney Lake.
Fairly common in the right habitat, such as the campground at Mt. Pinos, Pygmy Nuthatch were rather engaging. The first image below was taken in Golden Gate Park. I have included this as I think the bark of the tree makes a more interesting overall picture whilst the second image is from the aforementioned picnic site at Mt. Pinos where it and others were visiting a nest hole.
Common in the deserts and dry areas of the south this Oak Titmouse was photographed at Big Morongo Canyon Reserve.
Says Phoebe was both common and widespread with numerous birds seen from across a variety of locations. This individual shared the same wire as a flycatching flock of Western Buebirds at Big Morongo Canyon Reserve.
