November in Southern California always starts to have a chill in the air, and it feels like fall and the start of the holiday season. I spent the month with family and friends and just chillin'. Sometimes after pandemics and politics you just need a break. I think that's what's needed for much of the nation.

It was cool enough to drive to Tucson for a visit with family. I planned a short morning get-away, while in Tucson, to bird the Sweetwater Wetlands. Note to self: check for controlled burns before birding. It was smoky and few birds. But Tucson was pleasant, I saw some different scenery, and my son's backyard had Costa's Hummingbirds. I was happy.

After I came back to California, my friend and I went to Oak Glen for autumn chill. Not as much nip in the air as we hoped. It was in the 70s! We found a few mountain birds, ate apple pie, and drank apple cider. We sang show tunes and Christmas carols in the car on the long trip home. A lovely way to spend a day.

This was a woodpecker and raptor month for me. For woodpeckers, in addition to Ladder-backed and Gila in the desert, and Acorn in the mountains, locally I had Nuttall's and Downy, as well as Red-breasted Sapsucker and Northern Flicker. I think everyone loves woodpeckers. They are good-sized birds with sturdy bills and, when they tap on the trees, it gets your attention.

I also saw many raptors this month. Red-tailed Hawks are the most common, but often deceptive. They don't always have a red tail. They have a wide variation in colors and patterns with age and color 'morphs'. It is the odd ones that really capture my attention. I have a couple of shots with two Red-tailed Hawks side by side, but looking very different.  I visited Arbor Park where I often see Northern Harriers and White-tailed Kites. They always seem special. A particularly special raptor I saw was a Rough-legged Hawk at the Los Cerritos Wetlands. It is a rarity on the coast. The last one seen in Orange County was in 1997. I saw it on Thanksgiving while doing my regular monthly survey. As soon as word got out, several people tried to find it. The next morning several dozen people were on the hunt, but it was long gone. There is a competitive nature to some birders, and one person told me they 'hated me just a little bit' for having seen the special bird they didn't. I suddenly felt a small sense of celebrity.

A common bird is the Cassin's Kingbird. I had one on the phone lines behind my house. Cats cough up hairballs, owls cough up pellets of mammal bones, and kingbirds cough up pellets of the exoskeletons of insects. I happened to be in the right place at the right time to catch it on my camera. Not everyone appreciates such a photo, but if you are reading this blog, you might be one of the special people who do.

I hope you can find time during the holidays to just chill.

Happy Nature Walks.

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Local Stuff:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/new_nov_2021

Tucson:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/tucson_nov-2021

Oak Glen:    https://kimssight.zenfolio.com/oak_glen_nov-2021