Bruce

Activity 4: I've been visiting the fresh-water Ventura Ponds in Southern California regularly for five years now and I definitely see patterns.  Right now (late winter/early spring) is the best when a whole array of waterfowl show up including Northern Shovelers, Gadwall, Lesser Scaup (below), Cinnamon Teal (below), Ruddy Ducks are in abundance.  By Summer, they will be gone leaving only Mallards and Coots.  In the nearby harbor, Western Grebe and Buffleheads show up in November and are gone by April.

For activity 1, I found a Snowy Egret and a Black-crowned Night Heron. Snowys are easy to recognize by their long neck and legs.  The Night Heron is more rounded and hunched with a long plume behind it.  Activity 2 were all black and white sea birds: Bufflehead (white on the back of head), Western Grebe (white on the front neck), and a Surf Scoter (white on back of neck, and between eyes).  Activity 3 : Buffleheads diving into the harbor,  Black Phoebes darting for insects, and California Towhees scavenging under the bushes. Activity 4: Say's Phoebe recognized by it's shape which is similar to the more common Black Phoebe, its salmon-colored underbelly, and its crazy acrobatics diving for insects around sunset.