Winged Jewels

White-fronted Tern family by Byron Chin

Lazy teal by Byron Chin Via Flickr: This Green-winged Teal mastered low-effort feeding, sticking its bill in the water in the direction of flow!

Ross's Gull swimming by Byron Chin Via Flickr: A rare vagrant visitor from the Arctic, this little pink gull put on quite a show searching for worms in a brussels sprout field across the street from the Half Moon Bay airport. Sadly, shortly after we left, we heard that a Peregrine Falcon had taken it. So it was a bittersweet day, but an honor to have had the chance to see this little bird.

Great Frigatebird by Byron Chin Via Flickr: Inflating its pouch for all to see

Galapagos Hawk by Byron Chin Via Flickr: Galapagos Hawk eyeing me askance

Toucan Barbet by jonasflanken on Flickr.

Baby tern feeding by jonasflanken on Flickr.

Young American Avocet siblings by jonasflanken on Flickr.

American Avocet pair-bonding by jonasflanken on Flickr.

Territorial dispute by jonasflanken on Flickr.

Surf and Surfbirds by jonasflanken on Flickr.

Eisvogel (Alcedo atthis) by Matthias.Kahrs on Flickr.

Wiedehopf (Upupa epops) by Matthias.Kahrs on Flickr.

Eisvogel (Alcedo atthis) by Matthias.Kahrs on Flickr.

Eisvogel (Alcedo atthis) by Matthias Kahrs

Oak Titmouse by Byron Chin Via Flickr: An adult Oak Titmouse eyeing me (and the suet cylinder on the bird feeder) intently