National Bird Day 2026

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Happy National Bird Day!

Celebrated on January 5 since 2002, it is a day to highlight the struggles faced by our avian friends. The January 5 timing is not arbitrary. Each year since 1900, volunteers conduct the Christmas Bird Count (CBC). This survey covers a circle approximately 15 miles in diameter, centered on Seattle Washington, wherein participants catalog every bird observed. The results of this survey are then submitted to the National Audubon Society. The data collected from this and similar surveys help determine the path forward for bird research in the western hemisphere.

I think it an appropriate day to post some bird images. I’ll start with the newest, captured just yesterday. My lovely bride and I took a day trip to Redding. As we drove across the high flats on State Route 44, the snow was really coming down and the good folks at CALTRANS hadn’t gotten around to plowing, so there was about six inches on the highway. I spotted this great blue heron in Bridge Creek, one of the tributaries of McCoy Flat Reservoir. Luckily, we were among the very few out braving the driving conditions, so I was able to get turned around and come back to the spot. Since there was no traffic, I was able to stop in the road and grab a few frames. The only car that came along was a CHP officer in the other lane, who was fairly mellow and enjoyed looking at the bird…

Of course, a post like this has to have a bald eagle image, and this is probably my favorite to date. This is likely Liberty (female), but it may be Guardian. In any event, it is one of the pair that nests along the Sacramento River at Turtle Bay. I caught this frame just after the majestic raptor dropped a stick it was carrying for nest-building purposes and was in mid U-turn, flying straight at me in golden morning light. A couple seconds after this, the bird rammed into a dead branch in a nearby pine tree, broke a piece off with a very loud crack, and resumed its journey back to the nest. I learned something that day. I had no idea they did that and had always assumed they gathered nesting material from litter on the forest floor…

Close-up view of a bald eagle in mid-flight at Turtle Bay Exploration Park in Redding, California, its wings stretched wide and angled as it makes a sharp turn. Warm morning light illuminates the bird’s white head, intense yellow eyes, and detailed brown flight feathers. The eagle’s focused, forward gaze and sweeping wing posture create a dramatic, powerful moment against a soft blue sky.

I have always enjoyed watching the mating behavior of the western grebe. Here are a couple frames I’m happy with from their interesting courtship. First, the “weed ceremony,” where a courting pair dives, grabs aquatic vegetation, and does a bit of a dance on the surface. I caught these two engaged in such behavior near the marina at Eagle Lake in Lassen County…

Two western grebes facing each other in calm lake water, their long white necks arched together while holding aquatic weeds in their bills, with a clear reflection mirrored below during a summer morning at Eagle Lake in northern California.

Later in the grebes’ mating process, they engage in the “rush.” A pair (or sometimes two males in competition with each other, along with a female) will run atop the water for some distance—often 50 feet or more—before diving in unison. This is my first successful photo of this behavior where I caught it from the side in nice light, at a high shutter speed, to freeze the wake left behind by these amazing waterbirds…

Two Western Grebes rushing across the smooth surface of a lake, bodies lifted upright as they run on the water in perfect parallel motion. Their long necks stretch forward, wings slightly open, and their feet kick up tall splashes of white spray that rise behind them. The warm, low-angle light highlights their black-and-white plumage and casts clear reflections on the calm water below. The scene emphasizes the intensity, height, and energy of their courtship display against a soft blue backdrop.

While sitting under some camo netting in a different session at Eagle Lake, this common loon swam right at me and got quite close before diving in search of a morning meal. I call this image Red Eyed and Bow Tied, as I think the neck band resembles a bow tie when viewed from the front—and, well, the eye part is pretty self explanatory. If you’ve never heard the somewhat eerie call these birds make, close your eyes and picture being at the water’s edge on a foggy morning as you listen to this...

Close-up view of a common loon (Gavia immer) in striking black and white breeding plumage, swimming on the calm, gray waters of Eagle Lake in Lassen County, California. The bird is facing forward, showcasing its symmetrical black head, sharp dagger-like bill, vivid red eyes, and distinctive white vertical neck stripes resembling a bow tie. Subtle ripples reflect the overcast sky, while the loon’s low profile and rounded body create a powerful presence as it glides toward the camera. Captured with a camouflaged vantage point for minimal disturbance.

I could go on until this becomes a book (and who knows, perhaps one day it will). But I’ll close with something I think is rather unique. When my son was still in high school, he and I were on one of our many amazing father-son fishing trips to the Burney California area. He was catching a few trout at Baum Lake one morning, so I was sitting on a nearby bench attempting to get photos of the fish he caught as they broke the surface of the water while he fought them. As a result, I was “pre-focused” at about the right distance when this osprey swooped in and tried to help itself to one of my boy’s catches. A brief tug-o-war ensued, and the beautiful raptor ultimately dropped the fish so my boy could finish landing it. Amazingly enough, the fish was relatively unscathed—physically, at least—and was released to go tell its friends not to eat the gold shiny things!

I was very honored when this image won the People’s Choice Award in the 2022 California Trout photo contest!…

Close-up action view of an osprey lifting a small trout from the rippled surface of Baum Lake in Shasta County, California. The raptor’s wings sweep upward at the edge of the frame while its talons grip the trout, which is still connected to a thin fishing line. Water droplets scatter around the bird and fish, emphasizing motion and the intensity in the osprey’s focused eyes. The tight crop highlights feather detail, the trout’s silvery body, and the split-second moment before the bird attempts to fly off with its catch.

As noted, I could turn this into at least a novella, but it’s long enough for a blog post at this point. Feel free to visit my galleries at the link above. I’ve broken the bird galleries down into different groups based on bird types.

Thank you for dropping by!

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