In The Pines, In The Pines...

Dusky Grouse. This individual was one of the star birds of last year, hopefully he is still out there defending his parking lot. Grand Teton National Park, WY.

Hey! Welcome back to 2011 people. I didn't have time to post these in the correct year, so you can look back at them now. These are all from last fall and early this winter.

I'm still holding down Washington's Olympic Peninsula, but will soon be bound for Portland. The word "doomy" gets tossed around a lot in these parts, for reasons that are not difficult to explain...but the seas team with birds like Marbled Murrelets, Black Scoters, and Long-tailed Ducks, so one may be distracted from the slow march towards The End.

Hmmm...weird words to start the morning with...I must have coffee. Please stare at these photographs for extended periods of time.

A Peregrine Falcon moves in on a Tricolored Blackbird flock. Abbott's Lagoon, Point Reyes National Seashore, CA.

Townsend's Warbler. It feels like a great weight has been lifted, once I finally got a decent shot of one of these sharply-dressed dudes. Pine Lake Park, San Francisco, CA.

Mountain Bluebird, a true crippler. Near Santa Ynez, CA.

Common Tern....my, what feet you have. Offshore from Half Moon Bay, CA.

Whimbrel. What is it doing? Santa Barbara, CA.

Golden Eagle. I took this from the parking lot of a gas station, which is clearly excellent eagle habitat. Fremont, CA.

I had to include a token rarity shot. Thus, this wonderful Dickcissel. Point Reyes, CA.

Black Turnstones are decidedly not a facemelting bird this time of year, but manage to maintain a strange sort of appeal. Point Reyes, CA.

Red Crossbills can also be yellow crossbills. Gallatin National Forest, MT.

Hooded Mergansers and a soon-to-be-stabbily-chewed stickleback. Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA.