Central Park after the Rain

One of several American White Pelicans who waited out the storms at Lake Huntington on the west side of the park.

Sometimes birders wait for good weather to go out birding, but seasoned birders know that rain, wind, and other not so "good" weather can bring out the birds. I went birding between rain showers one day and saw some great birds coming out for a breather to eat, sing, bathe and hunt.

A rabbit foraging in the leaf litter.

The rain filled a dry pond with water and the ducks filled it up in a flash including this Northern Pintail. Unusual find at Central Park.

A Red-Tailed Hawk came out for a snack.

A Black Phoebe flycatching close to the ground.

Hermit Thrush after a drink at a rain puddle.

Flock of 50 or so Cedar Waxwing at Shipley Nature Center.

It was winter and there were lots of berries. Where there are berries, there must be Cedar Waxwing. I watched near the berries at Shipley Nature Center in Huntington Central Park, and got lucky. A flock of about 50 Cedar Waxwing landed in a tree above the pond for a rest before heading off in search of more berries.

Common Yellowthroat--Geothlypis trichas picking through the leaves.

A White-crowned Sparrow comes out to eat and sing.

Downy Woodpecker taking a bath in a rain puddle.



I staked out a rain puddle near a hedge and saw a lot of birds. I just stayed still and watched all the birds come out to bathe and drink. It was a pretty good day. So next time you think it is too wet to go birding in Orange County, think again. It might be just the right time to go birding.




Between Showers I saw:




White-crowned Sparrows--Zonotrichia leucophrys (20)






Audubon Yellow-Rumped Warblers (30)






American White Pelicans--Pelecanus erythrorhynchos... (5)






Great Blue Heron--Ardea herodias (1)






Great Egret--Ardea alba (1)






American Wigeon--Anas americana (60)






Mallards--Anas platyrhynchos (100+)






American Coot--Fulica americana (50+)






Domestic Geese (4)






Downy Woodpecker (1)






Black Phoebe--Sayornis nigricans (8)






Red-Tailed Hawk--Buteo jamaicensis (2)






Cooper's Hawk--Accipiter cooperii (1)






Allen's Hummingbird---Selasphorus sasin (2)






Common Yellowthroat--Geothlypis trichas (1)






Bushtit (30)






Cedar Waxwing--Bombycilla cedrorum (50)






Northern Pintail--Anas acuta (2)


Hermit Thrush (1)






California Ground Squirrels (6)






Rabbit (1)

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