Bird Sighting -- Black Phoebe

It's either I have not seen them before or thought they were sparrows.

This morning I saw a different looking bird, a little larger than sparrows, dark brown plumage and grayish white on the belly. It is a black phoebe.

Photo below was taken on my iPhone.  I hope to get a better shot with DLSR next time.

Mockingbird

Loving the soothing serenade of this mockingbird perched on top of a tree...

Bird Sighting - Hawk

When I looked at the kitchen window, I saw a hawk looking back at me.

A hawk? Yes, a big hawk...

Migratory Birds

Look up! A huge flock of migratory birds swarms across the sky in Westlake Village as they make the arduous journey from their breeding grounds up north to their southern wintering grounds.

On the First Saturday of Autumn

There is definitely a change in the air.  I had to put on a sweater this morning.

And Autumn migration is underway.  Birds are on the move back to the South as days get shorter, food supply dwindles and it gets colder across North America.

We drove to the lake to see some birds.  In the years past, I've photographed some herons, osprey, snowy egrets, black birds, blue jays and some I could not identify which I will post on a separate blog.

Today, we saw cormorants, mallards, cinnamon teal, mud hen/coots and an Egyptian goose.

Oh, and the white pelicans.  I have not spotted one yet.  I can't wait to see them back...